Electric Blue African Cichlid w/ white crust all over

[deluxechev]

OK, here goes, I have a full grown Electric Blue African Cichlid that I purchased about a year ago. He started out in a 30 gallon tall, but has spent the last 4-5 months in a 60 gallon tank with about a dozen other African Cichlids. I run a 100 gallon castiac(or something like that) canister filtration system that I’ve changed twice already, most recently a few weeks ago (about 2-3). About two weeks I began to notice a chalky like white substance begin to appear all over his body. Now it’s gotten pretty bad. He is the only fish affect, everyone else looks great. No new fish in the last two months, no new items or features.

Do I need to pull him out? I will post a picture tomorrow.

 

[TankGirl]

Yes, you do need to pull him out - he needs to be quarrantined in a tank that you can use to treat him with medication. Are you familiar with ich? If so, does it look like that?

 

[Menagerie]

You can see pics of ich covered fish in the FW ich article, found in the articles section.

 

[deluxechev]

I don't think it's itch. I did have a problem with itch in the past, but that was something like 10 months ago. Ever since i put in a heater to regulate the temperature, all the fish have been fine. This looks like a dry white crust all over his body, not tiny white bumps.

Here's a some pic's

One is of him taken almost exactly a month ago. The other is from yesterday. Like I said above, it all started about 2 weeks ago.

I hope the pictures come through...

 

[TankGirl]

If it is not ich then it must be velvet, so get him treated with Maracide right away (that would work for ich as well). This is a parasitic disease and is sometimes caused by exposure to nitrite or prolonged high nitrate levels, so increasing water change schedule in this tank may be in order. I'd guess this fish might be stressed by tankmates and that is why he came down with it while they did not. Good luck!

 

[deluxechev]

do i need to isolate him to treat or treat the entire tank?

 

[TankGirl]

I'd definitely isolate him. Hopefully he is the only one and you won't need to treat the whole tank.

 

[pkremer]

That is an incredible fish! I hope you are able to save him.

I don't know how much longer I can stave off the cichlid tank...must...not...give....in.....

Paul

 

[TankGirl]

Must.... give.... in....