Mark Horowitz Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 I have a discus tank with cardinals and one of my cardinals has some cotton mouth. Any recommendations? Should I treat the entire tank with Paraguard or simply remove the fish? I am told that cotton mouth is highly contagious so treating the tank may be my only option. Is Parguard safe for Discus? Any advice would be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Zenzo Posted December 10, 2021 Administrators Share Posted December 10, 2021 On 12/10/2021 at 7:44 AM, Mark Horowitz said: I have a discus tank with cardinals and one of my cardinals has some cotton mouth. Any recommendations? Should I treat the entire tank with Paraguard or simply remove the fish? I am told that cotton mouth is highly contagious so treating the tank may be my only option. Is Parguard safe for Discus? Any advice would be helpful. It could be a couple of things. It could be a fungal infection. This can easily be treated with Marycyn https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/mardel-maracyn?_pos=1&_psq=maracy&_ss=e&_v=1.0 and it is safe for fish and inverts. It could also be columnaris, which you will need to research on how to treat effectively (or another forum member may have some advice). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 (edited) Can you take a picture of the sick fish it will help with a diagnosis does it have a fuzzy appearance or is it white patches on the mouth your seeing and what are your water parameters @Mark Horowitz Edited December 10, 2021 by Colu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 It is a single white pimple on the side of the mouth. My water is perfect. 0 nitrates, ammonia... PH at 7.0. This same fish has a white patch on its body for the past few months which hasn't done away despite treatment. I can't catch the little guy no matter how hard I have tried and don't want to destroy my entire aquascape and freak out my Discus trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 White patches on the body could be Columnaris be the fact it had them for a couple means it's more than likely something else going on and fact it's only affecting one fish in an ideal world I would Qarantine and treat with kanaplex and jungal fungas clear fizz tabs containing nitrofurazone as furan2 has been discontinued following this treatment schedule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macobe Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Dosing instructions for Jungle fungus clear fizz tabs is 1 tab for 10 gallons and a second dose can be added in 4 days after a 25 per cent water change. Not the same as API Furan-2 so the treatment might have to be tweaked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 Here are photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 (edited) Jungal fungas clear has less of the active ingredient 18.4mg of nitrofurazone that why you can use as a substitute for furan2 that has 85mg of nitrofurazone without the risk of overdosing your fish following the treatment schedule looks like Columnaris it's had it to long Columnaris would have killed your fish by now you can get lumps and loss of colour with neon tetra disease Edited December 12, 2021 by Colu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 The fish seem to be living with whatever it is just fine. They have had it for a week or two and are swimming and feeding as normal. I would hate to treat the whole tank for whatever it is because I have some very expensive discus in the tank with them. I am not sure at this point if I have a choice. I am using Paraguard for two days already but it may not be the right med. The only way to describe what it looks like is like the fish has a grain of salt attached to its mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 (edited) The White lump coupled with the colour loss on its back will require antibiotic treatment paragraud won't have much of an effect you could do a course of kanaplex in food using the smaller pellets size your discus might ignore them Edited December 13, 2021 by Colu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 Thank you! I ordered the products you suggested and will keep you posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 13, 2021 Author Share Posted December 13, 2021 I will begin feeding medicated food today. I showed the photo to my local aquarium shop owner who seems to know his stuff and he suggested treating the tank with Malafix to stop the spread. Do you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 Melafix just works as a mild antiseptic it won't do much for a bacterial infection it's ok for minor cuts and scrapes I wouldn't use it to treat any thing more serious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 14, 2021 Author Share Posted December 14, 2021 Then what do you suggest to treat the whole tank? I don't want my discus catching whatever it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Horowitz Posted December 14, 2021 Author Share Posted December 14, 2021 I am told that Furan 2 is discontinued Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 I would finish the course of kanaplex in food if you see no improvement then do a course of jungal fungas clear fizz tabs I think that would be the best option at this point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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