Black Molly With Coating

[WILDER]

Yes it can be parasites.
For columnaris you need the pimafix adding with the bacterial med.

Check the gills over to see if there red and inflamed or pale with excess mucas on them.

 

[Gypsy5]

I forgot to mention that I have also been adding Pimafix every day.

Can't see anything wrong with the gills, they look normal. I had treated that tank with Wormer plus the week before I started this treatment as I had a guppy that had a red anus. Within 2 days she was looking perfect so we moved her out of the tank before starting on the meds for the current problem (she is still looking great by the way).

Would parasites put this type of coating on them? Would it be best to continue with the current treatment or change?

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Internal parasites can cause bacterial infections as they damage the organs inside the fish.
A red anus can also be dropsy if the fish is bloated.

The problem is that fish can flick with columnaris.
Do the fish look pale with excess slime.

 

[Gypsy5]

The parts of the black mollys that haven't got the coating are perfectly normal looking. The one which has it worse has a very clamped tail (been like that for a week or so) but is eating well and reasonably active considering.

This coating is paler and slightly greyer than fungus and doesn't fuzz out at all. It's like a sheen on it, like it's been dipped in something, it's not in patches - it starts about halfway down the body and covers the entire back half totally.

 

[WILDER]

Strange.
How are the other fish acting, any signs of them flicking and rubbing.
How long did you use the parasite med.
Velvet can look like a dusting of talc on a fish as well as being yellow or golden dusting, or yellow spots.

 

[Gypsy5]

It's just the little one that's just started showing similar signs that is flicking, neither of the other two are.

I only did one dose of the parasite med.

It's definitely not yellow and is not 'spotty' - it's more like a 'wet' coating.

I oriainlly thought it could be slime disease. Do you think it could be that?

 

[WILDER]

Slime desease is where the fish produces more slime coat.
Get some info for you.

Take a look here as grey skin can be costia.
<a href="http/www.gbasonline.org/disease_chart.htm" target="_blank">http/www.gbasonline.org/disease_chart.htm</a>
GREY SKIN Skin looks grey in patches. Costia necatrix parasites.
What do you think.
This is the med for it.
http/www.waterlife.co.uk/waterlife/protozin.htm

 

[Gypsy5]

I will have a look at that link. Thank you Wilder. x

I have Protozin in my 'fishy' cupboard so will research Costia and then put my carbon in my filter until tomorrow before a water change and new meds.

We'll get there in the end!

 

[WILDER]

Costia usually infects a fish when is already weakened.
How is the fish as in the pic its look like its at deaths door.

 

[Gypsy5]

The fish doesn't seem too bad in itself. It still chases daphnia around but has gone into hiding between meals. I think that's due to the small tank with the extra filter we've put in that is circulating the water and Mr Fishy doesn't like the movement. When I turn the extra filter off all fishies come out to play again.

The adult molly that died from this a few weeks ago had this coating for a good number of weeks before he died.

I am going to thoroughly research Costia and Slime Disease before I treat again. It's a shame there's not one med that would cover both diseases. Don't really want to keep changing meds like this but I figure that the fishies are probably going to die from it anyway so I may as well keep trying right to the end.

I will keep you updated.

 

[WILDER]

So the fish has slime on them thought they didn't.

 

[Gypsy5]

Hi, I don't know whether it is slime or not, it's just a coating of its back end.

I read something earlier that gave the impression that Costia and slime disease are the same thing. Is slime disease a symptom rather than a disease/illness (like dropsy is a symptom)?

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

I would keep an eye on the fish for more flicking.
I hate patches sometimes as it hard to say parasite to bacterial, if the fish is flicking alot it points to parasites.

 

[Gypsy5]

Sadly, little molly died this morning. I still have two left in the tank though so am going to continue with the Protozin and keep my fingers crossed.

The one that died was the one that had the worst coating on him, strangely enough though that appeared to have almost gone completely and he was back to his normal black colour, although his tail was still badly clamped. I wonder if that shpwed the meds were working (maybe wishful thinking as I have onl put one dose in so far).

At least he's not in pain anymore.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry R.I.P.
If it was the fish in the pic that was lyed down it didn't look to good to be honest.
You could ask the lfs if they do skin scrapes.