"shedding/peeling"

[Kitesurfjesus]

fish shedding

Just looked at my 29 gallon and my female platy is "shedding" I've never seen this before. Any advice?

 

[Maxw47]

Could we see a picture? I've kept platies for a long time and none have ever "shed". It does sound like some sort of disease, but I can't recall the name.

 

[Rivercats]

Can't say for sure without a picture but it sounds like Columnaris, which is actually a bacterial infection which if I remember right is highly contagious. You should post in the Unhealthy fish forum for help.

 

[Kitesurfjesus]

I jave a comunity 29 gallon and I noticed my female platy was shedding/peeling. I was on lunch and wasn't able to snap a picture. I have been loosing fish left and right in that tank the last few weeks. Did a water change last night before I did that I tested the water with my master test kit and everything was normal I was doing the water change as my weekly maintnance. Any advice on this shedding issue would help

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Can you post some clear, up close pictures? What symptoms have the fish been experiencing before dying?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Threads merged.

 

[Rivercats]

If you can't post a picture find one of a fish with Columnaris and see if that is what the fish has. As I said I'm pretty sure it is highly contagious and can wipe a tank out if not dealt with.

 

[Kitesurfjesus]

Its a crappy picture but the body of her looks a lot more orange before this started. The fish don't have any symptons before drying I came home sunday and my neon tetras were all dead. 5 of them dead. I bought them last sunday. A week. I work all day and don't get to monitor the tank as much I wake up they all look healthy and active then I come home and some are belly up.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It does appear to be a bacterial infection of some sort. Rivercats is right, Columnaris is highly contagious. First thing you need to do is drop the temperature of the tank to 72f. The lower temp will help slow the growth of bacteria. I would quarantine any visibly infected fish to try and stop the spread. The majority of bacterial infections are gram negative bacteria. You will have to locate an antibiotic that treats gram negative bacteria. Salting the tank can help too.

This article might help you pinpoint what you're dealing with.
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/fish_palace/tropicalfish_disease_identification.html#ERM