Treating for ich, but something else is wrong

[LakeGirl]

Definitely spotted ich on 2/6, started treatment immediately with cupramine. Fish has also had some swimming irregularities. I finally noticed that he is not using one of his pectoral fins much, this may be his swimming problem. (duh!)

There appears to be a larger white blob on the fin where it meets the body. This is increasing in size, maybe 50% larger in one week. The fin also seems slightly torn at the joint, near the white blob (much larger than an ich parasite dot). I had suspected flukes, but a 4 minute freshwater dip did nothing for it. I hesitated to do any longer than four minutes bc the fish seemed perhaps to be having bladder problems as it was. Although his appetitie comes and goes, generally, he is eating. Today he seems less enegetic than usual. I'll keep a close eye.

So, we're into week 3 of copper treatment for ich. Presumably, ich is still present. I was thinking to medicate with antibiotics... but this should not be done at the same time as ich?

Suggestions? Should I wait another week and then switch to another treatment? If so, what? If the fish goes into distress, what last ditch treatment might I try?

thanks. Sorry, I couldn't get a good photo. No macro lens. Its on my list.

 

[RegalAngel]

Does the blob on the fin look like this?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1797931

 

[wooden_reefer]

So, we're into week 3 of copper treatment for ich. Presumably, ich is still present. I was thinking to medicate with antibiotics... but this should not be done at the same time as ich?

Suggestions?

Do you yet know if it is bacterial infection? Suppose it is.

Bacterial infection is bad per se, as it kills, but, for me, also important during treatment against ich is that antibiotics needed to treat bacterial infection generally has some important impact on nitrification bacteria in QT.

Without concurrent bacterial infection, against ich alone I do not need to change water in QT more often than in DT, as I always cycle in advance. So, when bacterial infection and antibiotics are involved, I have to watch out for ammonia and nitrite well.

Some antibiotics harm nitrification bacteria less than others; with the milder kanamycin, neomycin, and erythromycin, I often detect nitrite but little ammonia. Chloromycetin is different as it wipes out nitrification bacteria, almost.

You generally don't have the luxury to wait aganist bacterial infection, as it per se kills. Fortunate, in a way, is that treatment with antibiotics is likely conclusive, win or lose, within a week to ten days, not 8-10 weeks as with ich (but always a win). Treat against both ich and bacterial infection for a week to ten days. If you win, then resume treating ich alone (for me with nitrification for sure). Like I said, sometimes you can squeeze by with nitrification even with certain antibiotics, some nitrite and little ammonia.

I always use UV to reduce the incidents of bacterial infection in QT and later in DT; but once bacterial infection takes hold and antibiotics is used, UV can no longer be used, as UV degrades most drugs (but certainly not straight copper). The UV is not against ich, but the lurking pathogenic bacteria.

 

[LakeGirl]

Does the blob on the fin look like this?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1797931

No, it doesn't look like that.

 

[RBU1]

My guess would be flukes.....Have you had the fish at .5 cupramine for 3 weeks? If yo have odds are the ich is gone. I would do a large water change, run carbon and dose Prazi pro.