Panda Cory with Milky Film 10/13/05
Hello,
<Good morning. Sabrina with you.>
This is my first fish tank and your website has been tremendously valuable. I keep making mistakes, though, and lost 4 panda Corys. Just when I think I've figured out what I'm doing wrong, another panda gets sick.
<Yikes. Starting out, most folks make mistakes, so do not beat yourself up on this. It is how we are prompted to learn.>
I now have two pandas. One seems healthy and active, but the other has milky white clumps on one side of his body. They started about 2 weeks ago and are spreading. I'm attaching two photos...I hope you can open them. I don't know if it's a fungus or bacterial infection.
<A tough question. I, personally, think this is Columnaris or some other (severe) bacterial infection. Good photo, BTW.>
I've been treating the tank with Maracyn for 8 days now. Initially, there was a small red spot in the white patch that's gone now. The Cory hides but eats actively (sinking wafers and shrimp pellets) and his breathing seems normal. Both seem to tolerate the Maracyn.
<I don't think Maracyn (Erythromycin) will treat Columnaris; even if this is something else bacterial, I doubt that Erythromycin is the way to go; it only treats gram-positive bacteria (that's bacteria that have a cell wall); there are few gram-positive bacteria responsible for illness in fish.>
<<This is incorrect: The difference between "gram positive" bacteria and "gram negative" bacteria has to do with how they take up (or don't) a type of violet stain (re: peptidoglycan w/in cell walls) .  Try Googling, or view here  Marina>>

My tank and mistakes:
-- 7 gal, power filter with venturi tube, sponge filter, heater, light, live plants, driftwood.
-- 1 male Betta, 2 panda Corys (at most 4).
-- temp 80F, ph 7.0, total ammonia < 0.1ppm (was zero before Maracyn), nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 5ppm, dGH 2, dKH 2.
-- 30-40% water change and gravel vac every other day, Amquel, Nutrafin Cycle every other change. Temp change 1-2 degrees after change.
<This is too much maintenance, once the tank's cycled.>
-- mistakes:
--didn't cycle properly and overfed; lost 2 Corys due to high ammonia.
--problems keeping temp and pH stable; okay now.
--initially fed Betta live tube worms
<Tubifex worms, perhaps? Try to avoid these; blackworms are safer (as in, less prone to passing along disease to your fish).>
and now some are living in the gravel. I vacuum but can't seem to get rid of them. Maybe the substrate wasn't clean enough.
<This is okay. The worms in the substrate aren't of significant concern unless they are very numerous.>
--Two other Corys gradually got sick.
<Ammonia again? Or this illness?>
--one died after one dose of Maroxy; did quick water change and stopped.
--another died after one dose of Maracyn II, same.
I feel terrible about losing these fish. Is there anything I can do if the Maracyn doesn't work?
<I've shown this to Bob, as well.... his recommendation is to treat with aquarium salt and a furan compound.... might read here for more: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/furancpdfaqs.htm .>
I don't want to add another chemical or medicine that might do more harm than good.
<The Maracyn likely will not be of help here.>
I won't add new fish. Through all this, my Betta has been very active, eating heartily, and seemingly oblivious.
<I would remove him from this system immediately, lest he contract the illness as well. Normally I would recommend the opposite, removing the infected fish to a separate quarantine/hospital system, but I would be fearful for the Betta right now.>
Thanks for your expertise! --Anita
<Wishing you the best, -Sabrina>

Panda Cory with Milky Film - II - 10/21/2005
Hello Sabrina again,
<Aloha.>
Thank you for your advice on treating my panda Cory with the bacterial infection. I set up a small 2.5 gal tank with power filter, heater, new gravel, two new live plants, and some decorations, then moved my Betta into it. Since the tank isn't cycled (I didn't use gravel from my main tank, due to the infection), I am monitoring the ammonia and doing 50% water changes every other day. He is settled and healthy, his normal self, though a bit cramped.
<All sounds good for now.>
I am relieved he's safe. In my 7 gal main tank with the two panda Corys, I added aquarium salt (dissolved in water) and began treatment with Furan 2 (two courses for 8 days). Today is the last day. The tank parameters are still: temp 80F, pH 7.0, total ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 5ppm. I have good news and bad news, plus more questions if you can help.
<Alright! Let's get started.>
First the good: Both Corys tolerated the treatment. The healthy one looks the same with no sign of infection. The sick one still has energy, eats a lot, and swims around. He has actually grown bigger in the three weeks since the white patches appeared.
<Wow.>
(He is the only Cory that developed these white patches.) Both seem to be breathing normally with no redness around the gills. Now the bad: The white patches don't seem to have reduced in size or thickness. It's difficult to tell if they've spread, but there might be a new patch on his right side. The past few days, I've noticed he darts and jerks more when he swims and hides more often. I looked at a close-up photo and was astonished to find that his left pectoral fin is gone! It was definitely there 5 days ago.

Panda before Furan2 treatment.

Panda post-Furan2.

<Did you start medicating with a Furan compound yet?>
I am attaching photos. Since this infection started, his left side seemed to swell and bulge around the pectoral fin. Since he's grown bigger, it's hard to tell if there's still a bulge. I plan to do a partial water change and put back the carbon filter as recommended on the Furan 2 package.
<Mm, you should remove the carbon when you start treating with the Furan 2.>
Should I keep the aquarium salt in the water or gradually remove it with water changes?
<Fine to leave the salt in, as long as it is no more than 1 tablespoon per five or ten gallons.... less is better with Corys.>
Is there another treatment I can try?
<Have you started the Furan 2 yet? I would give it a second go, if you're already done with the first round.>
Can his fin grow back?
<Possibly, but also possibly not. Not to worry, though, he can live without a pectoral fin if it does not grow back.>
Is it possible he can make it or does this mean he will slowly get worse and suffer more? What is the best and kindest thing I can do for him now?
<In all honesty, I don't know his chances. It's a pretty bad infection. However, if he's still eating, I think there's still hope. I would give it a second round with the Furan 2, and if that still fails, I would consider going to something "stronger", perhaps Oxytetracycline....>
Thanks for your help,
--Anita
<All the best to you and your fish, -Sabrina>