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My Warmouth is sick

Started by Guest_Stumpknocker_* , Jul 09 2012 09:51 AM

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16 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Stumpknocker_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 09:51 AM

It started as a small white film on his skin and now he has a huge spread of chalky skin across his body. It appears as some sort of skin irritation as it doesn't look like the cottony fungus I have experienced before.. I added aqaurium salt and gradually raised the temperature and am going to see, he doesn't seem to be affected by it as he is swimming fine but it looks real bad and I am lost to what this could be. I keep up with my water changes pretty regularly and do not want to use any harsh medication but I will do what I have to do to save him Thanks guys

warmouth.jpg 48.95KB 3 downloads

Edited by Stumpknocker, 09 July 2012 - 10:01 AM.

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#2 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 10:04 AM

Bacterial infection. I see most frequently when temperature high, organics in water high and stress high. Area that is discolored is necroding / dying well into muscle area. Scales already falling off. Can be treated with antibiotics but when condition advanced like with your fish, if fish survives it will have a very large chunk of muscle missing.

Edited by centrarchid, 09 July 2012 - 10:05 AM.

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#3 Guest_Stumpknocker_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 10:11 AM

Is it better to Euthanize or should I just wait it out? I don't want him to suffer at all but if he does make it, i don't want him to be handicapped or in pain on any level.

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#4 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 10:57 AM

You might be able to save him by prolonged bath in an antibiotic solution. He will likely loose a big chunk of muscle in nape region including the most anterior dorsal spines. Mouth also appears infected. Treatment needs start immediately and be done in a tank without filtration or anything else except water. Water changes, nearly complete need to be done daily with complete replacement of antibiotic each time. Keep oxygen levels up. Do not feed.

He, if he survives, will be scarred. To make so loss not in vain, go through process to attempt saving. Experience will help with next fish that will hopefully be caught with less advanced case.

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#5 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 11:41 AM

It looks like Flexibacter to me (aka Columnaris or Flavobacterium). Kanamycin or Furan meds are supposed to cure it, but it can kill quickly especially in warm water.

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#6 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 01:14 PM

It looks like Flexibacter to me (aka Columnaris or Flavobacterium). Kanamycin or Furan meds are supposed to cure it, but it can kill quickly especially in warm water.

That is the bug. We use Furan. It really hits breeder males that do a lot of mouth fighting. Warmouth are particularly susceptable but also hits largemouth bass during feed training.

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#7 Guest_Stumpknocker_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 01:52 PM

On the phone with my LFS right now praying they got it and they just told me they don't carry that but they have this stuff that says it treats Flavobacterium on the box called Maracyn should I buy this?

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#8 Guest_danawhicker_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 02:25 PM

Maracyn is worth a try. It's used for a broad range of bacterial infections.

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#9 Guest_Stumpknocker_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 02:32 PM

Thnx for the advice guys I read that Maracyn 2 should be used if i can't get the others because it treats -/+ gram bacteria infections and Maracyn only treats -

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#10 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 09:36 PM

He's gonna die...

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#11 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 09:53 PM

He's gonna die...

Exactly what I was expecting you to say Martin.

Honestly if that was my fish I would euthanize him now. I am not one to get particularly attached to a fish, you can replace him fairly easily( assuming), and I do not imagine that you will find that his "personality" is much different than any other Warmouth. A container with the fish in it, placed in the freezer is very humane. Also as mentioned above, he will probably be scarred for life, and that is surely not going to be an ideal specimen to display. Good luck!

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#12 Guest_Stumpknocker_*

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Posted 10 July 2012 - 09:07 AM

He has passed as of this morning guys, it just spread too fast too soon for me to catch. Thanks for the advice though.

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#13 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 10 July 2012 - 10:42 AM

Infection went systemic fast. Look back at your image. I noticed after looking again the necrosis was also going after the base of left pectoral fin and part of the opercular region. Diseases like columnarus you gotte hit quick and hard if treatment is to be used, otherwise be prepared to ride out culling effected as they become evident. Go back to cause, specifically water quality. A little aggressive management to remove organic waste will keep titer / concentrations of the ubiquitus Flexibacter down to levels that are less likely to result in infection.

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#14 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 10 July 2012 - 11:40 AM

I am not sure that this has helped prevent diseases like this for me, but I have always kept my tanks rather heavily salted, and have had very few problems. I also always practiced regular water changes of course.

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#15 Guest_fishantics_*

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Posted 29 August 2012 - 10:11 PM

I read this thread a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, my male Warmouth over-reacted to the siphon during a water change. He smacked into a few things and got grumpy for a few days .. then he emerged and seems to be normal...EXCEPT.... he now has a small amount of white coloration as described above. .. which brought me back here to worry. I know you prpbably need a photo . . is anyone monitoring this thread anymore?

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#16 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 10:52 AM

Yes.

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#17 Guest_fishantics_*

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 11:05 PM

Thanks centrarchid! UPDATE on the warmouth: ....WHEW! Consulted some pathology resources, lowered the ambient temperature by capitalizing on night-time temperature opportunities, rinsed live food aggressively to decrease further contributions to the bacteria load, and followed advice to initiate significant but gentle water changes daily - all which apparantly have resulted in what appears to be a now undetectable presence of the white area.... leading me to question if it was columnaris at all (?) The color was slighly siver in coloration but I would describe the color as definitely white . . mottled on the surface and just like the photo at the start of the thread (but no underlying black discoloration), but with some observable areas standing upward, leading away from the surface. This was located dorsally, on the head, in opercular area. So, because it is now gone I can't send a photo of the symptoms. Clearly not Saprolegnia or other fungi sp- -but can't account for the disappearance. In any event ... thrillled.