Brand New Black Mollies - White Spot?

[coolie]

I have bought 5 black mollies yesterday and at first light today, one has 5 or 6 white spots on it. I'm not saying it is in fact white spot as I have no idea.
 
Is it possible to catch white spot that quick bearing in mind I have never had mollies before nor white spot ever.
 
How likely is it white spot, maybe I should post some video of it?
 

 

[NeonFlux]

Hmm.. could possibly be ich. Close-up photo shots here would help identify. If they are ich, raise your heater's temp to about 86 degrees F to speed up it's life cycle (increase temperature slowly every few hours) and add aquarium salt once disappeared from mollie's bodies. Give it a few more days to ensure eradication, then do a large water change.

 

[coolie]

Thanks or your suggestion - although what I am really asking is... how could this happen. If I bought fish with ich how do I stand about taking them back? I also have a cycled breeding tank with little or nothing in it, If I put the one affected fish in there, is it likely that still, all the other mollies will come down with it? Have I now infected my min tank with the dreaded ich?

 

[Essjay]

It is my understanding that when the ich parasite first attaches to the fish it is too small to see with the naked eye. They have to grow before we can see them. Your molly could have been infected before you bought it, and the ich only became visible after you put it in your tank. The other mollies could well already be infected, their parasites just lagging a bit behind the first, especially if they were all in the same tank at the shop.
There is the danger that you have already infected your main tank, only time will tell. If you got any shop water in your tank, it could have contained some tomonts (stage 2) or even some tomites (free swimming third stage).

 

[coolie]

They were all in the same (very crowded) tank in the shop and yes, all the water from the shop went in, I do it that way so as to not shock the fish. All in all then, I'm pretty peeved.

 

[coolie]

Wait a minute, today at lights on, they are only 50% as visible as yesterday. Could it just be where he got ruffed up a bit being netted?

 

[coolie]

Yes, this has just about disappeared now, any idea what it was if anything?

 

[coolie]

OK, I've taken some video as no macro focus on the camera I've borrowed. I'n not even sure if it's the same fish as the one I reported above; that one seemed to get better. Please if you have experience of Ich or White Spot can you have a look and let me know what you think?
 
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTxCwrWBzAc&feature=youtu.be

 

[NeonFlux]

I think those white spots are ich for sure.. So yeah, do a good salt treatment for these guys. Like I said previously, first up the temp to about 86 F slowly, wait for few days until once the spots are all off, introduce aquarium salt, wait for several days again and they should be gone. Do a large water change and continue treatment if you want to make sure they are really out. Oh, and separate the plants aside in a bucket filled with dechlorinated water; plants don't like the salt.. Once you are done with everything, you could put the plants back in.

 

[coolie]

thank you for looking. It was my worst fear. As it's a planted tank, the method you describe would be horrendous. (I've got things like carpeting plants growing across the gravel)

 

[NeonFlux]

You're welcome I hope that molly pulls through and gets well soon.

 

[coolie]

Just phoned Maindenhead aquatics, they just told me that "all fish have it" and it's the result of the "stress of being moved"? But they will guarantee for 7 days if any actually die. ???

 

[UKSPEED]

My black mollies get white spots on them every now and then, but they go within a couple of days. I think it's just stress

 

[coolie]

UKSPEED due to the life-cycle of ich, you may be seeing your fish in a constant cycle of being infected.
 
I would love for more people to enter the debate, because you can see already there are differing opinions, and also I can believe the following: that there can be found certain parasites in any given eco-system and that when fish are stressed they are more likely to catch it, however, I find it hard to swallow my LFS statement that "all fish have it."

 

[fish48]

black mollies seem to be more acceptable to ich than most other fish .A temperature of 78f- 80f suits them well. Can tolerate a little salt Although it is not really needed  a very good treatment is protozin, water life ) treats ich & fungus and no need to up temp- protozin works fast.  
all fish can probably catch ich.   i'm not convinced that all fish have it