White Lips

[jgemmamom]

Hi, I need help. Sorry, posted under general first w/ general description.

Tank Size: 65 gallon

Water Parameters: The temp is between 75 and 78 degrees. The store told me the only thing I could change is my ph/ppm buff. It seems even if I add every day for a few days it doesn't get higher than 6.8/80. I just started doing that after my 2nd rainbow died.

Nitrate and nitrites are always 0, hardness is always 120.

Water Changes: I do bi-wkly changes of 10%. just changed water 5 days ago.

Feeding: every morning w/flakes

Fish in the tank: 3 sailfin / 3 tetra / 2 gourami / 2 rainbow fish / 1 placo / a couple snails / and a couple live plants / 3 sunset platys

Infected fish: male sailfin

Symptoms of the infected fish: only symptom are his white lips. eats and swims fine.

Time the Symptoms occurred: just noticed a couple hrs ago. not there this am.

Age of the fish: had him since may?

Tank History: bought 5 rainbow fish after july 4th. over a couple wks 3 have died. they all swam upside down and were dead w/in a couple hrs. took fish and water sample to store - no help. they just said it wasn't my water and that supposedly their stock was fine.

Medications in Use: none. do add salt, but only 5 tbs. I was concerned about my other fish in the tank. do add plant food w/water changes.

No, I did not quarantine the rainbows.

I can email a pic of the fish if possible.

Thanks!

[TheOldSalt]

No pic necessary. White-lip is all too well known, and it's nasty stuff. Columnaris, it's called, and this whitelipped version is commonly found in conjuction with myxobacter.

As you surmised already, the Rainbows are likely the source of the introduction. They are prone to this and worse, especially since most of them are still wildcaught.

Okay, now the bad news. This stuff is heinous, and it's hard to get rid of without a goodly bit of trouble. No water changes and tea leaf extract is going to help. You're going to need real antibiotics for this one, or every time a fish bumps its lips on something, or gets scratched, it will be in big trouble.

[jgemmamom]

I put the fish in a seperate hospital tank & medicated it. In general reading it seems like this spreads easy. Do I go ahead and treat the big tank, just in case? I saw RidIch in the store. Or do I leave well enough alone and just watch carefully? Thks so much.