On The Last Leg

[ms60194]

I have 75 gallon tank with mainly african cichlids, and an oddball rainbow shark that we've from when we first purchased tank. Recently, we've began to notice patches of white or faded areas on the rainbow. I also noticed 1 cichlid with a white spot. Raised temps, added salt. they were all fairing well. It was not an obvious diagnosis, i assumed ich. No casualties and were cleaning daily to every other day. cichlids are ok with no spots now and the shark looked much better. No white salt like spots at all and faded patches going away. However, this morning as i woke, i found the rainbow shark in horrible shape. He has become pale all around, with very pale spots, not white like paper but compared to a darker back round. His vision in one eye appears gone, cateracted eye and his fins are in horrible shape. Either bitten or rotted. took him out of tank and he's stable in a little gold fish tank, with air hose in it. It's of course possible some of his damage due to others persuing him in week state. He's always held his own and never any incidents between him and any other fish. Matter a fact he is the smallest in tank at around 2.5inches.

question 1.) Would ich show in as patches, not neccesarily white spots (salt like), otherwise any suggestions of other diseases would be great. I think it is a fungas.


2) This fish has always been a trooper, he's survived the initial tank cycle from when we got the tank. with his appearent recent illness, not talking of what happened over night. What can cause such a rapid change. How can he go from stable and apparently himproving, to beat up, blind in an eye, simply horrible shape?


Any questions of course feel free to ask!!!

Very much appreciate the help from all who input!!!!

mike

 

[WILDER]

Do the white patches look like bleaching beneath the skin.
How big are the spots, any redness to the spots.
Does the eye look cloudy.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing.
Any excess slime on the body or gills of fish.

If whitepot left untreated the spots can join up to form a patch.
Can you post your water stats please.

 

[ms60194]

Do the white patches look like bleaching beneath the skin.
How big are the spots, any redness to the spots.
Does the eye look cloudy.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing.
Any excess slime on the body or gills of fish.

If whitepot left untreated the spots can join up to form a patch.
Can you post your water stats please.

Yes, it looks like bleaching under skin. spots are less than cm. fish is flicking a bit. no rubbing at all. breathing appears bit rough for it. He has turned a bit darker from when i initially posted. Eye looks like it has something on the top of it, as if some fungus. doesn't appear to have excess slime.

 

[WILDER]

Bleaching bemeath the skin is columnaris.
Also fish can get columnaris spots, they will be a greyish white sometimes with a red edging to the spot or a red centre.
Is it possible to load a pic up of the sick fish.

Are you still treating for the whitespot.
How long have you been treating.

Just read this to see what you think.
http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html

 

[WILDER]

Are you treating him with anything in the hospital tank?

 

[ms60194]

Bleaching bemeath the skin is columnaris.
Also fish can get columnaris spots, they will be a greyish white sometimes with a red edging to the spot or a red centre.
Is it possible to load a pic up of the sick fish.

Are you still treating for the whitespot.
How long have you been treating.

Just read this to see what you think.
[URL="http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html"]http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html[/URL]

I am treating with melaflex (think it's spelled like that) It doesn't appear to be columnaris. Using ur description and good old google i'm confident in that. I've found another has ich on it (positive of this) so going to treat both together. Hoping hasn't spread anymore! I just can't beleive that overnight this occurred. Rainbow looked better before and in 12 hrs went to nothing.

 

[WILDER]

Melafix in only good on cuts and wounds.