Please identify this disease -updated pic today

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FishNewbie82912

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this fish in pic has passed but it shows the discoloration on the scales very well. I have another guppy that looks like he is starting to get this white thing going on too. Any ideas as to what it could be.

My ammonia was high and ph low when the guy in pic was sick. My ammonia is slightly elevated as I just got a new filter and going through some changes. But used old cartridge along with new set up.

But my ph is 7.4 now. Nitrates 10ppm. Nitrites 0. Ammonia was 1 but I did a big water change today.
 

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It looks like it may be a fungal infection or even possibly saddleback columnaris. If it's the latter, then antibiotics are required. If it's the former, then antifungal medication will be needed. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than I will be able to make a better diagnosis.
 
It looks like it may be a fungal infection or even possibly saddleback columnaris. If it's the latter, then antibiotics are required. If it's the former, then antifungal medication will be needed. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than I will be able to make a better diagnosis.
Thanks. Iā€™ll post a picture of the current guppy in question when I have a chance. Itā€™s like their scales are losing color or almost moldy? I donā€™t know if Iā€™m describing properly. But itā€™s just weird.
 
I can't tell anything from the picture, but if fish are getting cream, white or grey patches on their body, it is excess mucous caused by external protozoans eating the skin.

If the fish get a cream or white film over their body and fins, it is excess mucous caused by poor water quality or something in the environment that is stressing them out.

If they get white fluffy stuff it is fungus. The fish in the picture does not appear to have fungus.

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Guppies are regularly infected with external protozoans and the easiest way to treat them is with salt.

You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate will affect some plants. The lower dose rate will not affect plants.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

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Ammonia will stress fish and cause them to produce excess mucous. It also poisons them. If the pH is above 7.0, any ammonia produced is more toxic.

You need to do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.
 
I donā€™t see fungus or columnaris (saddleback) at all. Has the guppy always had the bent back? It could be fish TB. Guppies are big carriers of it.
 
I donā€™t see fungus or columnaris (saddleback) at all. Has the guppy always had the bent back? It could be fish TB. Guppies are big carriers of it.
No that fish got more bent as he got sicker. But I was away when he passed and my other fish definitely took some chomps out of him. That was back in July.

My other guppy definitely has a fungus this morning. His tail is closed and upon inspection I definitely see white cotton. What should I do? I added salt already.
 
Can I get another pic? Iā€™d like to see if it is fungus or columnaris.
 
These slightly iridescent looking areas are what Iā€™m talking about. The just appeared overnight. Kind of moldy looking maybe.
 

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If itā€™s more fluffy than spikey then itā€™s probably just fungus. Do big water changes of 75% and add 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per gallon of water. Each time you do a water change (daily for next 2 weeks) add that much salt back into the tank. Example: if you do a 50% water change then add 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt per gallon back. Be sure to dechlorinated your water and allow the salt to dissolve in a cup of tank water before adding to the tank. Otherwise, it will burn the fish. Fungus hates salt. Fungus also does not like heat si keep your temp around 80F. If you feel like the fungus is getting worse in a couple of days you can get something like Jungle Fungus Eliminator or API Fungus Cure. Let us know if you need help.
 
If itā€™s more fluffy than spikey then itā€™s probably just fungus. Do big water changes of 75% and add 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per gallon of water. Each time you do a water change (daily for next 2 weeks) add that much salt back into the tank. Example: if you do a 50% water change then add 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt per gallon back. Be sure to dechlorinated your water and allow the salt to dissolve in a cup of tank water before adding to the tank. Otherwise, it will burn the fish. Fungus hates salt. Fungus also does not like heat si keep your temp around 80F. If you feel like the fungus is getting worse in a couple of days you can get something like Jungle Fungus Eliminator or API Fungus Cure. Let us know if you need help.

Iā€™ll try to get a pic of it and post it.

I will add more salt and do a big water change tomorrow.
I do have 4 fry in this tank. Will they be okay? What about adding Pimafix. I do have that from that last guppy...though obviously it didnā€™t work because he died. But would that help?
 
You can try it but most of those meds that end in ā€œfixā€ arenā€™t Very strong.
 
He looks just awful!!!! Not moving. Tail down. Cotton all over him. He looked fine yesterday!!
 

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I can't tell anything from the picture, but if fish are getting cream, white or grey patches on their body, it is excess mucous caused by external protozoans eating the skin.

If the fish get a cream or white film over their body and fins, it is excess mucous caused by poor water quality or something in the environment that is stressing them out.

If they get white fluffy stuff it is fungus. The fish in the picture does not appear to have fungus.

-----------------------
Guppies are regularly infected with external protozoans and the easiest way to treat them is with salt.

You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate will affect some plants. The lower dose rate will not affect plants.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

-----------------------
Ammonia will stress fish and cause them to produce excess mucous. It also poisons them. If the pH is above 7.0, any ammonia produced is more toxic.

You need to do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.
I posted a pic of the moldy fish. Please help!
 
Hereā€™s a pic
 

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