I posted in the general info forum about dosing with salt due to a problem with one guppy.

Now all 5 guppys in the tank are showing some worrying symptoms.

Most serious is one with a split tail and completely *rotted* for want of a better word, upper mouth with white edging..

All 5 are showing signs of fin and mouth rot, lethargy and hanging out at the top of the tank with very little energy. I fed earlier and they appear to all be taking food, although the one with the seriously deteriorated mouth is struggling.

Tested this morning and tank params are as normal:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <20
Tank capacity 90l but I'm considering moving them into my 40l temporarily so I can observe them more closely during treatment.

There is no airstone in the tank, I'm wondering if decent aeration would help?


I have taken ownership of these poorly fish from a friend who didn't want to keep them after losing two to this affliction.

I will include pictures in a second, im wondering if this is columnaris? I've done some reading and this seems common in stressed guppys.

I have tried a course of general tonic 2 weeks back but this only seems to have stressed the fish further. Removed medication with carbon filters and added salt at a concentration of 0.5g/l

Pictures to follow

Thanks in advance

cant get a decent picture of the mouth but looking at other forums it looks like mouth fungus coupled with fin rot. Someone hasn't been looking after their water by the looks of it, They're in good water now, any recommendations for treatment?

Hi

If the fish now has a bacterial infection then I doubt salt will be of any help Salt can be helpful for assisting with signs of short term nitrite poisoning and some keepers do still use it for Ich outbreaks, although now most strains are so resistant, proper meds are required. This could still just be a knock on from previous water conditions though given you have rescued them.

Diagnosing is tricky, but symptoms sound to be quite progressed. Ideally, I would have recommended to treat with a good all round antibacterial first such as Myaxin, when symptoms first showed, to see if that resolved the problem. This may still be a viable option.

If it is flexibacter columnaris though, then full on antibiotics will be required such as Furan. Be warned these knock on the filter bacteria so housing in a QT whilst treating is a must.

Good article on salt here from a previous forum member. It's a long read (be warned, make yourself a brew first ) but really worth it. Hope that helps.

Adding Salt to Freshwater Tanks:
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/ ... id=211822#forumpost211822

Thanks for reply!

Furan, where can I get this stuff from?

I think I'll try the Myaxin first, If I need to QT, seeing as these are the only fish in the tank would I be able to take half the filter media out and stick it in my tank to keep it ticking over?

Will there be any risk to the fish in my tank?

I can easily take out the ceramic noodles from my friends tank and stick them in a small internal to run alongside the existing filter in my coldwater set up.

Also im guessing a large water change to dilute the saline content in the tank before treating? I added the salt mainly to try and de-stress the fish and they seem less skittish.

Sorry for all the questions, these are lovely little fish and I really want to give them a fighting chance!

No need to QT then if its only them in the tank

As far as I know, Furan (treats gram-negative bacteria such as columnaris) or it's newer counterpart Furan 2 (treats both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria - so a good all rounder) can no longer be bought in the UK. Due to pharmaceutical licensing and the fact these carry carcinogenic properties, they are barred for 'shop sale' in the UK

Overseas retailers via the usual web or Ebay, usually US based, still sell as their codes are far more relaxed than the UK.

Alternatively, suitable and stonger UK meds, in the form of some other prescription antibiotics can be obtained from a vet of course. Forewarned is forearmed though when requesting these, know what you are asking for and why, so do your research first, as many vets don't specialise as such in fish.

When treating with such meds, remove sponge filter media but keep running elsewhere with an ammonia source and water flow. Not recommended to add to other tanks with other fish due to infection issues.

Once meds have finished, big water change and then run lot's of activated carbon (think big bag that fills the entire filter casing) for 48 hours, then another large water change, before adding the filter media back in.

Any residue of these meds will make all filter bacteria void (lesson I learned personally to my distress some years ago )