Curious on the development of ich. Can it start with one isolated spot and then develop from there? Or does it all of a sudden cover the fish? Reason I ask is I notice a small white spot on my fishy's gill (where it is normally red). Not sure if it's just nothing or something....

All params are fine:
ammo - 0
nitrItes - 0
nitrAtes - 10
ph - 8.0; ph out of tap also 8.0
10 gallon; 4 months
aquaclear 30 (150gph)
2 orandas; 1-in bodies
prime
nothing new added
currently change water once/week; 40%
gel food; omega one pellets; brine shrimp; blood worms; peas
no unusual behavior; about 2 weeks ago treated w/Maracyn for fin rot; no improvement
one small white spot on Robby's gill (2nd day)

Hi laura

From my personal experience,ich no matter how minor the case is usually shows a couple of spots here and there.Your params are perfect and haven't added anything new to your tank so there is less possibility that it is ich.However,if your tank temp is not stable(drastic change in temp),it will leave the fish stressed and will make them an easy target for ich.How is your tank temp?

Another possibility is breeding turbicles which will be on the fishies gill plates.Any chance you can post a pic?

Post back soon

I'll try to get a pic tomorrow morning.

No big swings in tank temp....just a slow decline in temp over the last few days due to the air temp of the room declining. Water temp was at 72 last week; today it's at 68-69. We keep the upstairs at 66 (that's where the fish are).

I thought of the tubercles...I'll have to do some research on that to compare pics. Can that occur any time of the year? I thought it was just spring/summer....

Thanks again, lady!

Some say that turbicles only appear on spring but I have a ryukin that has breeding stars all year round so maybe it depends on the fish

p.s.
Hope you're not fed up with me yet

Hi Chico,
Ich Cyst's drop off and then divide into hundreds of free swimming tomites in search of a host to start all over again, only worse...... Only in the free swimming stage are they vulnerable to meds.

I think a picture would be most helpful. As Cathy has pointed out, it may be breeding tubercules.

Has the fin rot cleard up any?

CU, all three of my males seem to sport year long too.

Ladies, as usual, your help is greatly appreciated. Cathy, if I may call you that (always calling you CU), you are always welcome to help!

Ok - pic below shows what I now believe is the tubercles. I just now noticed the stars on his pectoral (? I gotta get up on my fish terms) fins. You guys take a look and advise....



As for the fin rot, I was advised that it was nothing to worry about...not really a case of fin rot. However, I have attached a pic in which I distorted the colors so we can see the fin better. Any words of wisdom on this one? Laurie and Cathy both say this is okay. I believe them; but being a mother I always have this feeling that just maybe this is something else?? This pic was taken 2 weeks ago, and there has been absolutely no improvement.

Looks like you have a handsome fish that is ready to breed

Let's see what Kathy has to say about his fins(she's an expert and has helped me a lot of times)

edit:
oh and off course you can call me cathy

CU - whooppee!!! It's a boy!!!

I was SO excited when I found out that Robby was indeed a Robby! I was thinking - WOW! I could have more kids! But then....I noticed that Johnny is actually a Johnny! He's got the stars, too! Holy crap! Now I want a girl!

(thank goodness this is not ich!)

Anywho, yes, I await the advice from Kathy on the fin. I did purchase some triple antibiotic cream today....if this doesn't clear up in another week or so, I may do another swab (this time a good one with hydrogen peroxide) and apply some cream. It just seems such a shame that his fin looks so ragged....

Hi Chico,
Yup, deffinetly male!

(This is so much fun-Kathy & Cathy... )

On to the finrot. Looks like you had a case, where the edges really red looking at one point? Did you do a iodine swab?

Fins do take a bit to heal and grow back out, but if its still looking a bit pink then a re-treat is fine for a swab. Sometimes the actual infection can be a tad stubborn.

Peroxide or betadine will work also, there's another one, I can't think of the name right off, starts with a P though and sounds like provolone cheese,lol! Provodine or something like... I have crds tonight LOL! I've flat out got on the spring house cleaning and cleaning out closets and cupboards here and I ache all over! Yeah, I know, I'm either A: Too early or B: 3 month's late

I've also done swabs with straight mg. (malachite green) and any products containing mg would knock it back as well.

Would a little aquarium salt help with the fin rot? I left salt in my tank at a lower level after I cleaned out all the ich to help with the fin rot.

PS - I forgot to say - you have some lovely boys Laura! Congrats!

teehee! Thanks! They are blushing, too! (ha!)

The initial treatment for the rot was salt for about 2 weeks. I didn't see any improvement so I went to Maracyn, then to a poorly performed betadine swab.

I have never seen the fins red in color...so I am guessing that it really isn't rot. (as Cathy and Laurie have reassured me in the past ) But, I am just confused as to why the fin looks so darn tattered! Anywho, I'll wait another week and see what happens.