Ich or fungus?

[Ccarter]

My red tail shark started to get white spots. This is my first time running into any disease with my fish. I was thinking it was ich last night but now I’m not sure if it’s “fluffy” like a fungal disease. I set up a quarantine tank with water from the main tank. I’m attaching a photo to see if anyone with more experience can distinguish which it is. Also none of my rainbow fish have any white spots right now, only the red tail is looking very bad.

 

[Ccarter]

Another angle

 

[Colin_T]

A side view of the fish is more helpful for identifying most issues. A front and side view is useful if the issue involves the mouth.

I am guessing excess mucous caused by poor water quality or something contaminating the water. You will need to test the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH.

How long has the tank been set up for?

Try doing a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate each day for a week and see how the fish looks after that. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

If the tank has had fish for more than 2 months, then clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks.

 

[Ccarter]

He’s hiding behind the rock so I wasn’t able to get a side angle. This tank has been setup for 6 months, I’ve had this red tail for probably close to 3 years now. Water perameters were all perfect. I’m in FL so the it’s the same hard water ph as always. If I can manage to get a side angle I’ll post it. I’ll clean my main tanks filter now. I’ve got red tail in a quarantine tank at the moment though

 

[Ccarter]

What I could manage though a hole in the rock

 

[Colin_T]

Have you added any new fish of plants in the last few weeks?
If not, it is unlikely to be white spot.

It almost looks like head and lateral line disease, that is caused by hexamita. This normally occurs in dirty tanks that don't get regular water changes or gravel cleans.

How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change?

Try the big (75%) water change and gravel clean each day for a week and see what happens. If it gets worse then post more pics and we can go from there.

 

[Ccarter]

The last thing I added was a little shrimp about 3 months ago. I just did a 40%ish water change about 2 weeks ago. My other fish all look normal and healthy. I have 6 rainbows, 3 cardinal tetra, a beta, a small pleco and a cori. It’s a mild planted 55gal with a 306 fluval canaster filter

 

[Colin_T]

do the big water change and gravel clean each day for a week and clean the filter and see how it goes.