help fungus

[Janice]

I have 2 bubble eyed black moors, had them for about 6 weeks now. In the last couple of days they have just sat at the corner of the tank and only started swimming about when I fed them.
I got up this morning and one is really covered in fungus and a bit of fungus is on the other one.
I have no idea how this came on so quick, please, what should I do?
I have treatment for white spot for the tropicals, will this do?

 

[ryan]

Cotton-wool like growths on the body of the fish, usually greyish-white, but can be darker? Some bacterial diseases may be mistaken for fungus, including the so-called mouth fungus, which is actually caused by bacteria. It affects areas where the slime coating has been damaged.

Fungal spores are always present in the aquarium, and an outbreak of fungal disease usually occurs after damage to the fishes skin or gill area, and as a secondary infection. Or when the fish is overly stressed by bad water conditions etc. It can also originate from white spot.

Commercial anti-fungal remedies can be used to destroy the fungus and prevent it spreading. These include Interpet #8 Anti Fungus and Finrot and Waterlife Protozin. Most medications avaialble for treating fungal infections will also treat bacterial infections. When you catch it early you can normally treat it successfully. You need to determine the cause of the problem, test the water parameters.

 

[Janice]

Thanks for the fast reply, I have stayed on-line to see what to do as I feel guilty letting my fish get sick. I have put Waterlife Protozin in just now. Will I wait to see if it works or do you suggest a 50% water change or anything else? I do a 10-20% water change every 2 weeks, is this right or wrong? Oh I feel so hopeless.

Thanks for the prompt reply Ryan

 

[ryan]

I do 25% water change weekly on all my tanks but 20-25% every two weeks should be fine providing the tank isn't over stocked. I would advise 10% daily water changes before the next treatment. Do you know the water parameters?

 

[Janice]

No, I don't have any testing equipment - silly me didn't think I needed to for coldwater fish, actually I have kept tropical fish for over 10 years and never routinely done any testing, only had one outbreak of ICH and treated that.
Will go shopping today if need be though.

 

[ryan]

Well when you do regular water changes there isn't as much need to test the water but it is always handy to have a test kit available incase of disease etc.