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Aquarium Fish Health: Cotton-mouth disease (Mouthfungus)

This article discusses the cotton-mouth disease, also known as Mouthfungus, that can affect aquarium fish ...

The cotton-mouth disease (Mouthfungus) is not as common as the white-spot disease, but it 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.

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

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

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

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

* 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 per blue to colour the water deep blue.

For more information about fish and aquariums, see the "resources" section of this website, or go to articles about aquarium fish.