URGENT! Possible case of Ich/Ick

[Adorkable]

I noticed when I bought my Powder Blue Gourami, that he had part of his fin missing, and it seemed to be haeling very well. Today I looked at him and noticed that he has a fuzzy ball on him, about the size of half a pea. It is not totally attched to him, so I am able to pull it off. I haven't yet, and I was wanting to get some help off of here before I do anything. If it is Ich/Ick, what are good treatments?

 

[TabMorte]

That doesn't sound like Ick. Ick looks like some one sprinkled salt on your fish.

I hope you have him in a quarentine tank. If you don't I'd get him there right away.

 

[Adorkable]

Yeah I have him in QT.
It doesn't seem fully attacted to his body, so do you think it would be safe to pull it off?

 

[TabMorte]

I have /no/ idea. I've never seen anything like that before. You could treat the QT with both Pimafix and Melafix (when I use them together I use a half dose personally). The Pimafix is antifungal and the Melafix is antibiotic.

 

[Adorkable]

Okay, I'll go get some Pimafix and Melafix tommowow after school.
Grr... I really want to know what it is, and if it is safe to pull off, so I'm not paranoid at school...

 

[brian1973]

I did a search on the symptoms and came up with a few things but nothing with that exact symptom...best answer I could find was a injury thats infected but I definately dont know, also a link for swim bladder diseases also came up I agree with Tab on treatment..dont know about the half dosing unless they share common ingrediants but I wouldnt pull it off not with out quite a few more replies.

 

[TabMorte]

THat's a good point brian, I have cories in my tank so I usually use as little as possible but if it's in a tank on it's own, they are made to work together.

Usually they recommend to add it daily for three days, do a water change, add daily for three more, water change and so on until cured.

 

[Adorkable]

Okay
Once I find my dad's camera, I'll post pictures
Perhaps that will make it easier

 

[Adorkable]

I was looking on the web, and I think I could have found out what it is.
What I think it is, is Columnaris. According to the page I found it on, it is supposed to look like a fungal infection, but it is a bacterial infection. The outline of the spot is circular, and looks like a cotton ball. That is what I think my fish has. I found a picture on the web that looks most like it, the only difference is that what my fish has is a bit rounder. There area that looks most like mine is the part that is on top of the fish.

-NOTE- This is not my fish, just one I found on the web.

 

[TabMorte]

ugh that looks nasty!

 

[Lotus]

Well, if you found that pic on this link: Flippersandfins.net Flexibacter article

Then you should know what to get.

I would say that Melafix/Pimafix won't really be strong enough to treat what your fish has. The Jungle Fungus Eliminator is a good product for various bacterial/fungal infections, and isn't expensive or hard to use.

 

[Adorkable]

ugh that looks nasty!

Yeah I know
On my fish, it isn't very big, if you count the size of half of a small pea big. Well I guess it is big if you were a fish...
Anyways, I'll get some medication for it tommorow after school, and I hope my fishy gets better *SICK*

I'll come back here in a couple of days and tell you guys about how he cleared up.

 

[Adorkable]

Grrr... I am tempted to pull the infection off, but I don't want to hurt my fishy fish

 

[pwrmacG4]

i would take the advice of these guys... i would try to treat it. hope everything works out.

 

[TabMorte]

I haven't ever tried the Jungle Fungal Elliminator stuff but Lotus knows her stuff that does look more heavy duty then the pimafix/melafix combo can treat. (BUT those two are still both good medicines to keep in your fish supplies)

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Adorkable]

Well, so far, he has made it through the night. I didn't think he would last that long, because we have him in a little 2.5 gallon QT with no lid, until I get my 5 or 10 gallon QT. Anyways, I thought my cat would have gotton him. I'm sick from school today, and my mom took my car keys, so I can't the medication until she gets home. Thanks for the advice Tab and Lotus. I'll go out today and get some of all three.

 

[Adorkable]

Coppersafe is just for Ich/Ick, right? If it is, I guess I shouldn't get any...?

 

[TabMorte]

Coppersafe is for Ich yes.

It's good to keep on hand if you're bringing in new fish frequently (that's the most common source of Ich)

 

[Adorkable]

Well, I'll only be bringing in a new fish if this one dies. So far he seems fine. The growth that was on him fell off, and I had to put him in the main tank, cause I had take the heater from my main tank to the QT. The main tank was getting very cold. When I get the medications today, would it be okay to use them in the main tank? Or will it hurt my other fish?

 

[TabMorte]

I would keep him seperate and move the heater back and forth (rinsing it throughally) if you have to until he's been treated throughally.