Columnaris Disease (cotton-wool)

Quick Facts

Disease Name : Columnaris Disease (cotton-wool)

Causative Agent : Flavobacterium columnare

Diagnostic Method : Wet-mount examination

Symptoms

  • White or cloudy fungus like patches
  • Haemorrhagic, ulcerative lesions on fins, head
  • Frayed and ragged fins
  • Cottony proliferative lesions on the skin and fins
  • Aneroxia
  • Rapid breathing
  • Loss of appetite
  • Rest on the bottom or hang at the surface
  • Mucus on gills,head and dorsal fisns

Host (Common sp.)

  • Cichlids
  • Livebeares
  • Goldfish and Koi carp
  • Gourami fish

Treatment Method

  • Antibiotic bath treatment with Tetracyclines, Oxytetracycline
  • Potassium permanganate 500mg/100l for 1 hour by bath method
  • KMnO4 treatment with a low concentration (2-10 ppt) of salt (sodium chloride) as a semi-permanent treatment for several days or weeks
  • Oxytetracycline: 50-100mg/kg body weight of fish/day for 10 days.
  • Large water changes after each bath treatment