i know what ich is....however?

Question

one of my buddy's fish has ich looking crystals just on the fins, none attached to the body whatsoever. i am wondering what this might be?

it is a freshwater fish...as far as species, idk....all i can tell you is you can see through the body, the fish body is paper thin, and it has bright green coloring running from the top of the head to to the tailfin

Answer 1

Ich frequently starts on the fins. As for asking at the pet store? Not the best bet. They tend to hire in the lowest common denominator, not the most knowledgeable. Go to the store and get a good book on fish diseases. It's a good investment.

In the meanwhile, separate the fish from the rest of the tank. No matter what it is, you don't want it spreading. Some medications can kill scaleless fish like algae eaters and catfish, so you'll have to separate him anyways for treatment.

Answer 2

Is your buddy's fish salt or fresh water? What kind of fish?

It could be the start of white spot disease which is not the same as ich or a type of velvet and are not treated the same. Are they just spots or are they more like a cotton fiber?
Without further info it is difficult to tell since the first form of defense is knowing what you are dealing with.

here is one place to check:
http://stason.org/TULARC/animals/aquaria/disease-algae-snails/14-What-s-wrong-with-my-fish-Velvet.html

Answer 3

It sounds like ick, ick looks like somone pured salt on the fish, I believe there is a treatment at your local pet shop, also the entire tank water will have to be treated as it can be spread to other fish. (I learned that the hard way). There is a product I believe it's called quick cure.

Answer 4

This sounds like ich, which is ciliate protozoan parasite.

Ich, also called white spot disease, is one of the most common protozoan infections affecting aquarium and pond fishes. The scientific name for freshwater ich is “Ichthyophthirius multifilis.

TREATMENT (from my article):
There are many ways to treat ich infestations in freshwater, less in saltwater, but not all treatments are equal or can be used for all types of fish or all aquatic environments. I will discuss the options I prefer to use in my maintenance business or in my personal aquariums first.
For freshwater a Malachite Green/ Formalin combination has generally been the most effective for moderate to severe infestations. “Quick Cure” is good product with this combination of medications. Malachite Green by itself as in “Nox Ich” is also effective in moderate infestations. Other treatments of note are copper sulfate and Quinine Sulfate or Hydrochloride. For scale-less or delicate fish use Malachite Green at half dose. The safest treatment for scale-less fish is Quinine Hydrochloride, but this is less effective than other treatments, although it can be combined with half strength Malachite Green for more effectiveness.
For mild to moderate infestations (even some severe) I also use “Medicated Wonder Shells” as these products have Malachite Green (lower levels safe for most delicate fish), acriflavin, and small amounts of methylene blue (not enough to affect bio filtration) and copper. What is best about these “Medicated Wonder Shells” is that they also add electrolytes, calcium and maintain a proper KH, which is very important for treatment with Malachite Green as this medication is more toxic at lower pH and KH (Best used at a pH of 7.2 or higher and a kH of 80 ppm or higher).
One more treatment option is a hospital tank with a Sponge Filter and no gravel. Methylene Blue works well here, but so do ALL of the above treatments as well.

Another method that can work is salt and heat (FW). 1 Tablespoon of salt is added per 5 gallons of tank water and the temperature is adjusted to 84-86 F. I have tested many methods over the years and used to use this method more under the flawed assumption that is safer and even more effective, it is neither. Salt is safe for most fish, but not always for catfish (of which, plecostumus are sensitive to salt) and this method can take so long that the fish die of the ich infestation (I have affected a cure with salt, but is generally less effective, and research bears this out). That said a tablespoon of salt per 5 gallons (20 liters) is useful for electrolytes in the aquarium and in turn aids the fish in slime coat generation. This aids in the prevention of freshwater ich and aids in the treatment of ich infestations even when used with chemical treatments. But for serious ich infestations, salt by itself is generally not enough.

For a lot more information including prevention and identification (with a picture); please read this article:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Ich.html

Answer 5

Its basically afungus which starts at the fins and spreads to rest of the body . These are white spots .

Answer 6

it's probably the same thing but has just started showing up on a diff part of the fish. i would suggest going to a local pet store and discusing it with them.

Answer 7

Still is ich perhaps not spreading too quickly.

Answer 8

yea its probabaly ick