Cotton Mouth disease in fish, also known as Columnaris, is a bacterial disease your fish can get. And it needs to be dealt with quickly. Cotton Mouth disease is not as common as the white spot disease, but, it is highly infectious and contagious.
Let's dive right in.
Dealing with Cotton Mouth Disease in Fish
The infected fish shows a whitish sheen around the cheeks and lips. The lips may become swollen and rot away. Sometimes a rotten strip of lip attached only at one end will move in and out of the mouth as the fish breathes.
Fish infected with Columnaris lose their appetite and their movement becomes sluggish. If no adequate treatment is given for Cotton mouth disease in fish, the whole frontal part of the head may be eaten away and the fish will die.
The Sick Fish Should Be Killed
Unless the infected fish is of considerable value, it should be killed before this fatal disease attacks the other occupants of the tank. Think about it... is trying to save the life of one fish worth risking the death of the rest of the fish in your aquarium?
But if you insist on keeping the fish or if the infection has already been passed on to other occupants, the following treatments for Cotton Mouth disease in fish are advised:
- Swabbing the mouth of the infected fish with a soft cloth dipped in a strong salt solution. Then you must keep the patient isolated in a bucket or jar containing a strong salt water solution.
- Try swabbing the lips with a 5 per cent silver mercury preparation.
- Make a solution of Terramycin or Aureomycin by dissolving 50mg per gallon of water. This will provide a rapid cure within 48 hours.
Most Common Remedy for Cotton Mouth Disease in Fish
You can try all of the above remedies for Cotton Mouth Disease in Fish. But the most common remedy is the popular Methylene blue solution. To perform this remedy the sick fish should be placed in a jar, bucket or a treatment tank. Into which has been added methylene blue to color the water a deep blue hue.
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