female swordtail with a weird white spot

[MXPX4318]

ok So I got two black female swordtails from the LFS on Saturday, on monday they both showed signs of ich (small white spots) but it was minimal I've only seen maybe 5 max spots on each fish, but on top of that one of them had this weird white spot (much larger then the few ich spots.) could it be a concentration of ich parasites? I've attached some pictures of the female with her spots the spot is at the top base of her tail. I'm treating the tank right now with formalin (37% formaldehyde) 2 drops per gallon every other day (as recommended on label) this is my second day of treatment. what can I do for this other spot though? thanks for your help, here's the pics:

 

[Polardbear]

Is it fluffy or cottony looking? Like white fuzzy fungus? If it is, I'd start them right away on antibiotics as it most likely is a bacterial infection. Hope you have them quarentined away from your other fish.

 

[MXPX4318]

I just read your problem polared and thought it may be similar, but this looks just like the "ich" it's just bigger. in the last picture you can see a small ich spot on the end of the tail to show a relationship in size. I quarantine every single fish i get for atleast a week sometimes 2 so right now there are 2 female swords and a cory (got them all together on the same day from the same place) in this tank with ich and this fish is the only one with this other spot, the cory doesn't even show signs of ich on him but I kept him in there just in case to treat his as well. she (the sword) swims around normally eats normally it's just a big white patch that doesn't seem to float or anything or be puffy (like the picture of the betta in the link in polards thread) so I was thinking it was different as I've had pentezona barbs that have got fungus before and it seems to float around them rather then be right against the skin like this is. that's why I'm so confused about it.

edit: it's almost like a little white sore or something.

 

[WILDER]

Yes use a anti bacteria med.

 

[Polardbear]

From what I can see from your picture it looks to big to be ich. My first bout of colomnaris, back in October, the patches of white were very tight to the skin and usually kind of oval shaped. You might try looking at her through the tank wall with a magnifying glass, it's kind of awkward until you get the hang of it but it really helps once you get the knack.

In October half my fish had ich and the other half had the patches of fungus. I seperated them into 2 tanks and treated one tank with Quick Cure and the other tank with Jungle Fungus Clear. Only 2 out of 8 with the fungus survived. The tank with the ich patients did better, the ich cleared up quickly but several days later 4 or 5 of them started getting the fungus and subsequently died.

If there is any way you can isolate her from the other quarentined fish and treat her seperately, I'd stongly recommend it. I've gotten quite paranoid about anything that looks like fungus. I have learned the hard way that they will get over ich a lot easier than colomnaris or other bacterial infections. So my philosophy is treat them with antibiotics first and then worry about the ich. Also, the sooner you start treating bacterial infections the better your odds are.

 

[MXPX4318]

ok well I'll have to go get the meds tomorrow as being in college having a car and access to fish supplies isn't as easy as walking outside and getting in the car, I'll have to find a ride but I'll get over there tomorrow and start treatment tomorrow, unforutnatly I'll have to treat all three fish together for both the ich and the bacterial infection as I don't have another tank (I'm already 10 gallons over the room limit having this one quarantine tank.) hopefully things will work out though.

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...don't feel too bad. Most of us 'newbies' get the ich. I agree with the others about a quarantine tank, if you can do it. I successfully treated all my fish in a 46 gallon tank. My suggestions: slowly increase the heat of the tank to 80 degrees if you can. It speeds up the ich cycle and shortens the treatment time. Don't forget to remove any charcoal in the filter. I had success with Wardley's ..contains malechite green. Treat one or two days longer after you see all the spots gone. Good luck. Frank

 

[MXPX4318]

steelHeair: I know that you are trying to be nice and helpful and I thank you for that, but a) this thread isn't about the ich, it's being treated and the temp is already at 84 degrees and I'm treating with formalin at the moment. b ) I've already stated that these fish are already in quarantine as I quarantine every fish I've ever gotten for atleast a week (hence why only these three have ich and not my whole tank) c) I'm not a newbie at all I've been reading about and reasearching fish since last spring and have had tanks set up since august I've got a 20g and 29g tropical tanks that have not had a problem in the main tanks since the first five fish I got to cycle the tank with got a fungus and died and in about a month or two will be setting up a brackish tank (things keep preventing me from getting it started i was supposed to have gotten it all started up this week but doesn't look that's going to happen)

Thanks again though just wanted to clear up some misconceptions and let you know that the thread is about the fungus on my fishy's tail (which I'm going to get meds for tomorrow)