When you say the mouth won't close, is it extended open like this?
Mouth constantly open, not eating and stringy poo
- Thread starter Tripping Willow 91
- Start date
This may be the disease Columnaris, and if so, (AKA duck lips), it is caused by a gram negative bacteria, which loves warm water.
Any water temps above 80F make it more virulent.
Any meds you try should contain an antibiotic effective against gram negative bacteria.
I usually just euthanize the entire tank, and sanitize anything including tank, tops, nets, tubes (everything) the water touched with bleach and start the tank over.
This bacteria can live, inert in a smudge of dry dirt, and reinvigorate when coming in contact with water.
The initial symptoms hard to see at first, but once it becomes apparent, it leads to quick death.
Others may have been able to address it with meds....I have not,, for me,
because it is so communicable and deadly, the chance of it spreading to other fish, and tanks, leads to euthanasia and complete sanitation.
Any water temps above 80F make it more virulent.
Any meds you try should contain an antibiotic effective against gram negative bacteria.
I usually just euthanize the entire tank, and sanitize anything including tank, tops, nets, tubes (everything) the water touched with bleach and start the tank over.
This bacteria can live, inert in a smudge of dry dirt, and reinvigorate when coming in contact with water.
The initial symptoms hard to see at first, but once it becomes apparent, it leads to quick death.
Others may have been able to address it with meds....I have not,, for me,
because it is so communicable and deadly, the chance of it spreading to other fish, and tanks, leads to euthanasia and complete sanitation.
Oh no I really hope this is not the case, how sure are you that this is columnaris? My water is at 75-77f on an inkbird
Something I didn't mention is the Swordtail that I was treating with the ndx because of suspected worms is that although it has starting pooping normally after the treatment, this fish is in poor condition, tatty fins, still very skinny and just generally looks in condition, I guess his symptoms could also point towards columnaris. Being in England I don't think there is actually anything readily available that will be effective against this. Not sure what to do now, I'd hate to loose the whole tank. I lost all my livestock in my previous high tech heavily planted tank because unbeknown to me some idiot adjusted my co2 regulator and when the co2 automatically whilst I was at work it dumped a load of co2 and gassed all my fish, shrimp and snails
Your pics are not close enough to be sure, at this point.
If you could get a close up of the jaw area it would help.
In the 60s, Columnaris was often called Live Bearer disease, (I believe) at that point there was a craze of live bearer hybridization similar to todays cichlid mutting..
Columnaris seemed to resurface right around the 90s, the time FHs and when cichlid hybridization started occurring.
I don't know if it ties into the hybridization, or the random use of antibiotics in Asia to keep FH spawns larger, or both.
Just a theory.
Here's another close up of Columnaris close to the fishes death.
If you could get a close up of the jaw area it would help.
In the 60s, Columnaris was often called Live Bearer disease, (I believe) at that point there was a craze of live bearer hybridization similar to todays cichlid mutting..
Columnaris seemed to resurface right around the 90s, the time FHs and when cichlid hybridization started occurring.
I don't know if it ties into the hybridization, or the random use of antibiotics in Asia to keep FH spawns larger, or both.
Just a theory.
Here's another close up of Columnaris close to the fishes death.
I think whatever it is it was likely bought in by the swordtail, he's not been right since day one, this is my thread from march asking for advice on him https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...nternal-parasites-or-waisting-disease.746930/
Yer it was sitting at the back of the tank being camera shy, all the others were up the front begging for pellets. I'll try and get a better photo after work today. I'm now thinking it might be in my best interest to euthanize the sword and meeki and hope the others don't come down with whatever this is.
If this is columnaris how long would it take before I start seeing symptoms in the other currently healthy looking fish?
Yer it was sitting at the back of the tank being camera shy, all the others were up the front begging for pellets. I'll try and get a better photo after work today. I'm now thinking it might be in my best interest to euthanize the sword and meeki and hope the others don't come down with whatever this is.
If this is columnaris how long would it take before I start seeing symptoms in the other currently healthy looking fish?
The fish in my photos, arrived with two others," it" only appeared to have the disease, although the mouth symptoms were not immediately apparent.
It sat in a corner, colors intensified, not eating, barely moving. Luckily all 3 were held in a Quarantine tank.
I normally QT each new fish for at least 3 months.
The one with the jaw anomaly's died within a week of the obvious symptoms, the other two didn't show symptoms for about a month or two, then both also died of the disease.
Because I had never seen or had the disease before I didn't recognize it
I thought it might be a dislocated jaw (something I had seen before) and had pushed back into place.
When I tried with the fish above, the jaw was immoveable, it appeared to have atrophied completely.
You may want to try snapping the jaw of your fish back into place with your fingers.
It sat in a corner, colors intensified, not eating, barely moving. Luckily all 3 were held in a Quarantine tank.
I normally QT each new fish for at least 3 months.
The one with the jaw anomaly's died within a week of the obvious symptoms, the other two didn't show symptoms for about a month or two, then both also died of the disease.
Because I had never seen or had the disease before I didn't recognize it
I thought it might be a dislocated jaw (something I had seen before) and had pushed back into place.
When I tried with the fish above, the jaw was immoveable, it appeared to have atrophied completely.
You may want to try snapping the jaw of your fish back into place with your fingers.
Oh dear. I'm not really sure what to do, I'll try and net the meeki when I get home but it's not weak at the moment, I think I'll have to tear the tank apart to catch it and I'll try to pop it's jaw back in
