Gold rams fungal infection?

[cichlidphilosopher]

Hi All,

I came home today to see all 3 of my Gold Rams appear to have a fungal infection. Water parameters are all within spec (pH 6.8, Ammonia 0-0.25ppm, Nitrite 0, Nitrates 0, 27C). I got these fish exactly one week ago and am unsure how to proceed. Any idea what this might be and how to treat it?

Thank you!

 

[Colin_T]

Do the other fish have any white dots on them (besides the 3 rams)?
Can you post pictures of the other fish?

It looks like white spot and can be treated by raising the water temperature to 30C (86F) and keeping it there for 2 weeks, or at least 1 week after all the white dots have gone. No medication needed, just warm water.

Before raising the temperature, do a 80-90% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Clean the filter too if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Then increase aeration and raise the temp.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[cichlidphilosopher]

Do the other fish have any white dots on them (besides the 3 rams)?
Can you post pictures of the other fish?

It looks like white spot and can be treated by raising the water temperature to 30C (86F) and keeping it there for 2 weeks, or at least 1 week after all the white dots have gone. No medication needed, just warm water.

Before raising the temperature, do a 80-90% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Clean the filter too if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Then increase aeration and raise the temp.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

None of the other fish (20 neon tetras, 10 colombian tetras, 3 starlight plecos or the 10 sterbai corydoras) have any white dots. I will send photos in the morning as I turned off the lights of the aquarium and don't want to further stress them.

I am happy to increase temperature but concerned that this might stress the other fish, hence 27-28C was the ideal temperature for all species. Filter was cleaned 2 days ago and a 25% water change as per every week (but this was the first water change with the rams). Bit nervous regarding a water change that extensive as it may unsettle the other fish and bacteria. I can get an additional aerator as this may help. Currently the Juwel Rio just circulates the water around and was under the assumption this would be enough.

 

[Colin_T]

The water temperature has to be 30C. Anything less than 30C won't kill the parasites. It just speeds up the parasites lifecycle and more of them infect the fish.

The other fishes will be fine at 30C for a couple of weeks.

The big water change and gravel clean is to remove as many of the parasites from the water and gravel so fewer can infect the fish.

As long as the new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added, and has a similar temperature and water chemistry to the tank, it is fine to change 90%.

Water changes don't affect the filter bacteria because the bacteria lives on hard surfaces in dark areas, usually in the filter. So changing water makes no difference to them.

If you can get another air pump, use it to maximise aeration.

 

[cichlidphilosopher]

I will increase my temperatures slowly over the next 24h. Thanks for that.

Thinking of getting Ich medication as well. Will do a 50% water change as well. What is the best way to clean the gravel?

Water I will be adding will be similar ish ph. Not sure about other bacterias but I will add prime. Will look into an additional pump

 

[Essjay]

Both heat and medication reduce the oxygen level in the water so it's one or the other not both at the same time. An air pump powering an air stone will move the water round more than just the filter, which will help with the oxygen content.

Gravel is cleaned using a siphon during a water change. The wide end of the tube is pushed into the gravel until no more debris comes out, then it's moved along to the next section. If the gravel hasn't been cleaned for some time, it will take a few water changes to clean all the gravel.

 

[GaryE]

I would use a malachite green type medication. But whatever you do, do it fast. That's a potentially fatal parasite, and it is really advanced in its spread. All of your fish now have it. You may not see that yet, but Ich is off and running.

The heat treatment works, but is a slower approach, and that Ich has found a buffet. As each white cyst bursts, huge numbers of parasites will swim out looking for a new host. In the vastness of nature, it's an annoying parasite, but in a small aquarium, it overwhelms the fish.

 

[Colin_T]

I will increase my temperatures slowly over the next 24h. Thanks for that.

Thinking of getting Ich medication as well. Will do a 50% water change as well. What is the best way to clean the gravel?

Water I will be adding will be similar ish ph. Not sure about other bacterias but I will add prime. Will look into an additional pump

The temperature of your aquarium is already at 27C. Just raise it to 30C now.

The gold rams have an advanced case of white spot. They might not have another 24 hours without treatment.

Do a water change now and then raise the temperature to 30C.

------------------

Don't use heat (30C) and chemical medications, it will kill the fish. Choose one or the other but do it now.

 

[cichlidphilosopher]

The temperature of your aquarium is already at 27C. Just raise it to 30C now.

The gold rams have an advanced case of white spot. They might not have another 24 hours without treatment.

Do a water change now and then raise the temperature to 30C.

------------------

Don't use heat (30C) and chemical medications, it will kill the fish. Choose one or the other but do it now.

I have undertaken a water change and increased the temperature as I cannot get medication for another 9 hours. It has also spread to the neon tetras and colombian tetras overnight, unable to get a good picture but it is not as bad as the gold rams. Fingers crossed, what other remedies (if any) can I undertake?

 

[cichlidphilosopher]

I would use a malachite green type medication. But whatever you do, do it fast. That's a potentially fatal parasite, and it is really advanced in its spread. All of your fish now have it. You may not see that yet, but Ich is off and running.

The heat treatment works, but is a slower approach, and that Ich has found a buffet. As each white cyst bursts, huge numbers of parasites will swim out looking for a new host. In the vastness of nature, it's an annoying parasite, but in a small aquarium, it overwhelms the fish.

Unable to get any medication for another 8-9 hours, hence I elected to go with the heat method. It has spread to the neons and colombian tetras. Hopefully the heat treatment works. Any other remedies to work alongside this (if any)?

 

[Colin_T]

There's nothing left to do except make sure there is lots of aeration and wait. The white spots will drop off the fish in a few days and sit in the substrate. The parasites will multiply inside the cysts while they are on the substrate and after a few days of reproduction, the cysts rupture open and release thousands of new parasites. You can only kill the parasites when they are in this free swimming stage. Hopefully the parasites get killed off and in a week the fish should all be free of white spots and none die in the mean time.

You don't add anything else at this stage because the high temperature stresses the fish and if you start adding chemicals or anything else to the tank, the extra stress from that can wipe out the tank. It's just a waiting game now.

Make sure the water temperature is 30C. Check it with a thermometer in the morning and evening to make sure it's holding at 30C.

 

[GaryE]

People encountering Ich for the first time tend to blame the treatments - they don't always realize how much damage these tiny parasites do to the fish they feed on. If you start to lose fish, you tend to want to do more. All you can really do is choose a course of action and stick with it. It can take a couple of weeks and a few water changes to be really clear of it, but it it can be killed off.
It's really common on stressed, newly arrived fish.