Help! Do my fish have Ich!?

[Danieow]

Hello,

I've just found this forum while looking for information on the fish disease Ich. I recently have gotten two clown loaches to add to my tank of honey gouramis, dwarf gouramis and tiger barbs. I've heard that clown loaches are very susceptable to Ich so I believe they may have brought it to the tank with them. Well anyways my dad noticed it first and after looking at my fish for a while I saw what he was talking about. My fish, especially noticable on the honey gouramis have little "bubbles" on them. Now I've seen Ich before and it usually looks like salt, not like bubbles. So maybe this is just a mild case? *crosses fingers* What is confusing me the most is that I installed a bubble wall the same day that I got the clown loaches, and there are tiny little bubbles floating around the tank. Could these be sticking to my fish and making them have an "Ich" appearance? I am most likely going to treat the fish for Ich regardless as a precaution, but am I just being over careful? I mean I'll feel pretty dumb if I treat them for Ich and I learn later that it really was just bubbles..lol. Please help!

Danie

 

[mlee0332]

Are the bubbles white? or does it look like little bubbles? Ick is ALWAYS white.

Are they black, and look like a powder? That could be velvet...

give more detail on the bubbles.

yes it is poss that those are just bubbles too. Ive seen stuff like that in my LFS with bettas...

 

[Danieow]

Hmm well I can only see the "bubbles" on the gouramis, the barbs look fine. And oddly enough the barbs never swim near the bubble wall but the gouramis love it. The bubbles look white but shiny and I can only see them when I the swim in the light. Ich i've seen before is visiable without a tank light. Also I should include that although I can't see anything on the barbs one of them has been scratching his side on the tank ornaments and that's what really got me worried.

Danie

 

[mlee0332]

Those are just bubbles. Nothing to worry about...

Now the barb scratching is another story...

What other symptoms? Try to get a look at his gills, are they red or pink?

 

[Danieow]

I hope so, I'll keep a close eye on those "bubbles" though just incase. I'll also try shutting the bubble wall off for a little while to see if the bubbles go away. As for the Black Tiger Barb besides scratching and being slightly aggressive to the other barbs lately he seems fine. Looks healthy and the gills look slightly pink, but I can hardly tell they look more white to me.

Danie

 

[Danieow]

Ok, Now i offically feel like an IDIOT!!! lol I turned the bubble wall off for like 3 minutes, then guess what, no bubbles on the fish!..lol I hate when I do stuff like that but I always worry about my animals. Now I guess I only need to watch out for my barb since he was scratching a bit.

Danie

 

[mlee0332]

Is it possible that the "he" is a "she"? Sometimes fish that are pregnant and about to habe fry, they get aggressive with other fish. Just keep watching and if he/she continues to scratch treat it with some antibacterial/parasite meds just incase (s)he has a parasite.

Don't treat whole tank unless you notice that a second fish has the same symptoms b/c we dont know exactly what it is yet. Put it in atleast a 10gal tank or 5gal if you have one, but make sure you know how to dose what ever size "hospital" tank you put it in.

 

[WILDER]

Where are the bubbles on the fish.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Disorders/gas_bubble_disease.php