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True fungus's etc.

Hi Folks:

Years ago life seemed to be easier. Aquari-sol, Chloramphenichol HCL(Sp?)and
E.M. Cured just about everything.  Now Aqiari-sol kills snails,
Chloramphenichol HCL(Sp?) is harder to come by than four legged chickens and
E.M. doesn't seem to cure anything anymore.  (I never kept snails in the
past.) I suddenly find myself wantonly lacking in veterinary skills, when it
comes to killifish.  I would therefore like to pose a few questions to you
in an effort to get up to speed.  I hate to take you away from your water
changes, but I believe that the stupidest question is the one I don't ask.

Question 1:

I have recently lost a few A. Celiae Celiae to a true fungus. These fish
have a habit of hiding in the Java Moss so I missed the onset I assume that
it happened during a time period when the heaters were unplugged after a
water change and the temperature dropped into the low sixties.  The fish
took weeks to die.  To make matters worse the fungus coincided with a velvet
outbreak. This was also no doubt brought on by the cold. I dealt with the
velvet originally with Acrifalvine and then with aquarium salt upon
reoccurrence about two weeks later.  Neither was effective on the fungus.
When the fungused fish died I thought that I had seen the last of it.  But
as one might anticipate another fish became sick. It developed a patch of
fungus on one side immediately behind the dorsal fin. I decided to try the
salt water dip idea someone proposed for advanced velvet. It seems to have
produced positive results removing the stringy white growth. I am watching
to see if the fish heals. Never the less I probably should treat the entire
tank for fungus to totally eradicate the disease. The plant life is
decimated but there are still few snails which I would hate to kill off
without cause. During the salt water dip I noticed the white stringy nature
of the growth causing me to revise my diagnosis to true fungus. I was
treating the tank with E.M. and kanamycin Sulfate assuming that the disease
was probably bacterial. Neither was effective except to stress the snails.

So folks, is there a silver bullet for true fungal infections?


Question 2:

I have been keeping fish for a very long time, I usually used larger tanks
where catfish made the best scavengers. Therefore I have not kept snails for
at least a couple of decades. For small aquaria, especially where I am
breeding killies I have not been able to find a better scavenger or algae
eater than snails. I am beginning to find that they have their shortcomings
when it comes to treating fish. If I were to remove snails when treating a
fish tank with something snails can not tolerate how can I prevent
reintroducing the illness when I return the snails to the original tanks?
Is this a even a valid concern?


Question 3:

In my travels through my basement I found the following chemicals;
Formaldehyde, Malachite Green, Quinine and methylene blue. I was wondering
if these products are actually the best course of treatment for anything.

I tried quinine on salt water Oodinium and Cryptocarion (Sp?)in an effort to
treat the fish without killing off the inverts. It failed.

I used methylene blue to prevent egg fungusing. Acriflavine did a much
better job.

The formaldehyde is still in its original blister pack so I never used it
for anything and I am not sure why I bought it.

The instructions on one of the malachite green bottles indicate that it also
contains formaldehyde.  The bottle claims that it treats Ich. But upon
reflection I am sure that I don't even know what malachite green is, much
less what it is really good for.  Someone must have recommended it for
something in salt water years ago.

In salt water formaldehyde is used in solution with copper sulfate to kill
Oodinium.  I read the thread about killing hydra with Formaldehyde, but
aside from that does anyone really know what it or any of these products are
good for in fresh water and at what dosage?


Question 4:

I have been reviewing my notes on Notho Fade Away and I have noticed that
this condition seems to occur much more commonly when the fish are in tanks
which have more aeration and/or faster currents.  Does anyone know what the
current or dissolved oxygen rate would be in the fish's natural environment?
Does anyone else feel that the current or amount of dissolved oxygen in the
water could adversely impact Nothos?


By the way, my point about new pennies no longer being copper may have been
valid but I stand corrected about new pennies being an aluminum alloy, this
was a regrettable restatement of bad information I had received elsewhere, I
am glad someone took the time to make the appropriate correction.

Finally I would like to conclude with an observation. After thirty years of
keeping fish the most important thing that I have learned is that to know
one thing comes with the price of also knowing that you no longer know
something else for sure.

I am grateful for the benefit of your experience. Thanks in advance for your
help.


Best regards,

-RJ-



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