"slimy" fuzz on tank; popeye

[frshwaterfinatc]

All of the sudden my giant gourami had popeye, my angel has mouth fingus, and there is a slimy yet fuzzy looking substance scattered across the sides of my tank on the glass. This stuff is whitish, looks like tiny loops, blows in the current, yet is slimy to the touch. I don't know what it is- does anyone else?

Parameters are:
ammonia o ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
pH 7.7-8
temp 79 degrees F.

I feed my fish omega one flakes once a day, and about once a week I feed bloodworms. The tank has a black angel, three blue rams, one betta, a pleco, and a cory cat. Two whisper 10-15 filters with Ammo-carb and Cycle dosed once a week.

For treatment I've begun using Maracyn. The popeye doesn't look worse, but it hasn't gotten better in the past two days (today makes the third day) I've known about it. Any other suggestions or medications that may work better? Should I try Coppersafe?

Thanks in advance!

Valarie

 

[An t-iasg]

I think you're on the right track with the Maracyn. I have a Mardel disease chart here and it says for mouth fungus, you can use Mar-Oxy at the same time. Give the Maracyn a little more time, but if you don't think the Maracyn is working, use Maracyn 2. Maracyn and Maracyn 2 can be used at the same time, so if you want to switch to Maracyn 2, you can, without removing the Maracyn first. Coppersafe is for parasites. Are there any white spots, a yellow "haze" to the scales, or are the fish rubbing on things? If not, your fish probably don't have parasites. Keep using the antibiotics (you can repeat the course of treatment if necessary) and try the Mar-Oxy together with the antibiotic.

As for the white slime, I'm not sure what it is either. But I see that your ammonia and nitrites are 0. Do you know your nitrates? If the nitrates are very high, like around 80 ppm or so, some fish may be stressed, and stress leads to disease.

I'm wondering about the ammo-carb in your filter. In fact, you should remove it from your filter, because the carbon will remove the meds that you have in your tank. The ammo-carb may actually compete with the good bacteria for the ammonia, so to make sure your tank is fully cycled, you should not rely on any ammonia-removing mateial. When you remove it, make sure you test for ammonia to make sure you're not going through a mini-cycle.

You probably don't need to add a product like Cycle every week. A fully cycled tank doesn't need any additives to keep the cycle going. The cycling bacteria will grow and reproduce on its own. I'm wondering if the Cycle may possibly be helping along the white slime.

So, continue to treat with the meds, remove the ammo-carb, discontinue the Cycle, and make sure to test for ammonia frequently. Hopefully this helps! Good luck!

 

[Devilishturtles]

and there is a slimy yet fuzzy looking substance scattered across the sides of my tank on the glass. This stuff is whitish, looks like tiny loops, blows in the current, yet is slimy to the touch. I don't know what it is- does anyone else?

Do a search for Hydra, and see if this is what you think it is. Little white almost plant looking things sticking off of your glass. 8)

 

[An t-iasg]

I did some google searches for hydra. Here's an article: http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Hydra.htm

Hydra may get into your tank from live food, driftwood, plants, or snails. Some of the articles I read suggested a copper treatment, so you could try the Coppersafe. Aquarisol, another copper med, or Clout, a med for flukes and gillworms, are also some options. I wouldn't try the copper wire-battery treatment! 8O Don't use copper-based meds if you have any invertibrates like ghost shrimp. This article also suggests that you can tear down and sterilize the tank with a bleach solution. I hope you can get rid of the hydras without having to do that!