Possible Ich On My Hillstream Loach

[jacko32]

hi yesterday i bought a hillstream loach-borneo sucker loach was the name in the shop i think there the same
anyway today i noticed it had a few white spots around the tail and eyes and its back looks like its mouldy
my main question is how can i treat the problem best as my tank is a planted tank
the tank is 25uk gallons temp is 26c and pH is 6.2
i bought 5 black widdow tetra also these are the only tank mates they look fine so far
can anyone help please

 

[Hokum]

Be careful with treatment, loaches are sensitive to treatments, i'd recommnd asking or reading forums.loaches.com . A possible treatment would be JBL Ektol crystals and JBL Punktol i havent treated white spot my self but they are listed as treating the disease. As for the Mould, it could be columnaris, Ektol crystals will help but probably not solve it. Ektol fluid i've had good results with though for columnaris.

Do you have a medication tank?

Also in my experiance 26C is possibly too high for hillstream loaches. If its one of these http/www.loaches.com/species-index/gastromyzon-unknown03 your fine but if its one of these http/www.loaches.com/species-index/sewellia-lineolata or http/www.loaches.com/species-index/beaufortia-kweichowensis which are sometimes called Borneo suckers its too hot.

 

[jacko32]

im more concerned about treating the tank really as its fully planted the loach was an inpulse buy and i have a feeling it probs had the ich from the lfs i think there conditions must have been wrong i new that hillstreams like the lower temps 24c max i asked in the lfs they said borneo sucker were hardier and would be ok at 26c they are koi people though really
i dont mind if he has to go im more worried about treating the tank

 

[Hokum]

If you need to treat the whole tank protozin maybe worth a shot, but be wary if the Hillstream is suffering from columnaris as it can be deadly and contagious.

I'm not sure which you would be better treating for first, but anything with will hit the columnaris will probably kill your filter bacteria too.

From my experience (never had white spot) i'd treat the columnaris first.

 

[jacko32]

#40## just spent the last 2 months fishless cycling and i got 3 agassiz coming tommorow good job i got 2 tanks set up

 

[WILDER]

How big are the spots on the fish.
Any redness to the spots.
What colour is the mould on the fish.
Does it look like fluffy cotton wool.
Is the fish flicking and rubbing.

 

[jacko32]

i just got back from lfs now returned the fish as i didnt feel i could give it the environment it needed. the guy in the store was still adamant it could live in temps up to 28c
the spots where small around the mouth and tall there was no flicking or eratic breathing on close inspection this morning i couldnt see anything like mold
swapped the hillstream for a pair of red flag acara now they fit in with my agassiz and black widdows better
should i still do a course of ich treatment anyway ?

 

[WILDER]

If no other fish are showing symtoms I would hold of medicating for whitespot.

 

[jacko32]

ok i will do thanks very much for your help
also do you know if the tetra white spot treatment is any good as i need 1 that is ok for planted tanks

 

[WILDER]

Never used the med.
Ask in tropical discussion.
Good Luck.