Pleco fungus???

jhutch

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Apr 26, 2007
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aquaticmadness.com
I had a 7" Royal Panaque(L191) in with a 7" Rhino Pleco and a 6" Marbled Sailfin Pleco and various other fish. The rhino developed a spot of fungus and it then spread to the royal. In about two hours the fungus spread and consumed the royal completely. I use pimafix and melafix religiously to treat because I think they work the best of any meds I have ever used. The fungus is almost gone on the rhino but my royal died within hours of contracting the disease. I have never seen a disease spread so rapidly and kill a fish so quickly. The two plecos were the only ones effected. My rtc, pacus and other catfish were not harmed but there was no saving the royal. Any ideas on what this disease may have been and why my rhino hasn't completely gotten over it?? I have changed the water, cleaned the tank, and changed the filter cartridges twice this week but my water is still green and the rhino still affected.
 

davo

Aimara
MFK Member
Jan 9, 2006
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England
I've moved this to here, as it isn't a pleco specific disease, and you are likely to get more feedback here. Was the fungus a pinky/white cotton like growth? I admit that that is rapid onset. What are your water parameters? Keep treating the tank, and keep meding it.
 

Tokis-Phoenix

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 9, 2007
290
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Somerset, England
Can you describe the infections appearance exactly plus the areas on the fish it affected? Can you get any pics? Plus describe any other symptoms the fish had or have whether behaviorial or physical etc...
At current, it sounds like it could have been either;
a. Body fungus
b. Columnaris
c. External bacterial infection of some sort

Or even another sort of desease depending on the exact appearance of the symptoms the fish had.

Do you have any recent test results for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?
How often do you do water changes and how much do you take out on average? How often do you clean the bottom of the tank/substrate? How many gallons is the tank plus its dimensions and what do you feed each type of fish and how much on average and how often etc?
 

jhutch

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Apr 26, 2007
1,323
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38
New York
aquaticmadness.com
The fungus was more pink on the rhino who I assume was the host fish. When the royal came down with it, it was completely white and spread like mold. One whole side of the royal was completely white. As far as behavior the rhino didn't change his activity and seemed unaffected where as the royal sat on the flat rock in my tank and didn't move at all. The growth started on the rhino just in front of the dorsal fin slightly off to the right side. I would take a pic and post it because the rhino still has a white spot on his body but I can't seem to get my pics to load on here when I try.
 

Tokis-Phoenix

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 9, 2007
290
0
0
Somerset, England
The infection sounds exactly like columnaris to me, it is both a fungal and bacterial infection, so you were treating it with the right meds as far as the Pimafix and Melafix is concerned.
With the whitepot, are the spots on the fish larger or smaller than sand grain size at all? Can you fill in the other info i asked please?
 
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