Help! Im not sure what to do…what is this on my fish?

[HorohoTank]

Hello everyone, 

Iam hoping I can obtain some help and solid advice. We purchased 7 fish on 3/5/23. I only quarantined them for one week…huge mistake. One of the platys has died - seemingly Dropsy. The second fish is not well. My swordtail has declined. Last Wednesday 3/22/23 I notice one lone white spot on his fin. He was eating and behaving normally. By Saturday 3/25 he had more white areas. I was waiting on Ick-X, paracleanse, and Maracyn to come. The Maracyn I received wasn’t the erythromycin it was Maracyn Oxy. Ive since placed an order for Maracyn antibiotic - waiting for arrival. 

Saturday he moved to a 10G QT and I added Paracleanse, Maracyn Oxy and Ick-X. 

Sunday I performed about a 25% water change and added another dose of Ich-X

He also has API aquarium salt in the aquarium -2 tablespoons each day x 3 days

My community tank that he was in seems ok except for one of my angelfish as of Sat began to hide and not eat. It is swimming normally when it comes up but seems lethargic. I cant see any fin/skin issues at this point. 

I had my water checked at an aquarium store Sunday and my parameters are good. 

I use Prime/Stability/purigen 

Filter is a Fluval 307 canister and also a Fluval 50 HOB 

Temp 80F 

 

 

Iam scared this is Columnaris and should I treat my entire 55G planted community tank? In that tank we have Mollies, 3 platys, 1 swordtail, 2 Angelfish

 

Of note, when we went back to the aquarium store the tank that our platys came from was also on quarantine - supposedly for ich.

Here are some pictures of the sick swordtail 

 

 

[Colu]

That doesn't look like columnaris or ich possible fungal infections or epistylis what I would do is treat with ick X and aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons for one week I would recommend getting some test strips so you can keep a close eye on your water parameters during treatment I would also retest the water parameters in your main tank just in case something off usually when fish start to hide or go off their food its a sign of poor water quality stress or disease @HorohoTank

Edited March 28, 2023 by Colu

[AquariumCentral]

Its probably harmeless, or almost harmless. Just treat with a antifungal. If your talking about the clear string, its poop. sometimes signs of a blocked intestine, you can deshell a pea and put it in there to help with constipation

[rockfisher]

It look like damage to the fin and that where it healing. It will like have it as scar tissue forever. I have a coup of fish in different tanks that have it. 

[HorohoTank]

The responses here have made me feel so much better! Thank you all! I have him in Ick-x now (day 3) and praying he makes a full recovery. As for the community tank I’ll keep a close eye on its parameters as well. Do you all think I need to treat it with anything at this juncture?

Here are a couple of pictures of him today. He seems to have the white starting around his mouth? 

Edited March 27, 2023 by HorohoTank

[quikv6]

Have you tried PraziPro? I have used that for flukes and external symptoms, and have used it successfully in conjunction with Ick-X. It is a good med to initially treat new fish with, and pretty mild as well.

[HorohoTank]

I haven’t tried that but thank you for the rec! I did use paracleanse. I will add Prazipro to my med cabinet. Iam so discouraged. We’ve never had any Dort of illness in our tanks and I failed on quarantining these new fish properly. I also had no idea that plants could bring in diseases. Im having so much regret. 😞 I have most certainly learned a valuable lesson here. Im just really hoping my angelfish isnt going downhill now as it is refusing to eat these past few days and has been hiding. I do not see any spots/lesions on it, I dont have another QT tank. Im not sure if I should isolate it. Im waiting for my Maracyn to come. I think I will treat the whole 55 G tank? I’d that a good/bad idea? Im scared to kill off all of the biological filter we’ve established but I certainly dont want to lose my entire colony either. 

I have found so much conflicting info between people I have spoken to at the LFS here. I had several employees (including my husband) tell me there is no need to QT new fish. I knew in my heart that couldn’t be true but it made me doubt my common sense. Ugh. So upset with myself.