Sudden White Spot appears

[stanleyktag]

Tonight I noticed a white spot toward the rear of the fish under the dorsal fin on my firefish. The spot almost looks as though it had moved at times. After some initial reading, could this be a fluke? If not what else could it be? What is the best treatment for this?


Thank you,
Ken

 

[zoidberg01]

That looks like the ick it's created by sudden temperature changes , stress and a lot of tangs carry it my best recommendation is bacteria lots of it and in time it will go away

 

[zoidberg01]

Btw nice firefish

 

[stanleyktag]

Thank you. I would like to make sure he survives. I was reading that raising the temperature above 80 will help eliminate them. I think I am going to quarantine him, add some copper and raising the temperature. I'll let you know if that helps.

thank you,
Ken

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by zoidberg01 http:///t/396808/sudden-white-spot-appears#post_3535395
That looks like the ick it's created by sudden temperature changes , stress and a lot of tangs carry it my best recommendation is bacteria lots of it and in time it will go away

Hi,

Sorry, I hope you don't get upset with me, but what you wrote is so far off I have to butt in.

Ich is NOT created by temperature changes, or stress....ich is a parasite, a small living creature that lives on other living creatures...it can attack a stressed fish faster then a healthy non-stressed fish. The only way to be rid of the parasite is to remove the host, the tiny creature will die off without another creature to live on...So the only way to clear the display tank of ich is to leave it fishless for 8 weeks. Also it will not go away on it's own, nor will more bacteria do anything. A fish infested with ich, needs to be placed in a quarantine/hospital tank...and treated with Hypo or copper for the 8 weeks that the display stays empty of all fish. So it won't do any good to remove only the one infected fish...all fish must be removed from the display.

 

[flower]

Turning up the temps will not help elei
Quote:
Originally Posted by stanleyktag http:///t/396808/sudden-white-spot-appears#post_3535409
Thank you. I would like to make sure he survives. I was reading that raising the temperature above 80 will help eliminate them. I think I am going to quarantine him, add some copper and raising the temperature. I'll let you know if that helps.

thank you,
Ken

Ken,

You have been misinformed....read the information I posted to Zoidberg. Turning up the temps will not eliminate, nor do anything to the parasite ich...if in fact that is the problem, check with Beth first. The higher temp will only help ease the stress of a fish that naturally likes it warmer. IF IT IS ICH....you will have to quarantine all the fish in your tank, and leave the display without any fish for 8 weeks to make sure the parasite dies out without a host.

Go to the fish disease section, and at the top is a sticky where Beth has pictures of sick fish and what certain parasites look like...That is to help you identify your problem, she also has information on how to treat certain problems. You can also PM her, she is really knowledgeable on what you need to do.

 

[geridoc]

I have to tell you that this doesn't look like ich. It may be a surface parasite, or it may just be a superficial wound due to either a fish fight or a collision with some rock. I would watchfully wait to see where the spot goes - it may just disappear. Most treatments for ich and parasites are sufficiently disruptive that I try to avoid premature treatments for possibly imagined (or feared) diseases.

 

[stanleyktag]

Thank you for your feedback.
Because I saw this white spot move once again, I figured it had to be a larger parasite like a fluke. So after much effort and failed traps, I finally caught the fish. I then used a new sharp razor blade and skimmed ever-so gently under this white thing being careful not to injure the fish. I got the white thing off, but it fell away and I was unable to find it. Fortunately, it fell to the floor and not back in the tank. I then stuck the fish in a quarantine tank with some copper treatment. If I did injure the fish, hopefully that will help medicate him back to health or remove any more of those things.

Thank you for your help,
Ken

 

[bang guy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stanleyktag http:///t/396808/sudden-white-spot-appears#post_3535488
Thank you for your feedback.
Because I saw this white spot move once again, I figured it had to be a larger parasite like a fluke. So after much effort and failed traps, I finally caught the fish. I then used a new sharp razor blade and skimmed ever-so gently under this white thing being careful not to injure the fish. I got the white thing off, but it fell away and I was unable to find it. Fortunately, it fell to the floor and not back in the tank. I then stuck the fish in a quarantine tank with some copper treatment. If I did injure the fish, hopefully that will help medicate him back to health or remove any more of those things.

Thank you for your help,
Ken
I agree with your observation. It looks like some type of parasitic Isopod.