Hello, a fishlore newbie here, just wondering if some people can read my problem and try to help.
Have a freshwater tropical running for approx. 4 years. Contains 8 neon tetras, 2 small bristlenoses, 1 peppered cory, 1 black neon and up until chrismtas eve, 2 clown loaches.
On 10th December, I added a few neons to my existing school. All was fine, until late on the 17th I noticed my clown loaches and 1 neon had tiny white specks on them that looked exactly like white spot (I had encountered it once before not long after starting my tank as a freshwater tropical).
The next morning (the 18th), I brought in a water sample to a local aquarium and told them of my problem. They tested the water parameters, and were slightly perplexed as to why my fish were suddenly sick - everything was fairly normal,
pH 6.8,
ammonia 0 (they didn't tell me the
nitrite and
nitrate test results - just that they were in normal range). So I took home a bottle of 3-day medication. That day, I did a 25%
water change (with gravel vac) and added the medication, putting in half the recommended dose as it suggested due to having tetras and scaleless fish. I also raised the temp from 26 degrees celcius to 27.
On the 19th, I raised the temp to 28 degrees celcius.
On the 21st, I replaced 50% of water (with gravel vac) and dosed again, as per the instructions.
The next day (22nd) I was expecting to see some kind of improvement, as I had when I first had white spots years ago. Instead the loaches were incredibly lethargic, which is unlike them. They spent most of the day gasping for air at the surface. I turned up the pump on my under gravel filter and cleaned out the tubes, which made it bubble really well. That night they went into a shipwreck ornament and stayed there, upright.
On the 23rd, the clown loaches wouldn't leave the shipwreck, not even for food. Getting desparate and upset because of the clown loaches downhill fall, I went to a different aquarium to find an alternative medication. The same day, I changed 25% water (with gravel vac) and added medication at 75% recommended dose. All the fish seemed perfectly fine with this medication addition, no signs of stress. I also upped the temp to 30 degrees.
On the 24th, I woke up to see one of my clown loaches dead. I had my cry and buried it in the garden. That same day, the remaining clown loach started coming out of the shipwreck more often to swim around.
Christmas day, the clown loach was out and about, swimming everything and just being very active. But in addition to it's spots, it had white stuff on it. I know this is a gross analogy, but it looked like our skin does after sunburn when the skin is peeling off (I know this isn't happening to my fish -just trying to give a visual). I took a photo, which isn't very good, the clown loach just won't stay still long enough!
really sorry about the long post, I just felt everyone should know the little timeline - it may help, it may not. Basically, I am asking - is it possible for my loach to get a type of fungus while having white spot? If so, what should I do about it? All my other fish are fine, only one neon shows a few white spots but that is all.
Thank you so much for reading this post, and thanks in advance for any replies :-)
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