what's growing on my fish? only answer if you know about fish please?

Question

I recently got a large placo for my cichlid tank, and he has stuff that looks like a cross between cobwebs and snot all over him.It sort of drifts in the current of the tank. The Cichlids are fine, and the little crawdad seems to be fine. What could this be? and how do I treat it?

Answer 1

Is it white? It might be a fungal infection. You can get tabs of meds to put in the tank. I would go to your local pet store and describe it to them. Just make sure you take the cartridge out of your filter if you put meds in your tank. The activated charcoal removes the medicine before it can help the fish. You can replace the filter after the problem is cleared up.

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure it's not Ick, as already mentioned, Ick is the short form for Ichthyophthirius, or white spot disease, which manifests itself as white spots. Usually a dose of methylene blue will clear this up, but as i said, it's not Ick. It's unlikely to be a fungus because they usually look like cotton wool. My reckoning is that it's fish faeces, white, long and like string? If this indeed is, then it means you fish have intestinal worms, what you need is something for intestinal parasites, preferably containing metrodinazole. Since metrodinazole has a half life of around 8 hrs you need to dose them every 8 hrs for around 3 days until their faeces turn back to the usual colour. Waterlife Octozin is pretty good if you can get hold of this, or if you have a friendly doctor or other access to medication get the metrodinazole tablets directly (The human form is called eithe Matrox or Progyl, which is what i use for my fish) dose 2 tablets per 10 gallsons, for 3 days, if you have a heater, raise the temperature to 86 F. Intestinal worms are usually introduced in food such as beefheart, or any meat based food with high protein.

Answer 3

He's got fungus. It's fairly common (the cichlids probably just picked at him and his wounds got infected)

Just pick up an antibiotic (or an anti fungal med) at your local pet store and follow the directions on the package. Your pleco should get over it in about a week.

He does NOT have ick. Ick is a parasite that looks like sand has been sprinkled all over the fish. Fungus looks "fuzzy"

Answer 4

Doesn't sound like Ick to me, more like a fungus of some sort. Learned the hard way asking pet stores questions or even especially Wal-mart or similar stores. They have no clue. Check our Placo info on internet. You'll learn more.

You could also have your water tested. Take a sample to Pet Smart and see what they say.

Answer 5

I will reiterate...it is not ick. I've seen fish with this before, but they were too far along to survive. If you have the resources, you should issolate/quarantine the pleco as soon as possible; especially if you are going to medicate. It would be a shame to ruin your cichlid tank with medication that could be detrimental to the healthy fish and could also have irreversible repercussions for your tank and water quality.

Answer 6

My fish started to get this growth too. I went to the petstore and they told me the fish had Ich. They sold me a liquid to put into the water of the tank and said it would clear up the Ich. My fish's head started to rot and he got a big hole in his head. I called the petstore again and they said he had Hexamita. Then the fishes eyes bulged and became so big I thought they were going to pop. I tried everything and eventually had to flush the fish. Good luck to you. I hope your petstore can help. They told me that the fish would not have gotten ill if I hadn't kept the tank so clean.

Answer 7

It sounds like Ick, yes this is the actual name. There should be Ick meds at Wal-Mart or Petsmart. Just look with the fish food usually.

Answer 8

ok its sound like u have ick it can spread too the other fish if its ick get some ick out and treat the whole tank . gl hope this helps u

Answer 9

Ick, just add a few drops of the medicine for this condition to the water,

Answer 10

It is not ick... ick does not drift around in the water. It is a fungal infection. You can try melafix, its for funal infections, open wound sores, and ulcers. You can buy it at petsmart, petco, or your lfs.