recurring mouth fuzz

OneEyedTetra · 03-05-2008, 10:26 AM

For at least a year now, my minnow-type fish (giant danios and bosemani rainbows) have had an on-and-off case of some type of mouth fuzz. It never spreads from the lower lip (at least visibly,) and looks like a pin-head sized tuft of white fuzz. They don't show any drop in appetite or activity, and I've had them for a couple of years and never lost one. It has persisted through anti-fungal treatments and an ich treatment. Given the fact that it comes and goes without seeming to affect them at all, and that it never spreads to any of my other fish, I have not been overly concerned about it. Nevertheless, I'd like to figure out what has been stumping me for a long time now. Anyone have any clue what it might be?

BTW, I would post a pic but I doubt I could get a danio to be still enough for it to show anything

cichlidgirl · 03-05-2008, 11:14 AM

Have you tried melafix or pimafix ? I have used both of those products and they do not mess with the cycle of the tank and cured what i was treating. They both say they treat mouth fungus. That is what it sounds like to me but with out a picture and more info on water conditions ect.. its hard to be 100 percent sure.

OneEyedTetra · 03-05-2008, 11:20 AM

ive used melafix with no change. i would have thought that standard mouth fungus would rot away a portion of the mouth as ive seen it do on guppies/lf danios etc..

Tommy Gun · 03-05-2008, 11:32 AM

Hey OneEyedTetra,

There is a bacterial infection that looks a lot like fungus and is generally limited to the mouth area. Perhaps you might want to look at an antibiotic solution versus a fungal version to see if that becomes a more permanant solution for you. Just be careful as to what medication you choose and keep an eye on water parameters during treatment.

OneEyedTetra · 03-05-2008, 11:43 AM

thanks TommyGun- anything specifically you would recommend? I'll check out what we have available when I get to work this afternoon.

Tommy Gun · 03-05-2008, 11:59 AM

I would try a small dose of Maracyn (not maracyn 2) if you don't have a q-tank available right now. Maybe even a half dose for now. The problem with this bacterial-fungus is that is produces toxins which can poison off your fish slowly...but it sounds like they are healthy enough to get past it. It is probably best to see if you can get past it entirely before your fish get caught off-guard though.