# Boesemani rainbowfish has white lips!!!



## duckfish (Oct 14, 2018)

Hi guys!
i recently bought 6 boesemani rainbowfish, about 4 weeks ago. I recently noticed white lips on the toppart of the lips on the boesemani rainbowfish, however the white lips is not fungi like, it is not fuzzy but it looks scaley. My water parameters are 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, and 5ppm nitrate. My aquarium is 100 gallons and houses 4 angelfish (koi, platinum, blue, and zebra), 6 boesemani rainbowfish (3males and 3 females), 8 siamese algae eater, 2 albino longfin bristlenose pleco, some guppies (used as cycle fish), and 1 royal pleco. I read about the reasons for the white lips as poor water conditions but the water parameters have good ammonia levels, good nitrites levels, and okay nitrate levels (doing a water change tomorrow). the ph of the aquarium is 6.9. the boesemani rainbowfish are healthy and eating. i would appreciate any advice or information on the white lips. thanks :laugh2:


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## MrPurpleJacket (Feb 22, 2019)

Cotton mouth very common with stressed out rainbow fish. Melafix for 10 days should do the trick. It will go away in maybe 4 days but keep dosing for 10 days because it will just come back. After 10 days you should be golden. 

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## duckfish (Oct 14, 2018)

Thanks MrPurpleJacket.
i didn't think that it was cotton mouth so i'll start treating the tank right away. i have one question though is it okay to treat melafix when i have other fish in the tank?


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## MrPurpleJacket (Feb 22, 2019)

duckfish said:


> Thanks MrPurpleJacket.
> 
> i didn't think that it was cotton mouth so i'll start treating the tank right away. i have one question though is it okay to treat melafix when i have other fish in the tank?


Send me a picture of the fish to verify and yeah it actually will be good to. Treat everyone becauseit tends to spread to other fish 

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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

There are no active ingredients in Melafix that can heal a fish with an active bacterial infection with "Cotton Mouth" aka Columnaris _Flavobacterium columnare_. 

If a fish is cured by Melafix, it wasnt a Cotton-mouth infection to begin with, but scrapes or abrasion from lip-locking ( as in cichlids) or injury. 
The medications most effective against Cotton-mouth are nitrofurazone ( active ingredients in Jungle Fungus tabs and API's Furan 2) and kanamycin ( active ingredient in Seachem Kanaplex). 

The best way to deal with health issues in fish are to educate yourself. Read. 
Here are some reputable resources to begin with: 


Fish Columnaris | Fungus & Saprolegnia | Treatment & Prevention

https://fishlab.com/columnaris/


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## MrPurpleJacket (Feb 22, 2019)

Discusluv said:


> There are no active ingredients in Melafix that can heal a fish with an active bacterial infection with "Cotton Mouth" aka Columnaris _Flavobacterium columnare_.
> 
> If a fish is cured by Melafix, it wasnt a Cotton-mouth infection to begin with, but scrapes or abrasion from lip-locking ( as in cichlids) or injury.
> The medications most effective against Cotton-mouth are nitrofurazone ( active ingredients in Jungle Fungus tabs and API's Furan 2) and kanamycin ( active ingredient in Seachem Kanaplex).
> ...


I mean the bottle says it works and it worked bro. Looked it up on some articles too. The bacterium is called Chondrococcus columnaris btw And it died just saying.

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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

The bottle says it cures columnaris or helps as an antiseptic ( which is what it is, a mild one at that) to alleviate external symptoms of the disease?

If it actually states it "cures" the gram-negative bacteria that causes _Flavobacterium columnare_, this is a misleading, false claim.
Like I said before, there is nothing in this medication that could actually do this. But, it can keep areas clean, as an antiseptic for abrasions and cuts. 

Some background: _ Chondrococcus columnaris _ is the prior name given to what is now called _Flavobacterium columnare_. 

Also, not a "bro"; ~ I am a woman.


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## MrPurpleJacket (Feb 22, 2019)

Discusluv said:


> The bottle says it cures columnaris or helps as an antiseptic ( which is what it is, a mild one at that) to alleviate external symptoms of the disease?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Fair enough

and sorry madam didnt know.

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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

MrPurpleJacket said:


> Fair enough
> 
> and sorry madam didnt know.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk


Of course, no problem.


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## MrPurpleJacket (Feb 22, 2019)

Discusluv said:


> Of course, no problem.


To be fair though. In Mild cases, melafix will work. Its an antibacterial product. And while reading the articles you post and look at other forum/articles plus the MSDS of melafix. While the meds you recommended are a strong medication and will be like "busting out the big guns" since there are two strains of the bacteria. Melafix works in mild cases. 

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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

MrPurpleJacket said:


> To be fair though. In Mild cases, melafix will work. Its an antibacterial product. And while reading the articles you post and look at other forum/articles plus the MSDS of melafix. While the meds you recommended are a strong medication and will be like "busting out the big guns" since there are two strains of the bacteria. Melafix works in mild cases.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk




I wouldn’t put my bet on it. But, if you are others find this drug - a weak antiseptic, worth using for Columnaris- by all means- do. 
I would correct you on one point- there are four strains of Columnaris- not two. 


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## Ravynn (Dec 19, 2017)

Through my little experience but a lot of research, rainbows are notorious for getting a white film on their lips. They have these little rubber-like areas on their lips that get easily damaged when picking at substrate, bumping into things or fighting. People have done more frequent water changes and it went away. 

I guess it would be difficult to differentiate between this and columnaris.


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## thedudeabides (Feb 29, 2012)

I had this exact problem a while back

https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...953-fungus-wood-conjunction-fish-disease.html

I did melafix and saltbaths with little to no effect. Just cleared up eventually.


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