Help with white stuff on a puffer

[Marcisaninja]

I came home to a few dead synodontis lucipinnis today and saw this on my spotted congo puffer.  I've added salt as recommended by the stage 2 treatment in the Aquarium Co Op blog.  Any idea what this is and how I should treat it beyond the salt?

[Colu]

Looks like Epistylis it feed's off gram negative bacteria on the skin of your fish and spreads more quickly at higher temperatures the most effective treatment is a combination of kanaplex in food and aquarium salt if he won't take the medicated food you can dose the tank but it's less effective @Marcisaninja

Edited December 10, 2022 by Colu

[nabokovfan87]

Looks very similar in terms of the fish's slimecoat going into overdrive. 

From another website that might be helpful for future knowledge. If someone is trying to ID this.

Quote

Epistylis also commonly appears on/around the eyes, which is an uncommon trait for Ich.

I do see the spots on the puffer eyes so I think Colu is 100% right.  

Wishing you both the best in treatment.

cc @rockfisher

[Marcisaninja]

Here's how he looks today.  I have polyguard and kanaplex.  I couldn't find Focus anywhere locally today.

[Colu]

On 12/11/2022 at 1:04 AM, Marcisaninja said:

Here's how he looks today.  I have polyguard and kanaplex.  I couldn't find Focus anywhere locally today.

You don't have to use focus it does bind more of the medication to food  I would start treating with kanaplex straight away 

[Marcisaninja]

Looks like he's getting worse instead of better. All the catfish in the tank have died. 

[Colu]

On 12/12/2022 at 1:39 AM, Marcisaninja said:

Looks like he's getting worse instead of better. All the catfish in the tank have died. 

Has he been accepting the medicated food if he has then what I would do is keep feeding him kanaplex in food and treat the tank with jungle fungus clear fizz tab's containing nitrofurazone the combination of the two are very effective 

[Marcisaninja]

He won't eat anything.  I added a few snails just to see if he would go after them and he won't move.

[Colu]

On 12/12/2022 at 2:52 AM, Marcisaninja said:

He won't eat anything.  I added a few snails just to see if he would go after them and he won't move.

As he's not eating I would recommend treating with a combination of kanaplex and Jungle fungus clear fizz tab's containing nitrofurazone following this treatment plan as epistylis feed's off the gram negative bacteria These medication effectively remove there food source @Marcisaninja

[Marcisaninja]

Here he is today.  Doesn't look any different.  He won't eat.  I was able to get some Tetra Fungus Guard locally.

[Colu]

On 12/13/2022 at 1:34 AM, Marcisaninja said:

Here he is today.  Doesn't look any different.  He won't eat.  I was able to get some Tetra Fungus Guard locally.

You can use the tetras fungus Guard with kanaplex they have the same active ingredients as jungle fungus clear fizz tab's and the same amount of nitrofurazone you could try soaking his food in seachems garlic guard to help simulate his appetite 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Colu

[Colu]

I would recommend dissolving the tetras fungus Guard tables in  a cup before adding them to your tank @Marcisaninja

[Marcisaninja]

Thank you, I will dissolve them for future treatments.

[The endler guy]

definitely doesnt look like ich, id say fungal or bacterial