Fungus on my AUL! Help!

[Cheesetian]

Interesting,I wonder who the supplier exporting them from Australia is or perhaps they are captive bred at another location?

Okay...but that does not clear up where op is getting his juvies from....last I heard the supplier in Australia was not doing well healthwise.It would be great if someone in Asia was breeding them.

I heard the main breeder from Australia is no longer in business. Honestly don't know much about them and never tried getting any from them because the process is long and tedious. My source is from Asia. They cost upwards of US$2000 per piece.

Thank you for the update! These threads can turn into a learning resource when updated. So happy to hear it cleared up. Are you doing baths in MB? How frequently? Have you treated the system to eliminate any fungus or spores lurking in your system? The furan2 combo is good for this nitrofurazone and furazolide also
kanamyacin is commonly paired.



Congrats on getting more. Consider keeping them in separate system until the big one is fully recovered? They may be more susceptible at a smaller size.

Here's how it currently looks. The dark patch is where the fungus manifested. As you can tell the water is still bluish from the MB dose. I added it directly to the tank as i've been advised by my LFS that it's safe. So far the tank parameters are backing that up as well. I intend to continue dosing on the 4th and 7th day. If the scales are still raw then i will do a WC and repeat the cycle.

So far the AUL and its tank mates are all behaving fine and have normal appetites.

 

[krichardson]

Thank you for the reply.The last time I can recall them being offered here in the U.S. they were priced at six hundred dollars each.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

I'm pleased to see the fish doing well! However, your LFS is incorrect. Tell them that so they stop spreading misinformation that will get fish killed. Methylene blue is toxic to beneficial bacteria. The higher the dosage the faster the die off. The die off is occurring at any dosage that is effective at killing fungus. Test your water daily. Your system will crash at some point if you continue treatment at high ppm. I recommend only doing baths or qt tank treatment. Part of the reason the crash isn't instantaneous is because bacteria colonies secrete and live inside of biofilm. These are mucus like secretions that protect them and stabilize their environment. This is why some antibiotic treatments take so long in humans, and one reason why combinations are sometimes necessary. Treatments take time to penetrate and dissolve these protective films and reach the colonies to cause mass die of. Once the films dissolve or are penetrated you experience just that. A mass die off of beneficial bacteria, usually followed by a mass die off of fish.



They're new breeders now krich. Not just the old man down under anymore.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

"Methylene blue is toxic to plants and is harmful to biological filtration preventing nitrification and resulting in a rapid rise in ammonia and or nitrite levels" -kordon methylene blue label

With your current plan there is a distinct possibility you will suffer loss of life.

 

[Cheesetian]

"Methylene blue is toxic to plants and is harmful to biological filtration preventing nitrification and resulting in a rapid rise in ammonia and or nitrite levels" -kordon methylene blue label

With your current plan there is a distinct possibility you will suffer loss of life.

How long do you recommend the MB bath be?

 

[predatorkeeper87]

How long do you recommend the MB bath be?

I generally do 30 minute ones if its a persistent fungus like what you are dealing with.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

Same as predatory. I do 1-2 tbsp in a 5 gallon bucket.

I think you should treat your tank with nitrofurazone to kill the spores and remaining fungus hiding in there. It can do it safely without killing your bio. Then do baths until completely healed.

 

[krichardson]

They're new breeders now krich. Not just the old man down under anymore.

I suspected as much.....someone else had to at least be attempting to breed the AULs given their value and profit potential.

 

[Cheesetian]

Same as predatory. I do 1-2 tbsp in a 5 gallon bucket.

I think you should treat your tank with nitrofurazone to kill the spores and remaining fungus hiding in there. It can do it safely without killing your bio. Then do baths until completely healed.

Ok roger that. Thanks!

 

[Cheesetian]

MB baths have proved ineffective. The fungus would drop off but grow back within a day or two.

However I'm hesitant about using nitrofurazone. I've gone to the LFS and checked out API's Furan-2 which was recommended for nitrofurazone when I googled. The packaging doesn't mention anything about killing fungus or fungus spores.

API does have Fungus Cure but the reviews I've read online are split regarding the product's effectiveness. What do you guys think?