# Fish has a fungal growth on its body - what medication?



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

My pygmy sunfish have been attacked by a flesh eating fungus. I have already lost 3 of them. I tried dosing malachite green but the fungus doesn't seem to be dying off. Any advice? What medication should I use?


----------



## Adam C (Feb 7, 2013)

A few years ago we had one of our larger goldfish jump out of a pond. He ended up with a huge wound on his side where fungus grabbed hold. I started by treating his holding tank but it was too slow. I ended up doing daily dips with QuickCure for about a week and he healed right up. If you're able to, I would give him some good dips.


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi Zapins,

Malachite Green can be an effective treatment for itch but I have never tried it for fungus problems.

My current favorite fungus treatment is API Melafix. I had a cory with a really bad fungus infection that was so bad I thought I was going to lose it but a week of treatment with Melafix and it recovered and is still going strong!


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Thanks for the replies but unfortunately the fish died a few days ago. The infection was fast moving and aggressive. Next time I will know what to use. 

I tried dipping with malachite bit it didn't do anything. Malachite's instructions said it was effective at curing fungal issues. Clearly miss information to boost sales.


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Many fish 'fungus' problems are actually bacterial in origin. 
The one that looks the most like a fungus is actually Flavobacteria columnaris. It can be treated with most fish antibiotics, especially those that target Gram negative organisms. 

Most fish fungi attack tissue that is already compromised, from injury (such as Adam's Goldfish), or from bacterial infection. 

Melafix and Pimafix are great for infections (either sort) if they are caught very early. These are mild products, and they only act on the outside of the fish. 
For deeper infections a medicated food is better if the fish is still eating, or a medication that will enter the fish's system, usually through the gills. 
Topical treatment can work for some problems. 
I find the information at Koivet to be very helpful in these sorts of issues. 

Many medicines will work better in a tank that is very clean. Any organic matter in the substrate or in the water might attract the medicine, then there is less medicine to attack the real problem. 
When beginning any treatment thoroughly clean the tank, or move the fish to a bare bottom hospital tank.


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Great info. Dianna K. Thanks for the site also.


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Well I lost quite a few fish to this disease. I thought it had gone but then I looked again tonight and at least 2 females have it again. One is pretty bad its all over the side of her body (seen below).

This disease is very aggressive so I expect I'll lose all the sick fish within the next day or two if I can't find the right treatment for them. Any help is welcome.

I've tried salt and high temperature in a hospital tank, and direct malachite green spot treatment.

I finally decided to catch one of the sick fish and gently snip off a piece of the disease. Here is some microscopic footage of one of the tufts. Any kind of ID would be very helpful. I might try copper sulfate next since I have it on hand. I've also got potassium permanganate and H2O2 and excel.


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I just dosed with copper sulfate in a hospital tank. We'll see if the fish make it. I really hope so...

Stock solution= 21 grams of Copper Sulfate 1 pint of distilled water. Shake well. Use 1 drop per every gallon of aquarium water= .15ppm.


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Diana K, I read up a bit more on columnaris and I think that is exactly what I have. 

I have stopped the copper sulfate treatment and bought some Furan-2 by API which is a gram negative antibiotic. I just dosed it now, so I'll update this thread in a few hours. With any luck we will see improvements.

Unfortunately the fish in the picture above died this morning before I was able to get the medication. Hopefully the remaining 4 do not die.


----------



## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

Zapins said:


> Malachite's instructions said it was effective at curing fungal issues. Clearly miss information to boost sales.


It actually is a pretty powerful antifungal-so is methylene blue. Just probably a case where, as Diana K noted, your "fungus" is a bacteria.


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yes, I agree all the symptoms match bacteria not fungus.

Unfortunately another fish died this morning. I'm down to 3. 

Hoping the antibiotics kick in soon...


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Great news!

The salt treatment is definitely working (unless its the salt and Furan-2 working synergistically). 

I'm at 1.6 tablespoons / gallon concentration right now, and the white strands have mostly died off leaving behind small red lesions where they used to be rooted. I'm going to increase it to about 2/gallon and then keep it there for a few days or a week until I'm sure the infection has passed.


----------



## Lovci (May 19, 2013)

2 doses of methylene blue did the trick for me.


----------

