Fish: Re: [tropical fish club] Ich, but not ich

Hi Chris,

The way I understand your describing this disease at it appears on the
fish, is that it looks similar to Ich but much smaller -- appearing as a
dust-like covering of very fine particles. If this is correct, it would be Velvet.

Fungus is most often a secondary infection of a physical injury. which
looks like a white cottony growth raised well above the skin as it continues to
grow, not just "coating" the skin. Your description doesn't indicate this.

If this "covering" looks more like a continuous thin white cover on the
fish and not individual fine particles, it could be Columnaris -- a bacterial
disease often mistaken as Fungus. It's doubtful your fish has this as it's a
fast moving disease and I doubt very much the fish would still be alive
with this after 3 weeks -- but let us know if it has this appearance.

I had thought the temperature had been covered here, but just in case it
hasn't been, raise the temperature for Velvet; this will help boost the immune
system. Some hobbyists raise the temperature up to 84 o F (28.3 o C), but
any higher temperature above what you're presently keeping the fish at will
help. Keep in mind, the temperature should not be raised much more than 2 o
F (or 1 o C) over 24 hours, but as time is always of the essence when
treating a disease, a slightly faster rate may be used but nothing exceeding
another 50% more. As is always helpful as the temperature is raised, increase
the aeration (or surface circulation).

Ray