I screwed up!

[Ron Sower]

My panda corys have all died, except 1, and he looks to be a goner too!

They were doing nicely, even had spawned and a couple survived and growing in the tank with the parents. I took no special effort to pull them and raise them in another tank.

Last week I introduced 2 new corys from a trusted LFS.  Their tanks all looked good and no dead fish, and these 2 guys had been in there for awhile. One was dead the next morning with NO external signs of cause.

I didn't quarantine...!  Big oooops! The 2 fry turned up dead morning a few days latr and I couldn't determine the cause. Yesterday all the others were dead, but for the one.  I think what is causing this is Columnaris. They have blobs of white masses and a milky coating over their bodies.

Does anyone have home cure that might save the single sick survivor? I'm afraid he's too far gone.

The interesting thing is that I removed the second new fish and he shows no signs of this!

[Mugwump]

Unfortunately this "I didn't quarantine"...says it all...it seems probable that the one fish was the carrier. I'd keep the other isolated and see if he'll come around...??...some Cory's excrete a poison when stressed....not sure about the ones that you got tho....

[BillT]

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnaris

Treatment

As Flavobacterium columnare is Gram-negative, fish can be treated with a combination of the antibiotics furan-2 and kanamycin administered together. A medicated fish bath (using methylene blue or potassium permanganate and salt),[3] is generally a first step, as well lowering the aquarium temperature to 75?F (24?C) is a must, since columnaris is much more virulent at higher temperatures, especially 85-90?F.[4]

Medicated food containing oxytetracycline is also an effective treatment for internal infections, but resistance is emerging. Potassium permanganate, copper sulfate, and hydrogen peroxide can also be applied externally to adult fish and fry, but can be toxic at high concentrations. Vaccines can also be given in the face of an outbreak or to prevent disease occurrence.

Also diagnosis:

Symptoms

An infection will usually first manifest in fish by causing frayed and ragged fins. This is followed by the appearance of ulcerations on the skin, and subsequent epidermal loss, identifiable as white or cloudy, fungus-like patches ? particularly on the gill filaments. Mucus often also accumulates on the gills, head and dorsal regions. Gills will change colour, either becoming light or dark brown, and may also manifest necrosis. Fish will breathe rapidly and laboriously as a sign of gill damage. Anorexia and lethargy are common, as are mortalities, especially in young fish.

Diagnosis

Bacteria can be isolated from gills, skin and the kidneys. For definitive diagnosis, the pathogen should then be cultured on reduced nutrient agar. Inhibiting contaminant growth on the agar by adding antibiotics and keeping the temperature at 37?C should improve culture results. Colonies are small, 3?4 mm in diameter, and grow within 24 hours. They are characteristically rhizoid in structure and pale yellow in colour.

I'm no expert on catfish, but it is my understanding that they don't always do well with drug/medicine treatments.

[LizStreithorst]

Furan2 alone will usually do the trick.  PP only works if you catch it right away.  If your remaining fish is in bad shape Iwouldn't double up on antibiotics with Kana.  Good luck.

[Mugwump]

Me neither, but I'd heard the same about treating them....perhaps Bob will chime in...?

[Ron Sower]

Unfortunately this "I didn't quarantine"...says it all...

Yeah, I'm beating myself up over that already!

[LizStreithorst]

You can avoid blaming yourself by using the passive voice same as the politicians do.  Just say, "Mistakes were made"  and you'll be off the hook .  Please don't.  I despise that trick of words.  But take it easy on yourself and take care not to cross contaminate your other tanks.  Everyone who has been into fish for any time has screwed up QT at least once.

[Ron Sower]

You can avoid blaming yourself by using the passive voice same as the politicians do.  Just say, "Mistakes were made"  and you'll be off the hook .

Ain't gonna happen, Liz...! I can't stand their BS!
I just hate being without a fish room and having no QT tanks.

[Mugwump]

...Crap happens, that's all.....we've all been there....

[LizStreithorst]

As long as you learn from the mistake (whether you made it or "it was made') all is good.  I could write a book about screwing up QT.  May people who sell fish that carry disease burn in hell.

[Ron Sower]

As long as you learn from the mistake (whether you made it or "it was made') all is good.  I could write a book about screwing up QT.  May people who sell fish that carry disease burn in hell.

...Crap happens, that's all.....we've all been there....

Yep! & Yep!
But sometimes they don't know they're diseased fish. So may those people not burn!

[LizStreithorst]

You're right.

[PaulineMi]

Sorry you lost your corys.  Like others have said many of us learn about QT the hard way.  I've done it too.

Could you keep a small tank, heater and a little filter in a closet? Stick a small bag of some type of filter media in a tank, ready for the QT tank. Or see if the LFS will give or sell you something biologically active from a tank with the fish you buy.

BTW....I know of people who use Sterilite plastic tubs as QT tanks.  Way back when I used a small plastic reptile box. The clearer the better though so you can observe the fish.

[Ron Sower]

Pauline, unfortunately, I'm not new at this. I have several tanks in the back shed. I just got lazy and thought I'd try short-cutting and lost!

I will be needing foot surgery in a month or 2.  Each foot is going to take 6-8 weeks to heal. I'll have to be off of each for 6 weeks, so it will curtail my mobility a lot. I've had a couple friends offer to help me with my tanks while I'm going thru this and that will help.  But what I'm going to do is take down 4-6 of my tanks (the nanos) because they require the most attention, and go bad so quickly when something goes wrong.

I will use one of the smaller tanks for a QT then.  I'll get it all figured out!   

[PaulineMi]

Well best of luck with the foot surgery. Getting your tanks in order pre-procedure will help a lot. I speak from my from my foot surgery experience last year.

Glad to hear you have a plan and helpful friends.