Treating fungus.

[mnewsome]

I recently brought home a purple fire fish (about a month ago) who apparently had a fungus growing on his mouth. I noticed it after I had him a couple days. It started out very small, just a "bump" on his bottom lip, but now it's a large growth. What's the best method to treat this if I can't get him out of the tank?
Tank parameters: Spec Grav: 1.026, Nitrate: 5ppm, Nitrite: 0, Ammonia: 0, PH: 8.2

 

[Rondelet]

Any chance you can post a picture? What other observations can you make other that noting it's a "growth"? What colour is it, and what do the edges/surface of the growth look like? Fungus in marine fish is not that common so you may be dealing with something else, such as a tumour or other type of localised tissue reaction/inflammatory response. It will be very important to determine this in order to suggest what might be the best method for treatment. However, if he's anything like my firefish, you're going to have a heck of time catching him!

 

[mnewsome]

I know, it would be nearly impossible to get him out of the tank. I can't get a clear enough picture to post, you can't see anything in it.The growth is the same color as his body, a clearish white. I've searched on fungal infections, but can't find anything. He's eating well though. I mixed some garlic and tea tree oil in his food hoping it will help something. I really just don't know what to do w/him. It can't be a water quality issue because my water is always pretty goog. Sorry I can't post a pic.

 

[mnewsome]

Any ideas about using PimaFix to treat fungal infections?

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

As Rhondelet stated, Fungal infections in marine aquariums are rare..this is most likely bacterial in nature. I am not a fan of Pimafix or Melafix products but others use them and like them..If the grwth continues to get worse, he will probably need to be treated with an antibiotic in a qt.. If it is a 'bump'...without fuzz or a stringy appearance, it could also be Lympocystis..a viral disease that has no cure..hard to tell without pictures

Is he eating? this is always my first concern with a mouth injury..I recently tried to save a new Potters Angel that was injured during netting at the LFS. My Potters really looked as if it had fungus on his mouth. His mouth looked like it had exploded..white stringy stuff on its mouth He could not eat..I tried several different meds but he slowly starved

 

[mnewsome]

He seems fine. Eats well and moves around like nothing is wrong. It just looks like a "fluffy clump" of non-colored tissue growing from on his mouth (top and bottom). I'm going to try the tea tree treatment (primafix) to see if it helps. I just don't know how I would get him out of the tank to treat him any further. Thanks for the response.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

You can soak his food in antibiotics.. Bifuran is a good choice for that.

 

[mnewsome]

I've been putting tea tree oil and garlic in his food, but I will look into that. Thanks.