Stubborn columnaris?

[princessmaki]

I am a new member and watched your videos and read your articles on your website on Columnaris.  My betta has what I suspect is a stubborn case but not really sure. 

Two and half weeks ago, I treated my betta for what I thought might be columnaris as I saw the white fuzzy stuff under the chin (first pic). He was a bit lethargic but eating well. I did a full course of Kanaplex and Furan 2 antibiotics and aquarium salt (1TB/gal) and the white fuzzy stuff went away after the first day and he got more active towards the end of treatment.

The 2nd pic is taken week ago after antibiotic treatment. He is eating and active at mealtimes but sleeps a lot at the surface during the day. He still has these white things (circled) under his gill which were there before too. This gill also looks red and infected. Thinking it might be gill flukes I completed a treatment with PraziPro. However its been a week of treatment and the white things are still there under the gill cover. So nothing has changed. 

On another forum someone suggested columnaris can be stubborn so he is now back on Kanaplex+ furan2 and salt as the white stuff started to return (3rd-4th picture).  Last night I put him in a 2ppm potassium permanganate bath for 50 min and some of the white stuff came off (5th picture after PP).  I will repeat the PP bath again.

I know you cannot accurately diagnose from photos but do you think this is columnaris. Any other treatment suggestions if it is columnaris or dosage? 

I am ready to take him to a fish vet but he too is currently sick.



Housing:
How many gallons is your tank? 5gal
Does it have a filter? Yes HOB
Does it have a heater? No I live in the tropics
What temperature is your tank? 84-86F
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Just HOB filter
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? No

Food:
What food brand do you use? Hikari frozen bloodworms and Brine shrimp
Do you feed flakes or pellets? Pellets are by OHM
Freeze-dried? No
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? Twice a day small portions

Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? Once a week, more frequently if sick as needed.
What percentage of water did you change? 30%
What is the source of your water? Tap
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? Vacuum sand
What additives do you use? What brand of conditioner? Seachem Prime, age water 1 day

Water Parameters:
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water before the regular water change; not after one.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.6
Hardness (GH): NA
Alkalinity (KH): NA

Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms? 2-3 weeks ago
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? No
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? Rests at surface midday for several hours, otherwise active at morning and evening feeding time
Is your Betta still eating? YES
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? YES. Columnaris ( 1 course Kanaplex and Furan 2 with AQ salt). 5 days PraziPro
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? Yes 2 months earlier
How long have you owned your Betta? 7 months
Was he or she ill or suffering some sort of damage when purchased? NO

Attachments:

[Carl]

Sorry for your sick betta and the slow response (I myself have been sick)

This does appear to be Columnaris.

While you have had your Betta for only 7 months, it is also quite possible that this Betta was already older when sold as many breeders send old breeding stock to retailers.

As per what I see,
First you did not publish GH or KH and GH in particular is a partial predictor of mineral Cations which play a role in oxitidative stress which in turn plays a role in Columnaris.

This is why following the points outlined here in this article are important (which is linked to from the AAP Columnaris article)
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2016/09/how-to-treat-sick-fish.html


It is also noteworthy that the medication treatment in tank is only one of four steps to successful treatment
Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Columnaris.html#treatment1

Finally as per Treatment, the use of Furan 2 is a last ditch treatment when no other source of Nitrofurazone is available. However its success is lower due to not being pharmaceutical grade, and more importantly because of this, it must be treated every day which then does not work synergistically with the Kanamycin and effective water changes cannot be performed prior to each treatment which play a major role in successful treatment.

I would follow ALL the steps as closely as possible, assuming your Betta is not genetically weak or older than you think, this is often an effective treatment plan I've used for some time.

[princessmaki]

Hi Carl, thanks for the reply. I had him diagnosed at a fish vet and it is not columnaris but parasitic eggs. Unfortunately, in his weakened state and gill damage he succumbed and passed under treatment.

[devonjohnsgard]

Sorry for your loss!

Columaris would be the secondary infection. Good to know the cause.

[Carl]

Sorry for your loss!