a dim question

[andyt_uk]

what does ICH actually look like?
the only images i have seen look like a fish is absolutely covered in tiny white freckles
are the spots flat dots on the surface of the fish or are they more cyst like?
I have a female platty whom i noticed yesterday has a small (1mm) white cyst about half way down her body - she has spent a lot of the day just sat in one position near the bottom of the tank - though will swim around too and quite actively.
i noticed last night a very pale poop hanging out of her which is unusual for her - she normally has good dark poops.

could this be ICH?

i also have a male betta, which may have a small white spot, but his body is a silvery blue so difficult to tell if it is a silver dot or a spot and he wont stay still long enough to tell if it is smooth or stands out

any suggestions on what this is?
admittedly the tank will still be cycling - although all levels appear fine but havnt tested for ammonia but NO3 and NO2 seem ok, pH is between 6-7, hardness< 10

temp currently 24C having read the below 'discussion' re temp vs meds, would 2 platty and one betta cope with a higher temp?

from what i have read the spot should appear to go as it bursts and all the parasite come out and then infect the other fish - is this correct?
what else could it be?

if i go for any meds what should i buy?

TIA

p.s. the wife just called me at work and she thinks the spot has gone...
she also is unable to increase the temp cos she cant reach the stat..

 

[platypus]

Hi andyt,

First of all that is not a dim question! If you haven't already done so, have a look at these two articles which are posted in the beginners questions section of the forum:
What is ich?
Fish Diseases
They may help you to pinpoint what the problem is. Basically ich looks like little sugar grains on the surface of the fish. If it's flatter, or more cottony, then it may be some sort of fungus.

If it is Ich, in the UK you can get a product called Protozin which worked great for me, and it isn't too harsh so it shouldn't wipe out all the beneficial bacteria in your tank (which is great if it's still cycling).

Until you figure out what it is, and given that your tank is still cycling, I would recommend that you carry out regular water changes if you're not already - like twice a week at least. Also, I would definitely invest in a tester for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, these are SO handy when it comes to pinpointing any problems you might be having.

Hope this helps!

 

[andyt_uk]

thanks platypus
may invest in some protozin but will up the temp as soon as i get home (cant believe the wife cant manage it!!)
the mrs seemed to think there was just something stuck to her - i.e. bit of food or something but i cant see that happening really.
i really want everything to be fine (naturally) but i need to prove to mrs that fishkeeping is fun and easy so i can get that 90gal tank

 

[platypus]

Good idea - there is no point in investing in a treatment unless you're sure what it is. And if it does turn out to be ich don't worry! It sounds like you've caught it early and so many people get it when their tank is new. Just make sure you invest in those testers so you can catch any problems early. Hopefully your wife will not freak out at all the chemistry!!

If you have male and female platies then you may have babies once your tank is well established, and then your wife will be a convert for sure! I have yet to figure out a way to talk my boyf into investing in a 180 gallon tank but I will let you know if I figure out the magic words!

 

[andyt_uk]

I have yet to figure out a way to talk my boyf into investing in a 180 gallon tank but I will let you know if I figure out the magic words!

180gal??
jeeze i saw the ideal 90gal (juwel trigon 350) for me and that was huge
but 180!! thats 700 ltr - hope your floor is strong

you'd have no trouble persuading me

 

[Jo]

If it is Ich the fish might flick themselves agaist rocks, etc more than usual...I have a fish with Ich at the moment and have used some drops that I got from my lfs (can't remember what it's called) I've added some of that as well as upping the temp (put mine up to about 85/86 and the fish seem fine at the moment) They are not constantly flicking, but if you watch them for a bit, she will occasionally do this...