Aquarium fish health: The Cotton Mouth disease (Mouthfungus)

The Cotton Mouth disease (Mouthfungus). This disease is not as common as the White Spot desease, but is highly infectious and contagious.

The victim show a whitish fungus round the cheeks and lips. The lips may become swollen and rot away. Sometimes a rotten strip of lip attached only at one end will move in and out of the mouth as the fish breathes.

Infested fish lose their appetitie and their movement becomes sluggish. If no adequate treatment is given, the whole frontal part of the head may be eaten away finally and the fish dies.

Unless the affected fish is of considerate value, it should be killed before this fatal disease attack the other occupants of the tank.

If it is desired to keep the fish and if the infection has already been passed on to other occupants, the following treatment is advised:

Swabbing the mouth of the victims with a soft cloth dipped in strong salt solution, then keep the patient isolated in a bucket or jar containing a strong salt water solution.

• Try swabbing the lips with a 5 per cent silver mercury preparation.
• Make a solution of Terramycin or Aureomycuin by dissolving 50mg per gallon of water, a rapid cure is expected within 48 hours.

The most common remedy is the popular Methylene blue solution. Sick fish should be placed in a jar, bucket or a treatment tank into which has been added a methylene blue solution to colour the water deep blue.