cotton-like growth?

[CanadianGuy]

Yesterday I noticed that one of my fish had what looks like a cottony, almost fungus like patch on it's side. It's mirrored on the opposite side almost perfectly. There are also a very few tiny white spots scattered over the body. I haven't noticed anything on the other discus and they all seem to be acting normal. I tried to take some pics, but for some reason I couldn't get it to show up well in the pics.

If you guys can tell me what it is or might be, should I remove it from the tank and treat seperately or treat the whole tank in case?

This pic is horrible(still trying to figure out new cam) but I've circled where the problem area is. Any ideas?

[CanadianGuy]

This pic is just as bad, and you can't see the problem area very well in this pic...but you can see how dark he is and that the fins are clamped.

[CHEWAL]

IF IT WERE ME I WOULD GET SOME SALT IN THAT TANK IT COULD SPREAD TO YOUR OTHER FISH I WOULD ALSO DO AT LEAST A 50% WATER CHANGE DAILY FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY IMPROVEMENT

[CanadianGuy]

Hey don't have to yell! ;)

How much salt?

[CHEWAL]

I would start with one tablespoon for every 10 gallons and see if it helps

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't know what your discus has, but you might want to try Furan II. Dougle dose first dose.

[peteypob]

I agree, it looks like an external fungal growth and will spread very quickly. If the salt doesn't work try another anti-fungal medication. Where are your water parameters at?

HTH
Pete

[CanadianGuy]

I'll take a look and see if I can find Furan II in the morning. I've never seen it around here before. The only meds I have are Metro and Maroxy. I'll try the salt first thing.

Temp - 84-85
PH - 7.8
KH - 53.7ppm
GH - 250.6ppm

[CanadianGuy]

I've treated the tank with salt. I can't find Furan 2 locally so I've ordered some and it should arrive in a few days. I've also removed the afflicted discus to a seperate 20g tank and am treating it with a higher concentration of salt. He's not looking too good at the moment, but we'll see how things look in the morning.

Thanks all.

[CanadianGuy]

Well after I removed the sick discus I noticed that another one had started showing symptoms too. They are now both in the hospital tank being treated with salt and Furan 2. I haven't noticed any difference yet. In fact the second discus is looking worse.

Is it just too early for the salt and meds to start working or is something else going on? Is there anything I can do?

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't know what to advise you. there are a couple of different illnesses going around right now. Have you read Al's thread stickied at the top of the general section on protozoa. ARe you seeing little specks on the discus?

[CanadianGuy]

I've read it and it doesn't seem to be the same thing. I can't see any little specks. I'll look closer tomorrow but they looked pretty clean to me.

here's a pic of the second guy...the one in the worst shape right now. He's been sitting like that in the corner all day now. If I disturb him...during a water change he'll swim around a bit then go back to the corner. I think the flow of water just guides him over there.

[Carol_Roberts]

It may take 10 days for the furan to work. You can mix Maroxy with the furan . . .

[CanadianGuy]

Thanks, I'll try adding some.

[CanadianGuy]

Well the little guy doesn't look like he's going to make it. He has almost no control over where he swims when he tries to...otherwise he's taken to laying on the bottom. I'm almost hoping that he dies soon so that I don't have to watch him suffer...at the same time I don't want to cull him because I've seen some amazing comebacks...

I also had forgotten that there were some tiny white spots on the larger discus when I first found out it was sick. After I put it in the hospital tank and added the Furan 2 you couldn't see them anymore. Well they are still there. There aren't a ton of them...but they are on both sides. He's also looking a little hazy..almost mucus-covered...and his eyes have clouded over as well. It was hard to get a decent pic...here's the best I could do...

This is the most obvious one and the side with the most spots. I've circled the ones I'm sure are on the fish and not the glass.

[CanadianGuy]

This is the other side...you can't make out any of the specks..but this pic is much closer to how dark he is...the flash makes him look much better than he really does...

sorry...if you look about an inch under the base of the tail you can make out one speck.

[CanadianGuy]

I also found 1 speck on the little guy. He looks like hell... :(

[CanadianGuy]

Luckily for me(unluckily for the fish) I've never had to deal with a sick discus before other than having to dose Metro once. I'm trying not to get too carried away, but I'm wondering if it might be the same thing brew(Al) just went thru...I'm really hoping to find out soon so I can save the rest of my fish!

[Carol_Roberts]

If you are going to try the coppersafe you should do a water change and run carbon to remove the meds in tank now. Remember copper is safer in gh 10 and above (moderately hard water)

[CanadianGuy]

My GH is like 14.

Is there any danger to dosing with Coppersafe if by some chance they don't need it?
On the 2 sick fish I don't see how it could hurt...but the main tank seems to be fine...should I dose it as well?
Can I use the coppersafe right in the main tank? I don't have room for all of them in another tank right now.

[brewmaster15]

Hi James,
I don't think that what you are seeing is the same as what I posted.. The white spots too large. and the time course is too different... Yours look alot like the garden variety ich. what temp do you run your tank at ? The patch is not thesame problem as the spots....at least thats my gut instinct. Did these fish come from a community tank with other fish?


Furan 2 , plus salt at 1 tablespoon/1 gal for a few days should take care of the patchy area... for the white spots... see if you can get the medicine... Ich clear by jungle...its a self dissolving tablet or start using formalin in that tank.


hth,
al

[Carol_Roberts]

I have never used coppersafe, so really don't know what to advise you to do . . . .

[CanadianGuy]

No I didn't think the patch and the spots were the same problem. I can't tell if the patch is there anymore or not.

The tank they came out of is at 85-86 and the hospital tank is about 88. They were in a tank with other discus and some Lemon Tetras and cories.

I'll take a look for Ich Clear or Formalin. I've actually been lucky and never had to deal with ich on any of my fish!

Thanks guys.

[Carol_Roberts]

Quick cure is a similiar product

[Jeff]

85-88 I wouldn't think you would have Ich.

[CanadianGuy]

Jeff, what might you think it is then?

I've dosed with Ich Clear anyways...I noticed on the package that it says it may stain silicone. Does it? If it works on the sick fish I want to dose the main tank...if one has it another probably does too right?...but I don't want to use it in the display tank if it is going to stain the silicone and I don't have a big enough hospital tank for all of them. I might have to return the rest and try something else.

Does Quick Cure have the same staining problem?

[CanadianGuy]

well the little guy lost the fight...that blows...he was one of my favs.

[CanadianGuy]

I found 2 more Ich meds...both of them say they may stain the silicone. Is this true for all Ich meds?
I also saw some Copper-safe...says it works on Ich as well. Is this a viable treatment for Ich? The only problem I can see is that it will ruin the tank for any future use as a reef tank...but that's better than having bright blue silicone!

[CanadianGuy]

Have I used up my allowance of questions? ???

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't remember if they stain the silicone. I think they do, but either it lightens back out over time or maybe I ran bleach through the tank at some later time. None of my silicone is blue now . . .

[jules]

I've used Rid Ich with Formalin and Malachite Green and it didn't stain the silicone.

[CanadianGuy]

Well I have some of the Ich Clear that brew suggested. They also had Rid Ich at the LFS. Both of them say they might stain the silicon, but I guess that's better than having dead fish! Both of them are green as well...why can't they use blue!?! ;D

They only had enough Ich Clear for a few doses...can I switch over to Rid Ich if I still need to? Or should I wait and just get the Rid Ich(which I can get a lot more of)?

[Carol_Roberts]

Read this article too
http://www.aquamaniacs.net/flex.html

[CanadianGuy]

Thanks Carol...I'll take a look.

FYI...just did a water change in the hospital tank...Ich Clear DOES stain! I couldn't really tell since the water itself was green, but the silicone is now a nice fluorescent green! I don't know if it fades with time or not, but you may want to be careful using it in a nice display tank!