# Cotton mouth fungus?



## Rufus' Mom (Jan 2, 2012)

I had a problem in my 55 gallon heavily planted tank with fish dying one at a time over a period of a couple of weeks. With the help of a very knowledgable PetsMart associate, finally decided it had to be parasitic, even though there were no visible parasites. Successfully treated with API general cure, and I'm happy to say no sick or dead fish in over a week. I feel I really dodged a bullet in not losing my whole tank. 

There is one Von Rio tetra that was showing a small white spot on his lower lip before I started the parasite treatment. He still has the spot over 2 weeks later, but is the only one, and otherwise appears healthy and appropriately active. I think it could be cotton mouth fungus, which I know can appear as a secondary infection caused by the parasite infection. 

My dilemma is that if I treat him, I have to treat the whole tank. The tank is heavily planted, and I can't catch him without destroying the tank. Assuming the original issue is resolved, is this something that could spread to other fish? Is there a chance the fish could heal on its own with healthy parameters? I really don't want to introduce any more meds for just one fish if I don't have to. 

Amonia tests at 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates near 0, temp 78


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Watch him. In a clean tank, he'll heal if there are no other problems. Von Rio tetras are pretty tough.

Cotton mouth literally looks like cotton.

Von Rios are chippy little things, and minor mouth injuries like that are pretty common with them.


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

If it is columnaris(cotton mouth disease) then it is highly contagious. Make sure to disinfectant everything you put in that tank before using it on another tank. If its just a scar from fighting, it will heal. if you start seeing saddleback liesons, then its cotton mouth..


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## Rufus' Mom (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. Still no sign of any issues on any other fish, thankfully. The spot hasn't gotten any bigger or smaller, so now I'm thinking maybe scar or small growth.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I had columnaris strike one of my tanks, and found the time from infection to death was about 2-3 days. If your fish has survived longer than that, I would say it's just a scar.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I love my rainbowfish, but every once in a while I grow out a male that is, umm, not a genius. They will sail the length of the tank (a six footer) and conk themselves on the end glass. The older males just watch them, and looked tired.

They always end up with lip bumps after that (probably concussions too, but). If they learn, and most do, the bumps gradually vanish. I had one that lived its whole life like a drunk with a screen door, and had a lip bump for two years straight. It wasn't pretty, but it didn't seem to handicap him.


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