Ich, Or Something Else? Please Help!

[Andy Preston]

Hi,

This is my first post, but I've been reading for a while - great community!

I hope you may be able to help with a problem I'm experiencing. I've had white spot / ich in my tank for a couple of weeks (I think it came in with a new fish), and am treating with King British WS3, which was recommended by the local fish shop. I've lost a lot of fish (mostly swordtails, platys and guppies) over this period and assumed this was down to the stress of the illness / treatment. The white spot seems to be responding to the treatment, but slowly.

I have now noticed a new spot on the side of my pleco catfish, just below the dorsal fin, that looks different to the white spot - it's bigger, and not so well defined, kind of cloudy in appearance. He's behaving as normal but it's concerning me that it may not be white spot and I might need to treat differently. Can anyone help or advise as to what this may be?

I have a 35 gallon tank, populated by (since recent deaths) 4 guppies, 2 swordtails, 1 platy, 2 angels, 4 black ruby barbs, 4 zebra danios, 2 sucking loaches, 2 clown loaches, and the pleco. I carry out water changes every 3 weeks, and the water quality seems fine. I recently added a swordtail, a platy, and 4 guppies, all of which have since died except for 2 of the guppies. Soon after coming into the tank, the swordtail developed a large white spot on top of his body similar to that which is now appearing on the pleco, and I suspect he may have been the cause of the infection coming into the tank.

I'll try to attach pics to this post showing the spot on the pleco, and what I know to be white spot on one of the clowns, but if they don't work they can be seen at this link... Webshots page

Thanks very much,

Andy

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank as you have alot of fish there, have you turned temp up, i would turn it up gradually to 30 as plecs don't seem to like high temps, the whitespot that is larget does it have a fluffy appearance to it.

http/cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

 

[Andy Preston]

Hi, many thanks for the advice and the link.

The tank is 35 gallons, and the temperature is turned up to 80 degrees F (about 26 degrees C). I've heard that I shouldn't have it much higher than that, is that correct or should I slide it up to 30?

Cheers,

Andy

 

[WILDER]

I would take it gradually up to thirty.

The patch on the plec could be the whitespot that has joined up making it look like a patch, not the writer of this information below.
Ich (a.k.a. White Spot)



Symptoms:

Fish infected with Ich will have pure white, salt-like spots approximately 1 millimeter in size on their body and fins. Fins are most often affected first. If their gills become infected, the fish will show increased gill movements. These white spots, or cysts, may join together to form irregular white patches. If left untreated, the spots will slowly advance to cover the whole body and fins (6-24 hours). Fish with Ich may rub or scrape on rocks or gravel in an attempt to relieve irritation. Redness and blood streaks will appear on both the body and fins as the condition worsens. Its fins will deteriorate as the parasites burrow into the flesh destroying it. Fishes that are infected do not show early sickliness, and may even continue feeding lightly.



Cause:

The parasite Ichthyophthirius multifilis. Ichtyophthirius has a direct fish-to-fish cycle and thus can build up quickly in the limited space of an aquarium. Each white spot seen is actually a single living, feeding parasite attached to the fish’s skin. When first attached, these parasites are not yet visible to the naked eye. After feeding on the body fluids of the fish for a couple of days, the parasites become encysted and are then visible on the fish as small white spots. After several days the parasites break free from the fish and fall to the bottom of the aquarium where they begin to reproduce rapidly. Within 24 hours each cyst can contain up to 500 new parasites. When the cyst breaks open hundreds of free-swimming parasites are released into the water. These new parasites then seek out a host (fish) to attach themselves to and feed on. These parasites can only be killed when in the free-swimming stage. Seondary bacterial infections are common.



Treatment:

Carry out a 25%-40% partial water change and treat immediately with either Quick Cure (which is highly effective), or Rid-Ich, Rid-Ick+, Ick Guard, Ick Guard II, Clout and Super Ick Cure. In very hard water the treatment should be performed two times a day, in the early morning and late at night. Since the protozoan, while attached to the host is immune to treatment, this has to be aimed against the free swimming stages. Slowly raising the water temperature to 90 degrees (if the fish can tolerate it) for a few hours every 2 or 3 days may be effective.

Ich is highly contagious, therefore, the entire aquarium and not just a single fish should be treated.

 

[Andy Preston]

Thanks, I've moved the temperature up a notch and will keep doing so up to 30, as well as administering the medicine. Just hope it works, I really don't want to lose any more fish - especially the pleco!

Cheers,

Andy

 

[WILDER]

I no it can be very nasty, good luck, sometimes it can take two rounds of meds to get rid of the evil things.

 

[Hopester]

I was directed to this site

http/cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

Not for every kida fish but I had excellent results with it

 

[EliteFishy]

I think the clown loach has velvet. Im not sure about this, anyone wanna back me up?

 

[reg2k2]

Prob. too late, but I would keep temp. at 80-82F....86F is if you're using heat as treatmt (no med's)...as noted in the article. At any rate, be sure the fish have enough O2...no gasping, labored breathing.

Is the pleco otherwise affected w/ ich?

 

[Andy Preston]

Hi, thanks for all the advice.

I don't think the clown loach has velvet, I see what you mean but I think it's probably a trick of the light and the flash from the camera. The white spot can be seen on the top of the clown towards the head, but it is getting better now, and has totally disappeared from all other fish except the pleco.

The pleco has no other spots apart from the white patches shown in the picture, below the dorsal fin, I still don't think it looks the same as the spots pictured on the clown, or that had appeared on my other fish. It could just be several spots crowded together and forming a cloudy appearance though.

The temperature is about 83-4, I won't take it any higher now. I have a 12 inch air stone to disturb the surface, and no fish are gasping, so I think there's enough oxygen.

The white patch on the pleco is no worse today, I'll keep treating and monitoring.

Cheers, and thanks again!

Andy

 

[WILDER]

It could be columnaris as you can get secondary bacterial infections on top of parasites.

http/www.petfish.net/articles/Bettas/columnaris.php

http/www.petfish.net/articles/Bettas/columnaris.php

 

[Andy Preston]

Hi,

Well, the white spot has cleared up, many thanks to those who helped me through it!

But, I now have another concern about my pleco. I've started a new thread here and would appreciate any advice.

In the meantime here's a pic of my pride and joy...