My tinfoil barbs have fungus

**cutlass79500** · 05-06-2012, 11:57 PM

I have very large tinfoil barbs They have some kind of fungus i think. It is only attacking the tinfoils i also have 8 very large silver dollars in the tank. The tinfoils are 11-12 inches long. They are in a 125 gal tank if i change 50-70 percent of the water the next day its gone but about 2 or 3 days after they start itching again and it starts again. It even starts getting white on their eyes. I have enough maracyn to treat the water for 2 days. I just cant see spending almost 100 bucks to treat the tank. Is there something else that will work thats not so expensive. The chemicals are spot on ph is about 6.8 or so. I have been adding some salt but its not helping. I did find out last week that my canister filter failed. I added another hang on but since the chemicals are right i do not think thats it. The silver dollars are fine. These pics are what it looks like when it starts if i do not change the water their slime coat turns fuzzy white and they cant see.

**Crispy** · 05-07-2012, 07:09 AM

I think by 'chemicals', you mean 'water parameters'. and you only listed your ph... how bout ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? I have a feeling these are way out of whack probably spiking and causing the fish to break out in said fungus and cloudy eye.

your canister failing is definitely a major part of this I would think. you lost all the beneficial bacteria in your filter when it died and are going through another cycle. big, messy tinfoils are not going to tolerate those conditions too well. I would do 40% water changes daily or every other day if you can. will help much better than any meds will.

**imma24** · 05-07-2012, 11:54 AM

+1 with crispy - water changes will be their best friend until your new filter cycles and without proper filtration at this time, you will need to keep monitoring your parameters (ammonia especially) to make sure you change your water often enough.

**cutlass79500** · 05-08-2012, 12:12 AM

That is what i ment by chemicals. Ammonia is less then .25 nitrite 0 nitrate 0. I added the 3rd hang on filter just to be safe till i get the canister fixed. I have 13 tanks over 700 gals worth keep up with water changes and monitor all of them closely

**Crispy** · 05-08-2012, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by cutlass79500

That is what i ment by chemicals. Ammonia is less then .25 nitrite 0 nitrate 0. I added the 3rd hang on filter just to be safe till i get the canister fixed. I have 13 tanks over 700 gals worth keep up with water changes and monitor all of them closely

nitrate should not be 0 unless you have a nitrate remover. your tank is not cycled. do not add any meds and do water changes as frequently as possible to help the tinfoils.

**Lady Hobbs** · 05-08-2012, 08:09 AM

Is anyone thinking this just might be the beginning of Velvet? I just don't know but all those spots on his fins made me think that way.

If this is velvet, the tank needs to be blackened out and ick meds used if so.

Here's an article I found with velvet photos. Velvet is much like Ick and treated the same manner other than lights increase the parasite. He would began to appear a brownish gold, too.
I don't know. I just wouldn't expect to see fungus everywhere on a fish all at once.

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/oodinium_velvet/