Fish are acting funny

[Legion]

Pic of my nic

[Legion]

image.jpgimage.jpgit looks like a fungas what can I do to help them?

[fishmommie]

Wow. The photo is so large it's difficult to see but for sure that fish does not look good. Sorry.

It could be ich but there is so much white so close together that it could be a fungus as well.

I just checked on the Fish Channel to see if there was a treatment that covered both ich and fungus or fin rot. This is what I found:

Treating Fungus, Fin Rot and Mouth Fungus Simultaneously
Fungus, fin rot and mouth fungus are all opportunistic infections that can occur when fish are stressed or injured. In some situations, fish may contract more than one of these diseases, and distinguishing between them is often difficult.

Fortunately for the aquarist, there are numerous medications available that will treat all three maladies equally well. Combinations of formalin and malachite green are particularly popular and will treat a range of fungal and bacterial pathogens, but as stated earlier, such medications can be harmful to certain types of livestock, so they should always be used with care.

Ich is a common protozoan that attacks fish and is visible as tiny white dots on the fish's flesh where the parasite digs in. Ich is easy to treat, but the disease can be lethal if left untreated. Ghost shrimp can't catch ich, but because they are often kept in aquariums with fish, and because some ich medications can be lethal to invertebrates, one must be careful choosing a treatment.

You'll find scads of ich medicines in stores, but they all use the same few ingredients. Nearly all ich medications are safe enough for use with ghost shrimp, but your safest bet is a plain malachite green medication.

Malachite green, sometimes listed as Victoria green or aniline green, is effective against ich, and it is safe — although some fish are more sensitive to it than others. Most brands tell you to use half a dose for tetras and scaleless bottom fish. I have never found malachite green — properly dosed — to bother any fish, plants or any invertebrates kept in freshwater aquariums.

Another advantage of malachite green treatment is that it does not deteriorate water quality, so there is no need to do extra water changes during or after treatment (although you may need to do a change before treatment). Poor water quality is one major stressor that can make fish susceptible to ich. Always run water tests to be sure the environment is correct before medicating.

Malachite green is a stain that gives the water a bluish tint, but the color normally dissipates within a couple of hours. This compound may stain the silicone rubber seams of your aquarium, but I have not found it to do so excessively. It may stain some ceramic decorations, as well.

Remove activated carbon from your filters during treatment — the carbon will adsorb the medication before it ever has a chance to work. Detritus will also absorb some of the medication, so if your aquarium is dirty, use a gravel vacuum to give the substrate a quick cleaning before medicating the aquarium.
....

So - to be safe and considering the sad shape that fish is in, it would see that malichite green with formalin may be your best option.

I'd also do a LARGE water change asap, before you treat.

DO google The Fish Channel and look for ich and fungus treatments so you will be fully informed if you go this route. Whatever you decide to do, I'd do very soon - as in NOW if you can.
good luck

[fishmommie]

That photo is easier to view. Poor guy. He's a mess. do all of your fish look that way?
When WAS your last Water Change? How much did you change?
Do you vacuum regularly?
Since you don't have an API liquid water test kit, you REALLY need one - especially now that this fish is so sick. You need to keep daily tabs on your ammonia and nitrites. If EITHER are above 0 then you've lost your cycle and these poor guys may be getting burns. If your nitrates are above 20, it could also be a contributing factor.
In any event, if this is ich, it's the worst case I've ever seen. If it's fungus - same goes. See my prior post. It's the best advice I can offer.
I'm going to check with another forum member and see if they will weigh in.
In the meantime - do that huge water change and make sure you use enough good water conditioner/chlorine remover to treat the entire 55 gallons

[Compass]

That's rough. I'm going to say fungus on this one. I've seen some pretty bad cases of ich but they always stayed as little spots. Never coating the whole fish like that. Fishmommie has offered some good advice. Whatever you do, do it fast because those fish aren't long for this world.

[Legion]

Ty u guys I did 1/2 a tank water change I'm at work but will do another when I get home ty guys

[fishmommie]

And get some malichite green on your way home from work. Do another 50% W/C before you treat the tank so you have the cleanest water possible before you start treatment.
let us know how it goes. Some others may be checking in as i put the word out.
I hope he makes it but you'd best be prepared for the worst. So sorry

[KevinVA]

Definitely looks like a fungus to me. Doesn't look like ich. It actually looks like velvet, if velvet were white. So, I'd definitely go with fungus... just less cottony. If it were a less severe case, I'd suggest multiple water changes every other day to keep the fresh water coming, but at this point you need to dose immediately with medication. I would definitely dose the tank with a fungus med containing malachite green. The others probably won't do anything.

[Sandz]

This is not ich - this is a fungus on the fish that is feeding on the epidermis. I would do 90% water changes every other day if this was lesser and just see it clear but a fungicide is required at this level. I would suggest malachite green as prev mentioned. There is also a seachem product that is a total cure all called Paraguard.

[Taurus]

Yep, Paraguard.