The Dreaded Aurnati Fungus

[bottles]

Here are my water parameters as of today:
Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0 (I tested it twice; guessing it's from all the WCs I've been doing?), PH 7.4, KH 7, and I still don't have a GH kit. The PH and KH have been raised over the past 3 days. The temperature is 74F.
2 of them are looking perfectly healthy, while others still seem to be healing slowly but surely. The fuzziness is better, but I noticed one of them has developed a new patch which is not good.

Sorry I can't help but I would just like to say this sounds too much like work raising these snakeheads. Thanks to information I got from -DC- I made an informed decision to not purchase these types of snakeheads. I am sure glad the choice was right for me as I would have been out $500 with no fish to show for in the end. Did these come from a vendor in BC?

Yes, these were from a vendor in BC. I picked them up when he got them from the airport in the original bag that they were shipped in. I personally would not buy these fish again directly imported from India, however if there were some locally that were captive bred or had at least been in the country for a while, I would buy them again in a heartbeat.

Very useful thread for all auranti keepers. Excelente info here.

Bottles,
good the know they are better. Keep up the good work


João

Thanks, Joao. I'm trying to keep this thread updated and hopefully this will benefit others who come across this nasty fungus.

I wish the same, Bottles, with all my heart!
and great info, Tom!

Thanks, Miguel. Hopefully they will make a full recovery.

Thanks again to Tom, and everyone else who has offered help and well wishes.

These guys still have a long ways to go. These two are the dominant pair that I was initially going to keep. The one on top seems to be at 100% health, but the other one has been hit harder than any of the other Aurantis.



Edit: I forgot to mention that I've upped the dosage to 80% of the recommended Triple Sulfa dosage, and 50% of the recommended Maracide dosage. Hopefully this isn't too much for them to handle. They are still begging for food when they see me, and I've given them a very small amount of food once since treatment began.

 

[Aquanero]

If the bottom fish doesn't turn the corner in a couple of days, you could give it a 30 min double dose bath in Meth blue and return to the main tank. The meth blue will get it but it is very hard on nitrifying bacteria so use in the main tank is not recomended but as a bath is works well in combination with your current treatment. Just an FYI on that for future consideration. You shouldn't have to loose any of these fish. I didn't recomend this eairler because an eariler post said the fish did not do well being moved while sick, however if you feel it isn't getting better or this is a very vialbe option. Meth blue can also be used at a topical spot treatment in diffacult areas in addition to a bath.

With your Ph at 7.4 I don't think they well have any trouble handeling the curent dosage.

 

[Anderman]

I had 5 reserved from the same vendor but backed out when they came in due to more information I got on keeping them. Cool looking snakeheads and always wanted one but I will just have to enjoy the ones on here. Hope they heal up for you!!

 

[chronick]

i have been heartbroken and gutted when i lost all 4 of my aurantis (purchased from the same vendor in BC) to the exact same issue. I apologize devon for not responding to your messages but i was too pissed to think about snakeheads as of late.

best of luck bottles, this is infection is no joke...

 

[bottles]

If the bottom fish doesn't turn the corner in a couple of days, you could give it a 30 min double dose bath in Meth blue and return to the main tank. The meth blue will get it but it is very hard on nitrifying bacteria so use in the main tank is not recomended but as a bath is works well in combination with your current treatment. Just an FYI on that for future consideration. You shouldn't have to loose any of these fish. I didn't recomend this eairler because an eariler post said the fish did not do well being moved while sick, however if you feel it isn't getting better or this is a very vialbe option. Meth blue can also be used at a topical spot treatment in diffacult areas in addition to a bath.

With your Ph at 7.4 I don't think they well have any trouble handeling the curent dosage.

All of these meds are starting to hurt my bank. I think that I'll try this bath today and try to speed up the process a bit. I have a 14"x8"x12" tub that should work perfectly. I'll do double the recommended dosage for 30min. I'm sure that it will be a little extra stress, but I think that they can handle it.

I had 5 reserved from the same vendor but backed out when they came in due to more information I got on keeping them. Cool looking snakeheads and always wanted one but I will just have to enjoy the ones on here. Hope they heal up for you!!

I don't blame you, and thanks.

i have been heartbroken and gutted when i lost all 4 of my aurantis (purchased from the same vendor in BC) to the exact same issue. I apologize devon for not responding to your messages but i was too pissed to think about snakeheads as of late.

best of luck bottles, this is infection is no joke...

Sorry to hear that. They are such a rarity over here it would really suck to lose them.
Thanks.

 

[bottles]

I was reading on the Meth Blue bath and some people are recommending to give the bath 2x per day for 3 days. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Aquanero]

I was reading on the Meth Blue bath and some people are recommending to give the bath 2x per day for 3 days. Can anyone confirm this?

Yes you can. MB is not generally hard on the fish and as long as they tolerate it it will be fine. I also mentioned using it as a spot treatment which can be administerd directly onto the fungus after the bath (swab the snout). Continue with the 3X sulfa and MG in the main tank, the MB bath can be the knock out punch.

 

[bottles]

Thanks, Aquanero.
He's in the bath now. I'm a bit nervous about the spot treatment, since the fungus is between the eyes. I've read that contact with the fishes eye(s) can do irreparable damage, and these guys are pretty squirmy. I may do the spot treatment to affected areas on the body though.

 

[Aquanero]

Agreed at this point I wouldn't risk it, The body is a different story that's much safer. Is this the 1st or 2nd bath?

 

[bottles]

I didn't get around to it yesterday; this is the first.