Doesn't sound like ich, maybe velvet disease?
Velvet (Oödinium pilularis)
Disease Type: Parasitic skin flagellate
Organism: Oödinium pilularis
Names: Rust, Gold Dust Disease, Oödinium, Velvet
Symptoms:
Scratchs against hard objects
Fish is lethargic
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Rapid, labored breathing
Fins clamped against body
Fine yellow or rusty colored film on skin
In advanced stages skin peeks off
Initially the fish rub against hard objects trying to dislodge the parasites. As the disease progresses the fish becomes lethargic, fins are held close to the body, appetite is reduced and the fish loses weight. A key symptom is difficult breathing, resulting in rapid gilling.
Perhaps the most telltale symptom is the appearance of a velvety film on the skin that resembles gold or rust colored dust. The film may be difficult to see, but can be more easily detected by directing a beam of a flashlight on the fish in a darkened room. The parasite is most often seen on the fins and gills.
Velvet attacks all fish and will even affect fry that are only a few days old. Anabantoids, danios, goldfish, zebrafish, and killifish are particularly susceptible to velvet disease.
Treatment :
Raise water temperature
Dim lights for several days
Add aquarium salt
Treat with copper sulphate for ten days
Discontinue carbon filtration during treatment
Because Velvet is highly contagious and usually far advanced before being diagnosed, it is important to take steps to treat it as soon as possible. Treatment is targeted at the free-swimming stage of the parasite.
Copper sulphate is the treatment of choice. It should be used according to the manufacturers instructions for a full ten days to ensure that the parasite is completely eradicated. Atabrine (Quinacrine hydrochloride) is another medication that can be used to treat Velvet.
Because Oödinium is dependant on light, dimming the aquarium lights aids in eliminating the infestation. Increasing the water temperature to 82°F will speed the process, and adding salt to the water will ease the labored breathing caused by destruction of gill tissue. As with any treatment, activated carbon should be removed from the filter, as it will remove the drugs from the water.
Prevention:
Quarantine new fish for two weeks
Maintain high water quality
Provide fish with a nutritionally balanced diet
Velvet usually only arises when poor aquarium conditions prevail and is highly infectious. Quarantine of new fish for two weeks will greatly reduce the likelihood of contaminating a healthy established aquarium. Any fish that appear to be ill should immediately be removed and kept in a hospital tank to avoid the spread of the parasite.
