Platy Scales Turning White-help!

pumpkincurls

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I am at my wits end with our aquarium. It started with the sudden and mysterious death of our dwarf gourami. Fine one day, dead the next- no visible signs of disease. Had water checked- all within normal limits. The next week our two platies started showing signs of illness- listlessness, a few white spots on their body. Didn't look like the dozens of pictures of Ich I found in trying to research what was wrong, but started to treat for it anyway. Both fish had no more than 4 spots on them and they looked more like tiny nodules rather than "salting". Anyway turned up the heat to 82, put salt in, and treated with Maracide for 2 weeks. In addition started to treat for secondary infections with Maracyn Plus when the male platy started to show white patches on him. After the two weeks the male platy was almost completely cleared up, but the female had gotten worse- not eating, hiding, physical signs not clearing up. The rest of the fish looked fine and were acting normal, but we continued to lose some- 1 oto, 1 danio. LFS suggested a stronger anti bacterial- so we started with Furnan 2. The male platy cleared up completely after that treatment, everyone else looked fine and survived all the meds, but the female still was going down hill- more spots!. At that point I moved her to a hospital tank not wanting to treat the main tank anymore, the other fish were starting to get stressed. She died 2 days later. Water quality got back to normal in about a week after the last dose of antibiotics and everyone was doing great. But then a week later, 2 wks after the last treatment, the male platy developed his white patch on his head again (but no spots thank goodness). It looks like a drop of bleach was dropped on his head. The scales have just turned pure white. It isn't fuzzy, raised, doesn't appear to be eroding away at his skin, and he is acting perfectly normal. I am completely frustrated. I can't find anything on the net or in books that really come close to identifying what it is. I don't want to keep pour meds in the tank, but I don't want him to infect the others if there is something wrong. I don't want to treat him with more meds either unless I know what it is. I tested the water again today and everything is normal. If anyone has any ideas I would greatly appreciate it!
 
I am sorry to say but there is almost nothing that you can do about it. It happend to my red platies also, tried everything but nothing worked. Mine always seemed to no eat once they got the patch of white on them. I think it has somthing to do with a internal parasite.
 
Is there any chance you would be able to post a picture of the sick fish? That would be very helpful. It's easy to post assuming you have a camera phone or digital camera!
 
Sounds like a bad strain columnaris to me, columnaris can show it's self in many ways, from bleached out patches, to fluffy patches on the body, or spots on the body.
The spots do they have a circling of red around the edges or a spot in the centre of the spot.
 
Sounds like a bad strain columnaris to me, columnaris can show it's self in many ways, from bleached out patches, to fluffy patches on the body, or spots on the body.
The spots do they have a circling of red around the edges or a spot in the centre of the spot.

No circling of red, or spot in the center. But it does look like a bleached spot. He is eating, swimming around. Wouldn't have any other idea something was wrong except for except for this spot. Should I treat him as if he has it? He was on Maracyn Plus for 2wks, Furnan2 for 4 days, hate to give him more meds. Is it likely the rest of the tank as it, if that is the case?
 
Is there any chance you would be able to post a picture of the sick fish? That would be very helpful. It's easy to post assuming you have a camera phone or digital camera!

Spent the last hour trying to catch a good picture of that little bugger. Just can't get one- just a white blur on his head. Never knew a platy could be so smart! He knows exactly when I'm coming with that camera, but I'll keep trying....
 
The reason I think its a bad strain as columnaris as the symtoms point that way, and you said its clearing up, then when you stop the meds it flares up again.
This means you are stopping the med to fast, I would start the course again and you could even be using the med for 3 weeks.
 

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