HELP WITH DISPLAY TANK.. ILLNESS

[eden2020]

Ok.. So I've been cruising along just fine with all my tanks.. Then I notice a very large Foss with something white protruding from its head like a pimple or something.. Near its eye. So I keep an eye on it gets worse .. Now there are multiple spots.. So I quarantine it and treat it with an all purpose external. Looks good. Put it back. Then several days later three different fish have the same thing. It's not ich. So I quarantine decide to treat the tank. My guess is worm? Never had it before.. So I treat the tank with an all purpose.. Something that won't tear up my acrylic tank or dye my texas holey Rock.. Things seem to be getting better then here comes the ich. So I decide since I have to leave on business to try the salt and temp approach.. I come home everyone looks fine except the originally sick fish.. So I quarantine again. General cure external. Fish looks good. Now I got the same thing again on a few fish in the display tank.. And now my large male Pheno has something on its eye.

So I need help. What can I use that will handle this.. Whatever the heck it is without destroying my acrylic tank and tearing up 250 lbs of expensive texas holey Rock. Heck.. I will pull ALL the rock out if I have to.. Just need something I can use.

Thanks.. Btw.. If I can't fix this, I'm gonna hang it up.. Starting to lose the "fun" and "enjoyment" part of the hobby and doing the "spend money" and "get aggravated" part..

-Marc and family

[kodyboy]

Post a few pics.  It will greatly help any diagnosis.

[Ron]

x2 that a few (good) pictures would help on suggesting what the dots or pimples might be.

The stuff on the eye, is it cloudy or cottony? My guess is either abrasion or a secondary fungal infection after abrasion.

Not sure what to think about the salt and heat. Without identifying what exactly the issue was, this might have simply had no impact. Or if it would have, maybe the level of heat and/or salt wasn't sufficient. It's really hard to say.

[Regalblue]

Sounds fungal to me. Get those pictures & also post your parameters,  so we can see which meds will work best for your water.

[Marty]

If you're running against the clock, try treating with both metronidazole and kanacyn.  If you have carbon in your filtration system, remove it (the carbon absorbs the medication).  Do a large water change and then add the medication, following the dosing instructions exactly.

[eden2020]

Thanks everyone.. The heat and salt was to curb the onset of the Ick. I used fizz tabs for external parasites that seemed to reduce it.. Wondering if I just need to go another round. Plan to perform a heavy water change.

Josh- yes removed the carbon already. for the original treatment. And the Foss in my hospital tank looks like its in great shape.

The eye spot looks fungal.. fuzzy.. so maybe an abrasion.

The main source of the white pimples that seem to grow out and spread a little are aorund the eye sockets, and on the gill plates.. I have NOT seem anything on any other area of the fish.. just around the head..

And after further inspection I have a male foss that has significantly reduced in size (stomach) ..

Ill get some pics tonight if I can and start the process..

My biggest concern right now (other than the health of the fish) is permanently staining my Acrylic and rock with chemicals that turn the tank. Some of the stuff I use in my hospital tank has completely stained the sealant..

Thanks for everyone that has responded.

-Marc and family..

[mibwb]

Marc,   

I agreed with Marty...
As far as I know Metronidazole is a white power...has no color in water                                                                                                                                 The Kanacyn is power too but hard to find....instead of Kanacyn you could use Maracyn-Plus a white power also no color in water.

Good Luck

[Mastiffman]

Same thing. I agree with Marty. Kanamycin is a broad spectrum gram-neg bactericidal and antibiotic and does well with Metronidazole in full doses. I've also safely used API Pimafix at half and full doses with both of these to control the onset of secondary fungal infections with great success.

 Another Med that gives a synergistic effect with Kanamycin and Metro is added Nitrofurazone to the mix.

 Try this site for further info on what you might be dealing with. Whatever you do, in between rounds of meds, make sure you that hit the tank with a fresh bag of carbon in a disinfected bag (or you could re-infect the tank) for a couple of days to give their liver and kidney's some rest. Toss the carbon as it will be basically completely exhausted only after a couple of days and could harbor what you're trying to eliminate.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Vibrio_Aeromonas.html

 Also, remember, that most onset of illness is because of tank conditions. No offense but things like regular siphoning of the substrate, cleaning of the filter media and rocks will all help to keep optimal immune systems in the fish and to keep bad bacteria (that exists in every tank even in the most minute amount).
 
 last thing is that you might want to consider getting a UV Sterilizer and run that while using carbon. It will help to kill off bad bacteria while meds are being removed.

[eden2020]

Thanks mastiff.. No worries on the comment. Truth is I've been removing fish to take load off the tank.. Something that may have contributed was that I didn't realize the floor on my fluval fx5 was down.. Thought it was clogged but truth is it may be the motor.. I only realized it was that bad because the fish were laboring. Quickly added a powerhesd.. Swapped filters.. About a week later is when I noticed the issues.. Still looks to me like a worm. Small white spots then something looks to be coming out.. Red sores and all mostly around the head eyes and gills.. Only a couple fish though.. Started treatment yesterday will some general external.. Have what u recommended on order.. Thanks again to everyone.. Crossing fingers.. Never had a problem like this.. Frustrating..

[Mastiffman]

Oh wow, worms coming out of the sores. That almost sound slike anchor worms. If they have what looks like a forked tail then it's definitely that. The Sores are cased by the female anchor worms embedding themselves into the fish's skin and that causes asecondary infection, or an ulcer.

 I've read recommendations to do a salt bath and then pull them from the sores with twessers. But Tetra makes something called "Parasite Guard" that I believe should do the trick. If that's indeed what they have.

 Have you received any new fish more recently or new (but used) equipment?

 BTW, what do you mean the floor of your FX5 was down?

 I have 5 FX5's and they either work or don't work. But something I've discovered is that they can get locked up easily if there's a lot of substrate that has entered the canister and setlled at the bottom. I have one FX5 in particular that seem to be more affected by this situation more than the others. But it does have a few small snails that regularly take up residence in that area. But with pulling the motor and flushing it out, it's back up and operating in a few minutes.