Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: Cinders on August 18, 2013, 10:30:19 PM
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Hi, I have just noticed a small blob of fungus on one of my platies fins. Can someone tell me please what is the best thing to do, as I don't have a quarantine tank set up yet. Should I try and segregate it, or medicate the tank. Have only had it a week, and have noticed that one of the other females is picking on it a bit, so wondered if stress could be the problem. But whatever it is causing it I shall have to do something won't I.
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Sorry to hear about your fish cinders. Hopefully someone has an answer for you but it would probably help it be identified and treated to post a photo if you can?
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Thanks Jesnon, That's easier said than done. But I will try. It is only small, and its the pale yellow panda platy, so I doubt it will show up very well. Strange, but they are all very quiet this morning and resting. They were asking for food when the light came on, so I gave them some, now they haven't eaten it all and sulking on the bottom, like naughty little children. I have tested the water and everything is ok, so will see how it goes.
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The first thing to check is that it really is fungus. I panicked the first time I saw a damage scar on a fin. That looks completely inside the fin and look the same from each side of the fin. They can be caused by the fish catching itself on decor, or from another fish biting it. These white patches heal up completely in a few days.
But if it is an infection, there are two causes. One is bacterial, the other is a fungus.
I'm not very good at diagnosing diseases; the best thing you can do is read these. columnaris, the bacterial infection (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/health/columnaris) and saprolegnia, the fungus (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/health/saprolegnia). The links have full descriptions of the symptoms.
For a bacterial infection, I would use either Myxazin by Waterlife or eSHa 2000. Those are the best two on the UK market. Antibiotics would be better but we need a vet's prescription for them.
For fungal infections - Waterlife's Protozin (treats both fungus and whitespot) or eSHa 2000 again.
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Well it is only tiny Sue, looks like a little bit of fluff. But I will go and read up your links and think again, thank you.
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Sue, does it need to be in a separate tank, or should I treat the whole tank. The whole tank seems very quiet this morning, even the cherry barbs are not flying around as usual. But all the tests came up normal this morning. I think perhaps I am getting paranoid !!
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If you don't have a quarantine tank, you will have to treat the whole tank. It's not the best way to do things but if you have nowhere else to treat the affected fish it's better than not treating at all.
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Thank you.