Keyhole Cichlid - Parasite, Fungus, White Spot?

[themissingelf]

Tank size: 27 ltr hospital tank.
pH: 7,2
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 50ppm
kH: 6
gH: 14
tank temp: 26c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
White tags protruding a few millimetres from the skin surface.
Fins often clamped.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:
Yesterday 50%.
Today 50%.
(Largely to strip out treatments over the last few weeks and reduce Nitrate which had risen to almost 100ppm!)

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:
Foam in filter.

Tank inhabitants:
Keyhole Cichlid.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):
None.

Exposure to chemicals:
Esha White Spot treatment - 2 treatments with water change in-between.
Esha 2000 - 2 treatments with water change in-between.
I did manage to clear most of the spots with the above treatments but left the fish in the hospital tank to ensure he was clear. Then the spots returned...

Digital photo (include if possible):
Lots as I struggled to get a good shot...
Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3, Pic 4, Pic 5, Pic 6, Pic 7, Pic 8, Pic 9.

Grateful for all input and suggestions! Thanks in advance!

 

[WILDER]

How big are the spots on the fish. Are they bigger than a grain of salt.
If you thought it was whitespot why did you move the fish to a hospital tank. For whitespot you have to treat the main tanks also.

Any signs of flicking and rubbing, excess mucas, laboured breathing, darting, erratic swimming.
Do the pots look fluffy, as they do in the pics.

 

[themissingelf]

Hi.

None of the other fish were showing signs of white spot - another reason why I'm not convinced it is white spot and therefore why I did not treat the main tank either. It's been a few weeks now and the main tank remains clear of any problems.

The spots are larger than a grain of salt and yes, they do look slightly fluffy but not as fluffy as cotton wool - more like frayed string.

No signs of flicking or rubbing etc. Just a slightly sorry demeanour with fins clamped some of the time.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Seen as the fish is in isolation double dose the esha 2000 med.
Follow the instructions on double dosing.

 

[themissingelf]

Ok.
Seen as the fish is in isolation double dose the esha 2000 med.
Follow the instructions on double dosing.

Thank you, but I'm intrigued... What do you think is the problem with the fish?

 

[WILDER]

If the spots are bigger than a grain of salt and there no signs of flicking and rubbing, darting, etc. It might be bacterial.

 

[themissingelf]

Hmmm... There looked to be improvement in the first few days but when I checked last night it was not looking as promising. I'm wondering whether this is some sort of parasite?

 

[WILDER]

Any tiny white grains of salt sized spots on the fish.
Any strands coming out of the spots.
Any parasite signs like flicking and rubbing, darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing, excess mucas.
Any redness to the spot, or pinkness.
Is there a greyish white film on the fish.