I have a black moor, Gobbles. Ive had her for over a year now. Well in the past 10 months or so, she keeps getting fungus on her tail mostly. I isolated her and salted to 0.3% twice. Both times it went away and I put her back into her tank. She was in a 55 till about 2 weeks ago she and most tank mates were moved into the 75. Its back again. Params are as follows:

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 30
ph 7.2

Params have always been good and she still gets it. She doesnt seem bothered at all, however, and it never gets so bad that it creates rips in her tail. It kind of comes and goes. I havent used an actual fungal medication as I dont like using meds unless its really serious. I have both Maracyn meds and a Fungus Eliminator by Jungle to use if need be. Any ideas?

Have you thought that you may be dealing with Epistylis? This is a parasite that looks an awful lot like fungus. Fish carrying it seem quite healthy - but have the white fluffs.

It is said that this occurs in fish in "dirty" conditions, but I, personally, do not think this is always the case.

Have you looked at it under a microscope?

I have been struggling with a fish that has a "chronic" problem with what appears to be fungus. AFter a few days, the whitish tuffs develop a reddish infection at the base on the skin. This is a fungus - tenatively identified as "Staff's Disease". I have yet to find the cure. It has been 3 years - and times of remission, but it is still here.

It is suggested that 0.3% salt will kill Epistylis, if that is what you are dealing with. Since you have tried that, but with only partial success, it may be that your whole tank is infested - and returning the fish allows the parasite access again. I think that a fish with compromised skin is more susceptible - so you treat, and the fish is "cured" but the skin is irritated. The fish goes back into an environment with the parasites and is reinfected.....

I have been told that the small spores that create the Staffs fungus that I am dealing with can be deep between the scale plates and the salt and meds cannot necessarily reach them all. A treatment will kill all that are accessible, but, given more time, the ones in the wen(if there is one) or under the scales will eventually grow out again.

I am investigating various other treatments - the most recent is Malachite Green dips.....

It is probably essential that you determine whether you are dealing with a parasite or fungus. And then see if you can treat the fish and wait to reintroduce him until his skin has healed completely.

Hi Daryl.

That would be horrible if that was indeed the issue. However, I havent seen it on any other fish? It doesnt necessarily look like "fluffs" more like spots. And they are only ever on the tail area. I cannot tell if the spots are red at the bottom as she is a black fish. I do not have a microscope either.

OK, weird turn of events.. Today the moor starting laying on the bottom of the tank but would swim when I came over. I stuck him into a 10 gallon iso tank. I saw white poo coming from him too. I started feeding Medi-Gold and started Maracyn 1 for the fungus. Can white poo be a sign of something bacterial or is it always parasites?

Anyone?

My small orange butterfly telescope was bottom sitting when I got up and when I netted her to move her to the iso tank, she sprayed eggs EVERYWHERE! Im guessing thats why she was bottom sitting but Ill leave her with the moor now anyways.

Hi Erin,Sorry,as this is my first night off so I have just seen this.
What size tank was your Moor in with how many other fish?
My Moor Mambo will sometimes get these white spots if my Nitrates go over 20 as she seems to be bothered rather easily from them.Any higher,and she even starts floating.Are your Nitrates always at 30?
The Jungle fungus Eliminator may do the trick as it also has something to cover both serious fungus and bacteria,and yet it is still quite mild on fish,but we still need to decide the reasons it continues to reoccur.How long has this tank of yours been running?
Have there been many sick fish out if it from time to time?I was recently talking to Rick at GC about sick tanks....Tanks that look good read good,etc.,but having fishy problems more often than normal.
I have one tank that I'd like to strip down and start over .Ilost one fish ion it ,and actually it was due to eggs,but I've always worried about the filter I added even though I sterilized it.It came from someone that had fissh problems,so I think just to ease my mind,I'd like to start it up again. I'm crazy I know.
Hows the moor acting/looking today?

Thanks for the reply Sharon!

The nitrates are usually at 20ish. When I tested the water that day it was closer to 30 to waterchange time. And there have not been many sick fishes from the tank at all. She was actually just moved to this one from the other but she had the fungus in both tanks. The tank has been running for 10 months, has 2 AC 110's running and has 6 other fish. Its a 75 gallon. She is seemingly doing great today. Eating the Medi-Gold and swimming around. Im in the middle of the Maracyn 1 right now so Ill finish the course of treatment and see how she looks after that. Can the white poo be because of bacteria?

Yep it usually is,whether it's full blown bacteria,or secondary bacterial caused by Parasites.
Once in a while,change of diet,or a new fish coming home will show a bit of white poo,but usually after a day or so,they go back to normal.I'm glad to hear that she's doing better.Thank the fish gods for Medi-Gold!!!

Well that's a relief, as I have a new fish in great water who is otherwise healthy, only I just saw some white poo. I'll just keep watch on that then before I start my own thread.

I love that smiley!