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Dizzle63
03/22/2010, 02:13 PM
Lately I have noticed that my male baldwin pipefish is losing his tail. It started slowly and has progressed to it completely falling off. None of my fish pick on it at all. I also have a tail spot blenny that always has short nubby pectoral fins. They weren't like that when I bought him. Do I have some sort of pathogen that could be doing this? Both are really healthy otherwise.

cdsheid
03/23/2010, 08:08 AM
Columnaris
Grayish white marks or patches on the body of the fish or around its mouth are the first obvious signs of Columnaris. These patches appear like threads, especially in the vicinity of the mouth. Hence, this is often confused with another disease called "Mouth Fungus". The fins of the fish may show signs of deterioration, the gills get affected and slowly sores start appearing on the body. During a later stage the fish can hold its fins very close to the body and not spreading them. Columnaris disease is caused by bacteria, and is mostly a direct result of poor water quality. Sometimes, the shock of being introduced to the new aquarium leads to Columnaris disease in newly imported fish. Anti-bacterial medications will be enough if the disease is discovered and treated at its early stages. The disease will however invade the internal organs during the later stages and antibiotics are then required to cure

cdsheid
03/23/2010, 08:13 AM
Disease Type:
Bacterial (gram negative organism)

Organism: Aeromonas, Psuedomonas, or Vibrio
Description:
Fin rot is one of the most common, and most preventable, diseases in aquarium fish. It is caused by several types of bacteria, and often occurs concurrently with other diseases. It can usually be cured, but if left untreated, it can kill the diseased fish and infect all the others in the tank.
Symptoms:
Fin edges turn white

Fins fray

Bases of fins enflamed

Entire fin may rot away

The fins begin to fray and get ragged, becoming shorter over time. Usually the edges look white, and may even develop a fuzzy growth due to secondary Cotton Wool infection. A the disease advances the area may become red an inflamed, with bloody patches appearing as more of the fin is eaten away.
Treatment :
Correct root cause

Water change

Treat with antibiotics

Addition of aquarium salt

Fin rot is caused by one of several gram negative bacteria. Several anitiboitics are effective, however the root cause must be addressed as well.

Fin rot occurs when the fish is stressed for some reason. The most common cause is poor water quality. Overcrowding the tank, feeding outdated food or overfeeding, and moving or handling the fish can also cause stress leading to fin rot.


Treatment should include a water change, and careful examination of the aquarium conditions. If there is food debris, vaccumm the gravel and take care to avoid overfeeding. Start dating your fish food, as it loses the vitamin content fairly quickly after it is opened. Feeding fish fresh, high quality food, in smaller quantities is far better than frequent large feedings of stale foods.


Check the pH and water temperature of the water, and make sure it is appropriate for your fish. Incorrect pH is very stressful for fish, and can lead to disease. Low water temperatures, particularly in fish with long flowing fins, can trigger fin rot.


If the root cause is corrected, antibiotics will usually cure the disease itself. Use a drug that is effective against gram negative organisms. Chloramphenical, Oxytetracycline, and Tetracycline, are good choices. Treat according to manufacturers instructions.

The use of aquarium salt will benefit livebearing fish, but should be avoided in fish, such as scaleless catfish, that are sensitive to salt.
Prevention:
Maintain good water quality

Keep proper water parameters

Feed fresh food in small amounts

The best prevention is good aquarium maintenance. Change the water regularly, vaccum the gravel, and monitor the water chemistry. Do not overcrowd the tank, and watch for signs of fighting between fish.

When feeding, keep the volume low! Overfeeding is the most common mistake made by all fish owners, and contributes to poor water quality. Be sure to use fresh foods. If the can has been open for half a year, it has lost most of its nutritional value. Purchase food in small enough containers that it can be used in one to two months. Good luck :sad1:

Dizzle63
03/23/2010, 08:28 AM
Thank you for the lengthy response! I am very guilty of overfeeding, but I also change a minimum of 10 gallons a week on a 75 gallon. I had a heater malfunction and the temp dropped suddenly from 79 to 73. It may be too late though, as I think the male died last night.

cdsheid
03/23/2010, 08:45 AM
:sad1:Thats to bad sorry to hear that.