Thin white film on angelfish.. what is it? how can I treat it?

Question

Hello... I finally have 3 nickel size angelfish that survived and are now in the 120 gallon tank. Then this morning I looked at my black angelfish and noticed a thin white film on large portions of his body. He is still swimming fine and has a healthy appetite. The other angels and other fish in the tank do not seem to have this film on them that I can tell.

Anyone know if it is a type of fungus or something else and how can I make it go away??

I'll check back in about 15 minutes to see if I need to add any details to help diagnos what is wrong with him.
Thank you in advance.

So far I've heard fungus, parasite, ick, tail rot... I do not know much about the fungus and parasites but I do know what ich looks like... and this is a light film coating, not small white dots. It is also more toward the head/back region then on the tail... there is no 'rotting' look to the fish itself. Just a very thin white coating. Thanks for the ideas so far.. if you could elaborate on the fungus/parasite idea... I do not want to treat just to treat something since I don't want to mess with my other fish too much or i'll put him back into quarentine.

Answer 1

The problem here is that none of us can see exactly what's going on with your fish.

I'm going to attach some links with specific symptoms that should help you to make a better diagnosis. Names of conditions and treatment options are included. You can google more info on anything that sounds like a possibility, and if you include "photo" in your search, you should get sites with pictures you can compare with your fish's condition.

Use the first to narrow down possible diagnoses and the others to confirm/eliminate any possibilities.

If you could link a photo to your question, this might help us better diagnose your problem. I'll check back periodically.

ADDITION: considering the nature of your recent postings, check acidosis and alkalosis in the last website - and the pH of the tank to see if it's changed; otherwise I'd consider a general parasite (fish often produce excessive slime to prevent attachment and irritation in the affected areas) or columnaris a (whitish/gray fuzzy "patch")

Answer 2

A thin white film or slime is most often associated with a bacterial infection but there are also several different protozoan parasites that can cause the same appearance. One such parasite often begins on or around the eye of the fish and pregresses over the face, gill plates and to the fin areas. Look closely to see if the fishes eyes seem to be involved. Are they cloudy at all? If so I would first assume a parasite infestation. If not it could still be a parasite or of course a bacterial infection.

Parasites usually respond rather quickly to treatment and improvement can usually be seen in 24 hours or less. Given this and also due to the other effects of various treatments, I would suggest you try treating for parasites first. SInce it could be any one of a few dozen different parasites, I would suggest treating with Clout if it's available to you. If not, then just select a broad range parasite medication such as Maracide or Coppersafe. If you see no improvement within 24-48 hours or if it continues to get worse, you will need to treat for a bacterial infection.

Maracyn and Maracyn 2 would both or either alone be effective against the typical bacteria that cause this appearance. I would suggest you remove the fish to a hospital or quarentine tank for treatment as the bacteria involved are not highly contagious and treating the 125 is both expensive and of course will kill your cycle. If other fish in the tank begin to show symptoms you may need to treat the entire tank after all, but I would try it in a hospital tank first.

As always, remove the carbon from your filter before any medication is added.

MM

Answer 3

It could be tail-rot.
This is caused by other fish eathing the tailes of the Angelfish.
I had this problem with five Angelfish and I just can't remember the fish that was eating them.
Probably best to go to you pet shop and ask them .... I did.

Answer 4

The best treatments I have found for fungal and bacterial infections are Pimafix and Melafix. They are both natural, safe for any type of fish whether they be in fresh or salt water, and they are harmless to live plants if you have any. They both won't affect your PH nor will they mess up any biological filtration.

Pimafix treats cotton-like fungal infections, and both internal and external bacterial infections. It also prevents the development of resistant strains of disease-causing organisms.
Melafix Contains the natural botanical extract from the Tea Tree which is an excellent alternative to resistant strains of bacteria that are unaffected by traditional medications. It treats bacterial infections including red ulcers, fin and tail rot, cloudy eyes, mouth fungus, and others in as little as 4 days. Also heals open wounds, ulcers, and damaged fins.

PimaFix and MelaFix can be used together at the same time to provide the added benefit of quick tissue regeneration and wound healing. Since they are both natural remedies, they are completely safe for your fish, even those that are not sick.

Answer 5

it might be ick fungus you can buy treatment at a pet shop. But remember to turn of your filter during the treatment period. It could also be he has an albino characteristic. My gold fish turned completely white after using a hood light that brings out the fish's natural color. I found out my fish had a rare pigment that turned him albino so now I have a rare white gold fish

Answer 6

My two angel fish did the same thing a few times it was as if they were shedding there skin or something as the grew .

Answer 7

It is ich (ick)! Go to petstore ASAP, because it happens fast! Before you know it it will be covered, the whole body & too late. Also you dont want it to pass to the otheres & unfortunately it will. It is common in fish. just go get it fast.

i just looked here, go take a read, gives some info.

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdwspot.htm

good luck!

Answer 8

its sounds like a fungus or a parasite, id recomend getting a mardyl comapny treatment for both.

also adding one tablespoon of aquarium salt to 5 gallons will greatly decrease risk of Dx, infection, bacteria etc...

Answer 9

Well it isn't tail rot.

It could be a bacterial or parasitic. Ich doesn't just look like white dots. Cotton can look like a white coating, slimy and is still a form of ich. The best defense is a good offence. Knowing what it is and treating it means the difference between life and death for most aquarium fish.

White, Milky Slime type patches of milky slime on the body or eye of your fish usually indicate a bacterial infection which should be treated with an antibiotic. Such patches can also be caused by small external parasites. You would need a microscope for an accurate diagnosis, but if the infection doesn’t seem to respond to antibiotics, try treating for external parasites.

White fuzzy patches fungal infections are usually easy to recognize by their white, cottony appearance. They are commonly secondary infections of open wounds and can be found anywhere on the body of the fish. Eggs may also develop fungal infections. Treat with anti-fungal medication. Preventative medication is often used when eggs are present. Columnaris is a bacterial infection that is usually found on the mouth of the fish, often called cotton mouth. It may respond to antibiotic treatments


Is it white spot disease or is it Ich? You need to know the difference between the two since they are treated differently.

Cryptocaryoniasis, White Spot Disease or Marine Ich is caused by an infestation of the ciliated protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans. Although Cryptocaryon becomes a parasitic organism at one stage in its life cycle like Oodinium and Brooklynella do, and it progesses less rapidly than these other ich diseases, in a closed aquarium system it can reach overwhelming and disasterous numbers just the same if it is not diagnosed and treated upon recognition.

Unlike Oodinium and Brooklynella that typically attack the gills first, which allows these ich diseases to advance into life-threatening levels quickly as they go unnoticed, Cryptocaryon usually appears at the onset as salt-sized white spots visible on the body and fins of a host fish, and when the organisms become parasitic, it is then that they move inwards to the gills. Because crypto is more easily recognized in its beginning stage, this makes it much easier to treat and cure before it gets out of control.

Aside from the appearance of the white spots, fish will scratch against objects in an attempt to dislodge the parasites, and rapid respiration develops as tomonts, mucus, and tissue debris clogs the gills. Fish become listless, refuse to eat, loss of color occurs in patches or blotches as the trophonts destroy the pigment cells, and secondary bacterial infections invade the lesions caused by the trophonts.

Although copper is very effective on Oodinium, and it works well to eliminate crypto organisms in their free-swimming tomite stage, it is not as effective on the Cryptocaryon trophonts that burrow deeply into the tissues of fish. A combination of freshwater and formalin treatments adminstered by means of dips, baths, and prolonged treatment over a period of time in a QT is recommended

Reinfection will occur no matter how effectively the fish have been treated if Cryptocaryon is not eradicated from the main aquarium, which can be accomplished by keeping the tank devoid of any fish for at least 4 weeks. For fish-only aquariums hyposalinity can be applied, and to speed up the life cycle of the organisms, elevate the tank temperature to 85 degrees for 10 days to 12 days. For treating reef tanks, FishVet No-Ich Marine, Ruby Reef Kick-Ich, and Chem-Marin Stop Parasites are Cryptocaryon specific remedies that are said to be "reef safe". Several days prior to returning fish to the main aquarium, clean all filtering equipment, change any filtering materials, and do a water change.

Remember to remove all filters media and turn off protein skimmers when treating for any types of Ich.

Although many over-the-counter remedies contain the general name Ich or Ick, carefully read the product information to be sure it is designed to specifically target and treat "Cryptocaryon"

Brooklynella hostilis - these protozoa reproduce asexually by means of simple binary fission through conjugation, which is why they are able to multiply so much more rapidly than Cryptocaryon (White Spot), and Oodinium (Velvet Ich), and why it can kill fish within a few days and even hours upon recognition

Most similar symptomatically to Oodinium, this too is a parasite that primarily attacks the gills first. At the onset fish may scrap up against objects, rapid respiration develops, and fish often gasp for air at the surface as the gills become clogged with mucus. Fish become lethargic, refuse to eat, and colors fade, but the most noticeable difference that sets Brooklynella apart from Oodinium is the heavy amount of slime that is produced. As the disease progresses a thick whitish mucus covers the body, usually starting at the head and spreading outward, skin lesions appear, and it is not uncommon for signs of secondary bacterial infections to arise.

Suggestions range from copper, malachite green and other remedies, with some recommended being used in conjunction with formaldehyde. However the general consensus is these types of medications are either largely ineffective or do not work at all, and that the best and most effective treatment for Brooklynella is formaldehyde alone. Typically a standard 37% formalin solution (shop & compare prices) is mixed with either fresh or saltwater in a separate treatment container, initially all fish are given a quick dip or a prolonged bath, followed by continued treatment and care in a QT. Of course the longer fish are exposed to the formalin treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this "disease". Whether to administer a dip or a bath to start with is something you will have to determine yourself, but there's a very simple way to do this.

Since these are Free swimming parasites which are in watersources, come attached to our fish etc. The only way to ensure NO ICH is to get a UV Sterilizer and addit to the tank. The UV Sterilizer kills the free swimming forms of various ich and other parasites.

Hope this help