KentFishFanUK Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 One of my Otocinclus seems to have developed this sort of white or faded patch on its back and I have no idea what it is. It doesn't seem like furry or fungus-y if that makes sense it's not raised or inflamed just a change in colour. What do I do? Hopefully the pics are good enough to see what I mean, luckily she was posing right near the glass for the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Like any fish they can change color when stressed. Is there any reason for your Oto to be stressed? I've also noticed as my Otos have gotten older (and whoa, bigger) they often change color but I've never seen this on any of them. Do you have more than one Oto? Is someone picking on them? Are your water parameters good? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 11:36 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Like any fish they can change color when stressed. Is there any reason for your Oto to be stressed? I've also noticed as my Otos have gotten older (and whoa, bigger) they often change color but I've never seen this on any of them. Do you have more than one Oto? Is someone picking on them? Are your water parameters good? Water parameters were good last time I checked but will test if I get time tomorrow morning as about to go to work. Don't think anything is picking on them or any reason to be stressed, not that I've seen anyway and my tank is pretty peaceful. I have three Oto's and I'm pretty sure this is my original one that is older and bigger than the other two but would have to double check to be sure. The patch neatly surrounds where the base of her dorsal fin is. Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 it looks like an injury or it could be the start of Columnaris with the white patches are any of your other fish showing symptoms it's eating ok 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 12:09 PM, Colu said: it looks like an injury or it could be the start of Columnaris with the white patches are any of your other fish showing symptoms it's eating ok Couldn't see anything on any of the others. I think it's eating but it's hard to tell with the Oto's maybe she's not and just laying on leaves or glass whatever to rest? Columnaris sounds scary! I've heard it mentioned before but don't really know what it is or how to diagnose/treat it, could you point me to where best to read up about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 Just been googling columnaris on Otocinclus and it does look a lot like it, anyone know how to treat it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) As your in the UK I would get holed of Sera baktopur direct tables active ingredient is nifurpirinol it's a broad spectrum antibiotic treatment you can get it off Amazon just in case you need it more than likely it's an injury I would have the meds on hand just in case Edited October 8, 2021 by Colu 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 It is a touch of fungus likely where he scraped himself. As the wound heals the fungus will go away. DO NOT treat it; just keep the water clean and warm. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) On 10/8/2021 at 1:23 PM, Colu said: As your in the UK I would get holed of Sera baktopur direct tables active ingredient is nifurpirinol it's a broad spectrum antibiotic treatment you can get it off Amazon just in case you need it more than likely it's an injury I would have the meds on hand just in case I was reading about that one as someone recommended it before (may have been you?) for quarantining etc but I thought I read it wasn't actually an antibiotic just antibacterial or something like that. Some of the meds I see recommended I can't buy from most UK sites or Amazon but I do see people selling on eBay (illegally maybe? Possible fakes, is that a thing?). I think I can get the SeaChem meds on eBay, are they any good? On 10/8/2021 at 1:51 PM, anewbie said: It is a touch of fungus likely where he scraped himself. As the wound heals the fungus will go away. DO NOT treat it; just keep the water clean and warm. You sound very confident about that I like it, I won't treat anything unless I see it get worse or something. I'll keep an eye on her and get some meds in for the store cupboard just in case. Quick question though, if it's fungus wouldn't it look more... 'fungus-y'? Might be hard to tell in the picture but it literally looks like discoloration of her skin not something fuzzy growing on top of her skin if that makes sense? Edited October 8, 2021 by KentFishFanUK Question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) On 10/8/2021 at 2:24 PM, KentFishFanUK said: was reading about that one as someone recommended it before (may have been you?) for quarantining etc but I thought I read it wasn't actually an antibiotic just antibacterial or something like that. Some of the meds I see recommended I can't buy from most UK sites or Amazon but I do see people selling on eBay (illegally maybe? Possible fakes, is that a thing?). I think I can get the SeaChem meds on eBay, are they any good? You have two Sera products Sera baktopur active ingredient is acriflavin and Methylene blue and Sera baktopur direct tables active ingredient is nifurpirinol that the one you want a friend of mine got some off Amazon a while ago you can get it off e bay if it were fungus you would expect to see fuzziness or cotton wool like growth I live UK I get most of my meds of eBay seachems kanaplex is a very effective antibiotic treatment and API furan2 when combined are the best treatment for Columnaris Edited October 8, 2021 by Colu 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 3:04 PM, Colu said: You have two Sera products Sera baktopur active ingredient is acriflavin and Methylene blue and Sera baktopur direct tables active ingredient is nifurpirinol that the one you want a friend of mine got some off Amazon a while ago you can get it off e bay if it were fungus you would expect to see fuzziness or cotton wool like growth I live UK I get most of my meds of eBay seachems kanaplex is a very effective antibiotic treatment and API furan2 when combined are the best treatment for Columnaris Thats good to know, need to do some eBay shopping then! Do you treat dose kanaplex to the water or in food? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 8:24 AM, KentFishFanUK said: You sound very confident about that I like it, I won't treat anything unless I see it get worse or something. I'll keep an eye on her and get some meds in for the store cupboard just in case. Quick question though, if it's fungus wouldn't it look more... 'fungus-y'? Might be hard to tell in the picture but it literally looks like discoloration of her skin not something fuzzy growing on top of her skin if that makes sense? Well I could be mistaken but that is what it looked like in the photo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 That's the crazy thing about this hobby sometimes when we find something like this it could be something very benign OR it's deadly. This is one of those instances. I was always taught growing up start with the simplest possibility first (in auto mechanics) and work your way up. But, with somethling like columnaris that could be the wrong path. I recently had a Black Neon that had a similar thing going on but it ended up being a wound that turned white, fuzzed up. I treated them and they're fine now. Take the information you get, go with your gut and keep a hairy eyeball on EVERYONE in the tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carefulest Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) I had the same thing on one of my CPDs except worse. I isolated it and within one week she made a full recovery. In that case it was an injury, as there was another spot on the head which had a wound. Edited October 8, 2021 by carefulest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) On 10/8/2021 at 7:07 PM, KentFishFanUK said: Thats good to know, need to do some eBay shopping then! Do you treat dose kanaplex to the water or in food? I dose kanaplex in food you will also need seachems focus it acts as a binding agent when using meds in food Edited October 8, 2021 by Colu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Kanaplex is good antibiotic for when your fish aren't eating as it's absorb thought the skin and gill of fish it's very effective at treating internal and external bacterial infection 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 This is probably a dumb question but asking just in case, is columnaris an internal or external infection? If it's external I might see if I can get some neoplex to try first as I don't have anywhere for a hospital tank yet and neoplex is apparently shrimp safe even in the water column. My oto does seem to be eating but unless I can medicate the algae growing on the glass I don't think it would work to medicate food haha. I looked again this morning (though didn't have time to test the water) and it may even be very slightly worse than it was yesterday, also I noticed a small faint streak of red in the fin starting right where the pale patch is that may or may not have been there yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 6:14 AM, KentFishFanUK said: This is probably a dumb question but asking just in case, is columnaris an internal or external infection? If it's external I might see if I can get some neoplex to try first as I don't have anywhere for a hospital tank yet and neoplex is apparently shrimp safe even in the water column. My oto does seem to be eating but unless I can medicate the algae growing on the glass I don't think it would work to medicate food haha. I looked again this morning (though didn't have time to test the water) and it may even be very slightly worse than it was yesterday, also I noticed a small faint streak of red in the fin starting right where the pale patch is that may or may not have been there yesterday. Faint streak of red, like septicemia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) On 10/9/2021 at 1:14 PM, KentFishFanUK said: This is probably a dumb question but asking just in case, is columnaris an internal or external infection? If it's external I might see if I can get some neoplex to try first as I don't have anywhere for a hospital tank yet and neoplex is apparently shrimp safe even in the water column. My oto does seem to be eating but unless I can medicate the algae growing on the glass I don't think it would work to medicate food haha. I looked again this morning (though didn't have time to test the water) and it may even be very slightly worse than it was yesterday, also I noticed a small faint streak of red in the fin starting right where the pale patch is that may or may not have been there yesterday. Columnaris is a gram negative bacterial infection that can be internal or external that why the recommended treatment is kanaplex and furan2 Edited October 9, 2021 by Colu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 I would try Sulfaplex over Neoplex if you can get it. I have treated Columnaris before with Sulfa-based meds, and thankfully have been successful. Sometimes they work when Kanaplex+Furan 2 combo doesn't, though Kanaplex is generally considered a stronger medication. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 On 10/10/2021 at 1:31 AM, quikv6 said: I would try Sulfaplex over Neoplex if you can get it. I have treated Columnaris before with Sulfa-based meds, and thankfully have been successful. Sometimes they work when Kanaplex+Furan 2 combo doesn't, though Kanaplex is generally considered a stronger medication. Is it shrimp/snail safe though? Apparently neoplex is and right now I don't have a hospital tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 I'm not sure, to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 On 10/10/2021 at 10:31 AM, KentFishFanUK said: it shrimp/snail safe though? Apparently neoplex is and right now I don't have a hospital tank Sera baktopur direct tables can be used to treat bacterial infections in shrimp I would treat with that if you have shrimp in the tank 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentFishFanUK Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 On 10/10/2021 at 12:45 PM, Colu said: Sera baktopur direct tables can be used to treat bacterial infections in shrimp I would treat with that if you have shrimp in the tank Oh damn I'm sure I read it was ok to use with inverts on the SeaChem website. Will try and order the Sera stuff as well then. Doesn't hurt to have a stock of medicines on the ready. Thanks for your input! Really appreciate it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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