Mouth Fungus in Tropical Fish

When dealing with tropical fish illness and disease, it's always a good idea to have a good guidebook at your side. We recommend this book as a handy desktop reference.

Diagnosing an illness in your tropical fish can sometimes be difficult when the symptoms of one illness resemble those of another. It doesn't help that the occasional disorder is a misnomer as well, as in the case of mouth fungus. This is not actually a fungus, but a bacterium that presents a physical appearance resembling fungus.

Columnaris, or mouth fungus, usually appears first as a white outline around the fish's lips. White or gray tufts then develop on the skin of the head, gills and even the body if left untreated. The tufts may degenerate into open sores as well.

It is vital that the condition be treated as soon as possible, since the condition renders the fish unable to eat, and the toxins released by the bacterium will cause a rapid decline in their condition.

Remove affected fish to a hospital tank, where there is no activated charcoal in the filtration system. Gradually raise the temperature four degrees above the home aquarium's normal setting. Some sources recommend penicillin as a first line of defense, with a second dose given after two days.

A light salt solution in the hospital tank can also be used if that particular type of fish will tolerate it. Other hobbyists recommend a short bath of 30 minutes in another container with potassium permanganate, then placing back in the hospital tank.

One key to curing the affected fish as well as preserving the health of those left in the home aquarium, is to make frequent water changes. Where your normal routine may have been twice a week, it should now be upped to changing 10-15% every day in both tanks, until the sick fish has recovered, and there are no more signs of the problem in the main tank.

Recommended! A-Z of Tropical Fish Diseases and Health Problems: The aim of this book is to help aquarists recognize signs of illness so they can identify and resolve problems. Divided into three sections, the first focuses on health and husbandry, describing the signs of a healthy fish, anatomy and general care; the second provides signs of diseases and health problems and is cross-referenced to section three, which covers the treatment of diseases and health problems. Illustrated throughout with top-quality color photos, the book is an invaluable reference for novice to experienced fishkeepers. Click here for your copy.

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