Help - fungus!

[Shieldmaiden]

First off, this is my first post and I'm very pleased to be here.

I am a very big fan of loaches. And also a soft touch. My tank is pretty much full to capacity (occupied by two black kuhlis, a golden dojo, two regular dojos and seven zebra danios). BUT I went into Wal-Mart for some supplies and saw that their tanks were so cloudy you couldn't even see the fish. And smelly. So silly me looks and finds a pile of kuhlis in the mess.

One of them had a fungus on his dorsal that looked like cotton. The associate said he wouldn't charge me for that one and I figured they had all already been exposed so I took them all (7 total). I put them into a little hospital tank I bought for that specific purpose and yesterday the affected fish and one of the others died, leaving me with 5 black ones. Unfortunately the little black ones now have spots on them.

I treated them when I put them in the hospital tank with something by Jungle called Fungi-Cure (I think). It basically looks like yellow sand and takes FOREVER to dissolve.

Please help! They are so wonderful and I can't bear the thought of losing them all...anyone know what it may be or what I can do?

[shari2]

Hi Shieldmaiden and welcome to LOL.

when you say spots it sounds like ick. Fungus cure won't affect it.

Can you give more details about your tank?
Size, temp, etc?

[Shieldmaiden]

I don't think it's ick because it looks stringy and cottony. The associate at W-M (like he would know I guess) said it was a fungus.

The hospital tank is sitting about 70 degrees. Our water is a little hard. Sorry, I don't have specifics...

[tariesindanrie]

Hi Shieldmaiden. Stringy and cottony sounds like Columnaris or 'body fungus' to me. I've sucessfully treated my pleco for this with Maracyn, which is a powdered Erythromycin product. Does the product you purchased show an active ingredient on the label?

Kate

[Shieldmaiden]

The website says the active ingredients are sodium chloride, nitrofurazone, furazolidone and potassium dichromate. It says it treats cotton fungus but I dunno...

It's worth pointing out that my hospital tank does not have a filter on it. Does that make a difference?

[tariesindanrie]

It does make a difference- I'd not keep fish in an unfiltered tank for long. You need to have some decent circulation going on to keep the meds mixed around, plus sick fish have particularly high oxygen and water quality needs. Please get a filter on the tank ASAP- minus any charcoal in the media, as that will absorb your meds out.

The preparation you are using sounds like it should work- I don't have any personal experience with that one in particular, but the ingredients seem effective and Jungle products are generally a good choice (from what I've heard) for loaches.

Good luck with your kuhlis- and keep us posted!

Kate

[Shieldmaiden]

I know not having a fliter is waaay not ideal but I kind of had to throw something together in a hurry in an effort to try to save the little guys.

I just ran home and checked and they're all still alive. I'm going to the pet shop when I get off in a few to check out the meds that tariesindanrie recommended, and to try to find something more permanent.

I hope they make it...will keep you guys posted. Thanks for the help!

[Shieldmaiden]

...unfortunately I've lost them all...

I went as soon as I got off last night and got a little tank with a filter and everything and got them set up. I thought they'd be OK, doctored them this morning (took the carbon out of the filter) but I lost them all. Don't know if it was the medication or what.

Bad times. Hopefully the next time I post will be a lighter subject. Maybe I can gush a bit about my golden dojo...

[starsplitter7]

...unfortunately I've lost them all...

I went as soon as I got off last night and got a little tank with a filter and everything and got them set up. I thought they'd be OK, doctored them this morning (took the carbon out of the filter) but I lost them all. Don't know if it was the medication or what.

Bad times. Hopefully the next time I post will be a lighter subject. Maybe I can gush a bit about my golden dojo...

Sorry for your loss. It is terrible. I just lost a batch of Kuhlie loaches I was trying to rescue from a feeder tank. At least now you have the supplies you need if you have an emergency again.

Take some pictures of your Golden Dojo and start gushing. You'll feel better. Everyone loves pictures.

[tariesindanrie]

Aw, Shieldmaiden, sorry to hear it. You did the best you could under the circumstances...I think nearly all of us here have tried to 'rescue' fish by buying from stores that aren't keeping them well. It's always an uphill battle when the fish are sick to begin with and then stressed by the new surroundings- it's a crap shoot at best to get them healthy and established at the same time. Don't beat yourself up.

Like Tanja said- let's see that Golden of yours. And again, welcome to LOL. You'll be assimilated in no time

Kate

[Shieldmaiden]

Thank you guys for the sympathy. It's really disheartening to have a rescue mission go so awry.

But, as you said, at least now I have the tank if I should need it.

Funny because my Golden was a rescue story too. I went into PetSmart and was looking at them and picked one out. When the guy tried to catch it, it just laid there. He went after others and the only one that moved at all was my Jojo. He told me that the water constantly circulates (thus never becoming "established") and it's very hard on the dojos. He told me flat out that they usually die within five days when they get them in. He said they couldn't NOT carry them because all PetSmarts have to have the same stock. So even though he didn't look well, I took Jojo home. Honestly I'd have bought them all but didn't have $9 X 6 at the time...

Now he's fat and thriving and I look forward to seeing his little face peeking out from under the stump every time I come home.

I'll add a pic of him as my avatar as soon as I can figure out how to keep the flash from shining on the glass (?)