Otocinclus with cotton growth on tail (fungus?)

[BayFish28]

So I recently purchased a couple Oto's and got them from a reputable shop that quarantined them prior to putting them up for sale. Today, I noticed one of them has some cotton growth on it's tail and I assume it's fungus. I know these guys get stressed out big time when they get harvested from the wild and feel bad for them , was even second guessing buying them in the first place. What's the best way to go about treating it? I don't have a quarantine tank unfortunately, the other fish in the tank are fine including the other Oto. Have pygmy cory's, ember tetras, amano shrimp, and a mystery snail in a 10 gallon. What's the best way to go about treating the tank? I've heard ICH-X and Maracyn combo but have also heard the stuff has killed fish. Please advise, thanks!

I tried taking a current pic but he's hiding in a corner so this is the best pic I have.

• pH 7.0
• Nitrates 10ppm
• Hardness 5dgh
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• KH/Buffer 6dkh
• Water Temperature 76 deg F

[Colu]

If it has  a fuzzy appearance then I would treat with ick x as that treats fungal infections you shouldn't need to use maracyn ick x should do the trick 

[BayFish28]

On 12/5/2021 at 2:59 AM, Colu said:

If it has  a fuzzy appearance then I would treat with ick x as that treats fungal infections you shouldn't need to use maracyn ick x should do the trick 

OK I'll get some of the ICH X but I've also heard people treating fish with salt which is something that seems more natural maybe? 

[Colu]

Otto are more sensitive to salt at the level need to treat fungal infection also it will be harmful to your plants

[BayFish28]

So if I had a quarantine tank better to use the ich x vs salt correct?

[Colu]

Personally I would use ick x over salt with catfish you could add a small amount of salt in with the ick x 1 table spoon for 5 gallons that will help improve Gill function and add essential electrolytes to help reduce stress in your fish during treatment at that level it shouldn't harm your plants or effect your Otto's

[BayFish28]

On 12/5/2021 at 3:56 PM, Colu said:

Personally I would use ick x over salt with catfish you could add a small amount of salt in with the ick x 1 table spoon for 5 gallons that will help improve Gill function and add essential electrolytes to help reduce stress in your fish during treatment at that level it shouldn't harm your plants or effect your Otto's

Ok thanks for the advice I’ll probably go that route since it’s safer

[BayFish28]

Unfortunately he didn't make it. Made the mistake of not letting quarantine tank cycle. I only put some old water from the main tank and let the new sponge filter run. After checking water parameters the Nitrites were about 0.25ppm so that didn't help. Lesson learned, going to nuke the sponge filter and clean everything out, let it all dry and then will start from scratch and wait for the QT to fully cycle before I try to put any fish in the main tank.

[anewbie]

If a fish scrapes itself a small blob of fungus will grow on the wound while it heals. In those cases it is NOT necessary to treat with medicine and just wait 2 to 4 weeks and the fungus will magically clear up. Treatment of fishes is not free and it can be harsh on the fish so only treat when necessary. 

 

Having said that there are cotton like diseases which are far more serious and require immediate treatment; fungus is not one of them.

 

In general my view is only treat a fish if you know the exact disease and how to treat it; otherwise you are more likely to kill the fish than cure it.