Treating Minor Fungus in Pepper Corydoras, Calmer After Polyguard

[sharkbaithoohah]

 

Tank: 40 gallon breeder, cycled with pre-established media from my husbands tank, planted with flourite sand

• Tank Mates: 4 upside down catfish, 2 Sterbai, 5 peppered, 2 bronze, 4 julii corydoras ( I know the schools aren't ideal, I rescued what I was told were bronze and julii, they ended up being peppered and Sterbai, working on improving this)
• pH: 6.5
• Nitrates: 0ppm
• Hardness: unsure, need to get kit
• Nitrite: 0ppm
• Ammonia: 0ppm
• KH/Buffer: unsure need to get kit
• Water Temperature : 74-75 degrees F
• Food: 2x/day, bottom feeder pellet and tablet mix, weekly: frozen bloodworm/shrimp blend
• HOB filter and air stone
• Water change: 30% weekly 

I recently adopted four pepper corydoras from a local community group. The person was tearing down their tanks and I felt bad for the corydoras not living in ideal conditions (alone and on gravel) so I offered to take them.  I do not have a quarantine tank (I know I should, it isn't an option currently), so I drip acclimated them over a 30 minute period, verified temperature was matched and added them to my tank. The first day I kept lights very dim to allow them to adjust. Next day I was looking closer at them and noticed two of them had what appeared to be fungus on the tip of their pectoral fin. I wanted to give clean water and high quality food a chance to heal them, so took no action. It's been 7 days since, and they both are active and actually have spawned multiple times.

Still no change in the fungus though, so I asked for advice at my LFS. They suggested *PolyGuard* at half dose because they are corydoras and might be more sensitive.

Day 1: 50% water change then did half dose of meds after the light was off.

Day 2: Pepper corys spawned so I assumed felt okay

Day 3: All the corys seem more calm and subdued than usual. Normally they either hide in back or swim all over the tank. Today everyone was out and about and resting on the sand. Is this a sign of negative reaction to the medication or them just comfortable in the tank? I tested parameters with Fritz liquid kit using water syringed from bottom of tank: 0ppm Ammonia, 0ppm Nitrite, 10ppm Nitrate, 6.5 pH.

The directions say to dose every three days for up to two weeks. Before dosing again I wanted another opinion in case my corydoras are having an adverse reaction or their is a better treatment choice. Pictures are of my tank and the fungus. I think the water is cloudy because I did a poor job rinsing the sand, if someone else has another idea I would love to hear it!

Edited April 10 by sharkbaithoohah
Medication wrong, it is polyguard not paraguard.

[Colu]

With what describing there starting to relax in there new tank and come out more paraguard safe to use at full dose with corydoras am struggling to see any fungal infection on that Cory do you mean the yellow spot on the tip of the fin @sharkbaithoohah

Edited April 10 by Colu

[sharkbaithoohah]

I was wrong, I have polyguard not paraguard like I had thought. Is that also okay to use at full dose? Yes it looks like a small white cotton ball in person. Hopefully these pictures are better. The one with pink flower is when I first got her. The other picture is from today when she was laying eggs. It is the small yellow/white ball on her fin, that isn't an egg.

Glad to know the mellowing it isn't an adverse reaction. This morning they were all active eating breakfast as usual so that validates just them getting more comfortable. 

Edited April 10 by sharkbaithoohah

[Colu]

Polyguard a more broad spectrum treatment that treats bacterial and fungal as it contains antibiotic I wouldn't recommend using half dose that will lead to antibiotic resistant If there showing no sign of de-stress with a half dose I  would up to a full dose and monitor if you notice a reaction do a large water change for this type of fungal infections I usually treat with malachite green active ingredient in ick X and a small amount of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 5 gallons at  that level it shouldn't harm your  plants @sharkbaithoohah

[sharkbaithoohah]

Ahhh okay. Really appreciate your simple explanation of the medication, didn't realize it was an antibiotic. Had I known that I wouldn't have done the reduced dose because I know how important it is to do the correct dose and correct treatment to preventing antibiotic resistance bacteria. 

I will get carbon filter media to have on hand and dose the full meds tonight. If there is no negative reaction to the medication should I use it until symptoms disappear/ up to the two weeks as recommended on the package? Or would you recommend getting the Ich X and doing that with aquarium salt instead?

I have aquarium salt but chose not to use it because I was worried about my plants: anubias, orange juice rotala, buce, java fern, jungle val, crypts. The other pepper with the smaller fungus spots (not pictures) appears healed. So I think it is just the one left. All of my resident fish have no problems so I am trying do to minimal treatment.

Thank you!
 

[Colu]

On 4/10/2024 at 5:29 PM, sharkbaithoohah said:

Ahhh okay. Really appreciate your simple explanation of the medication, didn't realize it was an antibiotic. Had I known that I wouldn't have done the reduced dose because I know how important it is to do the correct dose and correct treatment to preventing antibiotic resistance bacteria. 

I will get carbon filter media to have on hand and dose the full meds tonight. If there is no negative reaction to the medication should I use it until symptoms disappear/ up to the two weeks as recommended on the package? Or would you recommend getting the Ich X and doing that with aquarium salt instead?

I have aquarium salt but chose not to use it because I was worried about my plants: anubias, orange juice rotala, buce, java fern, jungle val, crypts. The other pepper with the smaller fungus spots (not pictures) appears healed. So I think it is just the one left. All of my resident fish have no problems so I am trying do to minimal treatment.

Thank you!
 

What I would do treat with ick X and add a Small amount of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 5 gallons is safe for most plants you could use a lower dose of salt 1 table spoon for 7 gallons if your concerned about your plants and add an extra air stone during treatment 

[sharkbaithoohah]

Okay, I have Ich-x arriving Monday. In meantime I will get the second air stone and give the current meds a chance to work. If they haven't resolved things by Monday I will use carbon to clear the meds, do water change and try your recommended treatment. 

When adding salt, is it okay to dissolve in a small container of tank water and then pour the mixture over the tank?  Also I read I should account for water displacement from sand/decor so would treat for about 30-35 gallons of water rather than 40. Is that accurate?

[Colu]

On 4/11/2024 at 1:17 PM, sharkbaithoohah said:

Okay, I have Ich-x arriving Monday. In meantime I will get the second air stone and give the current meds a chance to work. If they haven't resolved things by Monday I will use carbon to clear the meds, do water change and try your recommended treatment. 

When adding salt, is it okay to dissolve in a small container of tank water and then pour the mixture over the tank?  Also I read I should account for water displacement from sand/decor so would treat for about 30-35 gallons of water rather than 40. Is that accurate?

Dissolve the salt in cup of warm water then evenly distribute it over the surface of the tank you can dose for a 35 gallons to account for wood and rocks