hi again.

now i seem to have a second problem. recently i posted a problem with my ryukin and the never-ending cycle of ick. i have started him on a salt treatment (one tablespoon of salt per gallon) and had the aquarium light turned off for the past eight days. the good news with that the ick is almost gone. only one small white speck on the tail fin. however.... now i have noticed with area of red (looks like a sore or some sort of bruise) that is covered with a layer of white film. it isn't cottony. just looks like a semi-opaque whitish film. it on the top of his head and i just noticed a tiny new patch of it lower down almost to the top of his mouth - near his "nose".

i have another week of the salt treatment left and i am not sure what to do. i have just given him a 20-30% water change yesterday - adding more salt to the aquarium to keep the level of salt constant.

stats on aquarium:
10 gallon, with heater - currently the temp is at 80 degrees to help with the salt treatment
one ryukin
not sure about water conditions - i don't have any testing equipment...
but it is clear and i just changed it yesterday - there is carbon in the filter now since i haven't put any medicine (other than the salt) in the tank for the past eight days.

any suggestions


i look foward to hearing from you soon!
help!

kara

Hi
You should really test your water quality, and get the results back to us. The red spot sounds like an ulcer. How big is it? Is this a new fish? How often do you do waterchanges? Any bacterial infections happen to this fish or in that tank before? Right now you can swab the sore with iodine, peroxide, or something like that. But you have to be really really careful not to get anything in the eyes or gills.

hmmmm. i will go out to the store tomorrow get a water tester. what kind of tester should i get? any suggestions?

i am really nervous about putting anything like iodine on the red areas since they are so close to the eyes...

my fish is at least 2.5 years old (at least that is as long as i had him) so he isn't new... other than the red areas on the top of his head he is acting normally now. no more rubbing against the rocks and the white ick spots seem to have all disappeared! (thanks fishyfan for the salt suggestion!)

i guess i will get the water tested and keep an eye on him.

cheers,
~k.

Glad the salt helped!