Mouth Fungus Contagious?

iLoofah · New Member Joined: 16 Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Oregon

Is mouth fungus contagious? My pleco had a nasty case of it and I think thats what killed him in the end. I qauruntined him as soon as I saw it but I'm sure he'd been swimming around with it in my main tank for awhile.

I have a juvenile dinosaur bichir (about 4" long atm) and I'll be devastated if anything happened to her. I put a full tablespoon of extra aquarium salt in hopes that might help any lasting bacteria the pleco left behind... Is there anything I can do to insure my bichirs health? I gave her a good look last night and this morning and I haven't seen anything that might suggest she has it but I just want to make sure...

diademhill · Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:53 am Post subject:

Mouth fungus is usually a bacterial infection and prevention involves keeping the water quality as good as possible. Don't add any more salt and make sure you use a gravel/sand cleaner at each water change.
What are the tank's size & parameters and how long has it been running please?
_________________
Sue

First bred tetras in the 1960's, Discus 1970's, more recently bred cichlids, L no. plecs, catfish, characins & cyprinids. Community, biotope & breeding tanks. Trying to keep on top of new developments in products & techniques.

iLoofah · New Member Joined: 16 Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Oregon

My tanks been up for about a month now and I just recently added the fish so it's had plenty of time to establish itself.

My tank is a 20 galleon and I don't know what the parameters are, sorry.

diademhill · Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:02 pm Post subject:

How did you prepare the tank as unless you added something to establish the bacterial colonies tanks don't "establish".

Please read the two threads stickied above this one.
Neither a pleco nor a Bichir is a suitable fish for a 20g tank. I suggest you return them and purchase liquid test kits for Ammonia, Ntrites and nitrates.
_________________
Sue

First bred tetras in the 1960's, Discus 1970's, more recently bred cichlids, L no. plecs, catfish, characins & cyprinids. Community, biotope & breeding tanks. Trying to keep on top of new developments in products & techniques.

iLoofah · New Member Joined: 16 Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Oregon

I used API Stress Zyme+ with live bacteria to help colonize the tank and every week I took my water in to be tested by an LFS until they told me my water was essentially perfect so there shouldn't be an issue with my water.

My plan was to start them both out in my twenty galleon and then when they outgrew the tank I would get a larger size Smile

But now with the pleco gone will it still be necessary to get a larger tank since the Bichir has it all to herself? I heard the general rule is that 1 inch per galleon of tank and they only get to be about 16" long. Smile

I mean if it's still a good idea to upgrade in the future I will, I want my fishies to have as good a life as I can give them.

diademhill · Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:25 pm Post subject:

Stress zyme has limited use in starting a tank and until you add a supply of food for the bacteria the cycle won't start and all tests will come out ok.
It is only when you add food in the form of ammonia, fish food or organic material or wastes produced by fish that the cycle starts.

Start doing daily 20 % water changes using the correct amount of dechlorinator for the water you add.

The smallest tank your bichir can live in is a 40g long. Anything less won't allow him space to turn but a 75g would allow a choice of tankmates.

The inch per gallon guideline breaks down for fish over 2" in length.
_________________
Sue

First bred tetras in the 1960's, Discus 1970's, more recently bred cichlids, L no. plecs, catfish, characins & cyprinids. Community, biotope & breeding tanks. Trying to keep on top of new developments in products & techniques.