White stuff on damsel?

[CoRPS]

I don't think it's Ich. I looked in the FAQ and saw "Fuzzy white cotton like patches on fish". I tried clicking on it and it brought me to a page that said "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."

I made the mistake of buying damsels to cycle the tank. I bought three for my 55g tank. The first one died the same night, the 2nd died a few days later. He had what look white stuff growing from his lips to one of his eyes.

This last damsel has been going good for probably a week and a half. He would hide for most of the day, but when the filter and pumps were off for the feeding, he would come out and eat, swim around, check **** out. Looked like he was fine. The last 2 days he hasn't come out to eat, he's just been hiding. About a half hour ago I saw him in front of one of the rocks perched on the sand with a patch of white covering about 1/5 of the left side of his body.

This is the best picture I could take

What could it be? He's already about to die so there isn't much I can do for him now, but should I be worried about whatever it is surviving in my tank, and doing the same to any other fish I decide to add in ~1 month?

 

[CoRPS]

Alright, I took the picture with an actual camera (rather then phone). Sadly, the flash was on so it drowned out a lot of the whiteness. But you can still tell that something is wrong.

 

[riverman]

Did you ever find out what it was ? My damsel that is now about 4 years old has just come up with the same thing. Yesterday it looked like someone nipped him and today he's got a white coating over his one side.

 

[CoRPS]

To be honest with you I have no idea. The only thing I can think of was that it died because of the cycle. I figured the white stuff was just the ammonia burning his gills. I've now had my clownfish for about 3 and a half weeks with no problems. In fact I just added some peppermint shrimp today

Sorry about your fish though man.