What Is Up With This Fish.

[snowflake311]

I bought this fish and I figured it was sick because the store is not a good place to get fish. I thought I could save it. I have a soft spot for trying to rescue needy animals of all kinds.

I saw some flashing going on in the tank at the store. I took the fish home it's a Severum only 1" really cute.. I saw the little spots of ich after a few days of having her. But after I started treatment she went black due to stress of being infected. I have treated her now for about a week the spots of ich are gone. BUT she is still flashing. I know the Ich can and will live in the gills out of sight. I have been doing daily water changes. She never got covered in ich like you will sometimes see thousands of spots only a few.

She is still black still flashing and she has a light white film on her. it does not look like fungus it's just a film. She looks kind of slimy. It is thicker in areas. Really weird I have never seen this before. At first I thought the film was extra slime coat but now i am thinking that it is something more. She is still eating fine. But hides all the time unless she is eating.

I'm going to keep treating for ich along with daily water changes. I am thinking of adding some
Maracyn 1 and 2 to the hospital tank to treat for secondary infections. I'm feeding her spirulina flake to help keep her healthy in hopes the vitamins will help her. Her fins are growing in the had some nips in them.

I really want to save this little fish. Any ideas what this white film is. I have saved fish before but this one has me a bit stumped.

Water is all good no ammonia or Nitrates. temp is 80F. I am doing daily water changes. this fish was ill when I bought her it was not my tank that made her ill.

 

[snowflake311]

I think it might be Velvet maybe. But it's bit a goldish color.

 

[Tolak]

What medication are you using for the ich?

 

[snowflake311]

What medication are you using for the ich?

At first I used coppersafe for like 4 days. They I did a large water change checked my copper levels and added clout for another 3 days on on my 4 th day. So it's been 8 days of treatment.

Now I'm thinking it could be COSTIASIS.

 

[WILDER]

Did you raise temp to 30 when treating for whitespot.

A greyish white film and slime can be caused by many parasites.

Turn tanks light out and shine a torch on the fish for yellow spots, gold dusting, or rusty coloured varnish.

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.


Costia



Symptoms:

Infected fish have soft, film-like skin turbidity. A grayish white film of excess mucous covers the entire body of the fish including the eyes. Severe infestations can lead to skin inflammation and deterioration. Reddening of the skin and bleeding, most often occurs on the underside of the mouth and the pectoral area of the body. Sick fish often rub or scratch against objects in the aquarium in an attempt to relieve irritation. Severely infected fish may become reclusive, listless, lie on the bottom of the aquarium and stop feeding.



Cause:

The parasitic flagellates Costia necatrix and Ichthyobodo necatrix. Costia is a small bean-shaped flagellate which attaches tightly to all areas of the skin, destroying the flesh. This parasite can only survive for approximately one hour without a host and does not tolerate temperatures above 86 - 90 F.



Treatment:

Raising the water temperature to 86 - 90 degrees may be helpful if your fish can tolerate the high temperatures. Quick Cure, Formalin, Malachite Green and Copper Sulfate are the drugs of choice for Costia. Costia infestations are highly contagious. All fish, including the aquarium, should be treated.

 

[snowflake311]

its a severum 1" big and in a 10gal hospital tank by its self. I'm pretty sure I said everything in my first post. It was in a 20 gal tank with like 13 other cichlids at the pet store I got it from. I knew the fish had something when I bought it. I felt the need to save this fish.

What does extra slime coat look like?

 

[WILDER]

It will look like the fish is producing more slime coat or mucas on the fish. It can also trial off the fish in the water.

 

[snowflake311]

This does not trail off it a white film. That's the only way to explain it. I will try and get a photo. This little fish is pretty tough I think with daily water changes and keep treating for parasites she will be all better soon.

But the white film is just weird. She was turning all black so maybe that's why I notice it more. She seems to be doing a bit better today. Swimming around more and her color is going back to normal. It is Amazing what water changes can do for a sick fish.

 

[WILDER]

Parasites can cause bacterial infections.
Excess slime can be that the fish is producing more to protect itself, parasites, bacterial, ph shock, bad water quality.

Let me know how the fish gets on.
Good luck.