Dillan
10-18-2005, 11:28 AM
How do you tell the difference between fungal and bacterial infections?
One of my fish has a bit of white velvety fuzz in its gill (on the fleshy part inside the gill plate...).
It's just slight, so I tried turning up the heat and adding salt but didn't see any improvement. I went to buy some antibiotics or whatever and, since it's so minor, my LFS suggested an "all natural" treatment that he said wouldn't affect my plants or bother the fish. It's called "PimaFix" and the active ingredient is "Pimenta Racemosa". It's specifically for fungal infections. This company also makes a product called "Melafix" for bacterial infections; the active ingredient is a type of tea tree oil, "Mellauca". (see aquariumpharm.com (http://www.aquariumpharm.com/aqfish.html).
I don't see any improvement three days into treatment for a fungal infection (not getting any worse either...), so I'm thinking either this herbal remedy doesn't work, or it's actually a bacterial infection.
:confused: So two questions:
- How do you tell bacterial and fungal infections apart?
- Have you had any experience with these mild herbal products?
Dillan
One of my fish has a bit of white velvety fuzz in its gill (on the fleshy part inside the gill plate...).
It's just slight, so I tried turning up the heat and adding salt but didn't see any improvement. I went to buy some antibiotics or whatever and, since it's so minor, my LFS suggested an "all natural" treatment that he said wouldn't affect my plants or bother the fish. It's called "PimaFix" and the active ingredient is "Pimenta Racemosa". It's specifically for fungal infections. This company also makes a product called "Melafix" for bacterial infections; the active ingredient is a type of tea tree oil, "Mellauca". (see aquariumpharm.com (http://www.aquariumpharm.com/aqfish.html).
I don't see any improvement three days into treatment for a fungal infection (not getting any worse either...), so I'm thinking either this herbal remedy doesn't work, or it's actually a bacterial infection.
:confused: So two questions:
- How do you tell bacterial and fungal infections apart?
- Have you had any experience with these mild herbal products?
Dillan