Funny root like fungus

Hi all,

I trust the more experienced fishy people can assist in diagnosing the following:

A few of my fish (Swordtail female, Guppy male, Ram male) has developed what I think is a fungus that actually looks like plant roots growing out of their body's.
The guppy and Ram has it growing out behind their gills, (appears to be behind the side fins)
The Ram has it also on it's "chin".
The Sword has it growing out it's tail.

I unfortunately am unable to help with photo's at this stage, as it is near impossible to get a clear enough photo to show it to you. (I have to zoom in, and the fish move around too much in order to get an in-focus pic).

Does anyone have any idea what this is? Would anyone know what medication I would have to look at?

 

Worms?

 

I am no expert at all and just a newby but my fish disease book is of help. Took a look through it and this is the only thing that sounded similiar to your description.

It says:
white cottonwool like threads, often in isolated areas-Possible diagnosis:columnaris disease
White mouth region, especially in live bearers(with the exception of guppy) Possible diagnosis: columnaris disease
Treatment: antibiotics such as tetracycline

Hope this might be of some help...

Otherwise maybe it is worms as slojo said??

 

Why don't you do a major water change (50% - 80&) and add a bit of aquarium salt into your water.

Another option is the Jungle Buddies Fungus Clear. use the tablets as per directions. Are there any sharp rocks in your tank? It could be from the fish scratching themselves on the rocks. You should treat them for parasites as well.

 

OK, I'll pop into Jungle Buddies sometime and grab their tablets. I tried a course of Bio-Elite Antif Fungus for a week, which didnt help.

Will then look into a good water change over the weekend.

Don't believe it to be worms as it isn't 1 strand. it looks like a root growing out the fish with the "auxilary" roots growing out from the main root.

 

Hi Zoom

Google 'Anchor Worms' and see if it is the same.

 

That looks like it!

 

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/anchor_worms/

 

O bliksem!!! Thats not nice!! Good luck getting rid of them Zoom

 

Ah... Anchor worms is a different thing entirely... Try the Jungle Parasite Clear as well... Otherwise Sera make a range of PROFESSIONAL medication. I know the LFS's around here do stock it, but call to make sure... I know Jungle does as well as northgate.

Get rid of them FAST dude... But make sure that it is Anchor Worms and not cotton wool disease first!

 

More like oh f&*k!!

All remedies talk about removing ALL fish into a QT tank, dose the FISH in the QT tank, and completely empty the exist tank, and scrub all rocks and let the tank dry out for a week! THEN refill the tank and reintroduce the fish back into their tank.

 

That's a little extreme... What I would do is move the fish to the QT tank and treat them in there... Google the life cycle of the parasite and see how long they will survive without a host to cling on to. When they are due to become free swimming again, treat the tank without the fish. Then do a 80 - 90% water change doing a thorough gravel vac.

once the tank has settled, add the fish back. Just be careful. Some fish, like Loaches, don't like medicines. And if the medicine contains any copper, you will kill all snails and sensitive fish.

Good luck boet...

Is it possible to post a pic of the infection?

 

This is hectic ,,, but what causes it?

 

Food. Or contaminated water.

Feeding tubifex worms, live or frozen. Or Bloodworms, live or frozen, adding new fish which have it already. There are many sources.

 

Dam thats hectic and always thought frozen blood worm was safe, was told i should defrost the worm then through water off then through it in my tank.

 

It depends really... I feed my fish bloodworms regularly. Sometimes I've had worms break out from nowhere, but I've never had these nasties. It's a possibility, but it's probably quite rare.

I would NEVER feed frozen tubifex worms though.

 

Eish Zoom Hope your fish come out ok! Good luck

 

Oh No!

O Sh^(*t.
Good luck dude!
Seems Manual removing by tweezers is the best option.

 

If its important enough, you can take them to a vet. The one on the corner of Christiaan de Wet and Ontdekkers. Phone and see if Dr Elshove is in.

He charges a normal consultation fee of 180 bucks. But the medication is a lot cheaper than whats available on the shelves. I got a 2 weeks supply of Metro for a bacterial infection for under 20 bucks

 

Stopped in at AK Hillfox, (traffic would not have allowed me to make it to Jungle Beat in time). They gave me some (expensive) medication that is apparently guaranteed to work after one dosage. The guy recommended me to dose again a few days later so ensure that I get any that would have been going through the life cycle. But apparently the medication will kill the "eggs" too. Will just need to do some reading up and see what the net says (always conflicting issues) and the instruction manual in the medication.

It can be from frozen food, or from fish that is introduced with it.

.Thanks Linxie

I have read up about that too Slojo... the main trouble apparently with this is that sometimes the anchor work has burried quite deep in the fish, and bu manually removing, you could be damaging internal tissue. (According to my research). So I will first try the medication only route.

If I don't come right, I will give that route a go. Would I need to take my fish to him, or would he give it to me without taking the fish?


So basically the worm has a lifecyle, and the first medication will usually kill the worm, but not the other phases of it's life cycle. (eggs, larvae etc etc). So medication over a period would be necessary. I am not 100% sure where it came from, but I do have my suspicions of a particular LPS in mind. I bought 5 red nose rummy's, a male sword and 2 Rams a few weeks back, and now all I have left of that purchase is one lonely male Ram. He is also infected with the Achor Worms. (I first noticed it on him, altho my wife claims she saw it on one of my existing swords a few weeks earlier).

I have since lost my 3 female guppies. I had to cull my one sword (she was infected) as she was basically lying on the bottom of the tank gasping rather heavily, and moving very little. Currently my other sword has signs of the infection, and my lonely male Ram as well. If I am able to I will try get a decent photo to show u guys!

My plan of action is to:
+ 80% water change. (This will help get rid of any free swimming parasite looking for a host.
+ The water change to be done via a very good gravel clean (To remove any eggs of the parasite)
+ Dose with the medication as per the bottle (To kill the current parasite on the fish)
+50% water change with good vacuum in 2 days time
+ dose with medication
+ 50% water change with good vacuum 2 days later
+ dose with medication

This according to AK is the routine they recommend and works 99% of the time. Failing that, I would need to start again, and do more changes with medication.