White fungus on gills?

[tschmix]

Hello,
I'm a newbie; but I've been reading and learning a lot from the forum. I've attached a picture and filled out the "Disease questionnaire" (listed below). I haven't located anything in the disease archives that looks like this? I didn't want to medicate (other than salt) unless I know for sure something is wrong and how to specifically treat it.

Thanks,
Tim


DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE

Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish/when and how they started

The attached picture shows what looks like a white fungus? along the outside edge of the gill.

Can anyone identify what this is?


2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/ white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds)

No symptoms except for white "marks" around the gills. Fish coloring normal. No clamped fins or dark coloring. All fish eating normally.


3. What medications/ treatments that you have already tried and results. Include dosages and duration of treatment.

Added 1 tablespoon of sea salt per 10 gallons of water. This concentration has been kept for 8 days with no noticable results.


Tank/Water

4. Tank size and age, number and size of fish

40 gallon tank

Six 3 inch discus

Tank has been setup for 90 days (fishless cycle 1st 60 days).

All six discus were purchased at the same time from the same breeder 30 days ago.



5. Water change regime/ how long has tank been running/ bare bottom or gravel/ do you age your water?

10 gallons water changed per day (25%).

90 days (60 days fishless cycle -- 30 days with discus)

Bare bottom tank

Water is not aged; however Prime is added to tap water before adding to tank.


6 Parameters and water source;

- temp: 84 degrees

- ph: 7.5

- ammonia reading: 0

- nitrite reading: 0

- nitrate reading: 10

- municipal water: yes


7. Any new fish/plants added recently

None.

[Audrey]

Either I am going blind or this fish does not have anything wrong with it at all. The "white" spots on the gills look to me to be just normal markings. I believe it is normal markings/coloration. I wouldn't worry, esp if the fish is eating and acting fine.

Anyone else?

Audrey

[pcsb23]

Tim,

I have to agree with Audrey, the fish looks perfectly healthy. In fact it looks to be quite a nice juvenile and should grow to be a decent fish too! I would cut out the salt and keep the w/c's up, try and up the amount to 33% and feed a minimum of four times a day and they should do really well. Good luck.

[Carol_Roberts]

Yep, looks like standard pigeon markings to me

[tschmix]

Thanks everyone for the replies.... I'm very relieved... I've been searching the internet for pictures of pigeon discus to see if this was a normal "coloring"; but wasn't able to confirm it. I've been watching him closely and he has been eating well and acting normally. I figured adding salt was a "low risk" treatment. I guess my eyes wanted to see something that wasn't really there.

I was very close to treating with Formalin -- (would have been a big mistake). I will discontinue the salt treatments...

Thanks again to everyone who replied.

Regards,
Tim

[Audrey]

What a huge relief, Tim!:)
Amazing how we worry about these fish so much. Too costly not to.
You were right to seek help here, this forum is GREAT!!!!:balloon: :balloon:

Audrey