Mysterious white growth

[Yellacat]

i have texas cichlids In my 300 gallon tank. It started with one fish having white little balls growing on his top fin. They are fuzzy and bigger than a grain of salt. Well a week later and the one infection has now spread to more than half of my tank.

The white spots for the most part are on the top fin and the back fin but I noticed that a couple of fish also have spots on their bodies.

I've done water changes and I'm using pimafix and mela fix, no change

 

[Yellacat]

It doesn't look like ich to me, but at this point idk what else it could be.

This one has a spot on its body as well as his fins...

 

[tlindsey]

Possibly fungal or bacterial infected . I'm not sure but you may have to use a stronger medication. If you decide to use something stronger make sure you take out your media.

 

[Yellacat]

Would furan 2 and kanaplex work? Those are the only meds I have on hand.

 

[Judyok]

It should and the 2 together will be even more effective.

 

[Yellacat]

So if I use the two will it harm my biological filter?

 

[Judyok]

Yes it likely will. I take out the ceramic stones and place them in another tank while treating.

 

[philipraposo1982]

Weak fish can also become very weak and possible die from that med combo, but yeah it looks like a fungal or bacterial infection.

 

[Yellacat]

I'm treating with the kanaplex right now, if they don't start looking better by the second dose in two days then I'll start the furan. I don't have ceramic stones, I have a 55g barrel with k1 and another 55g with filtermats.

Hopefully the kanaplex alone will knock it out.

Idk if my fish are weak, they seem to be eating and they are all pretty lively. However I did notice when I caught the above fish in the net some of their scales were falling off. Can I put stress coat in with the medication?

 

[tarheel96]

I wouldn't move the media to another tank with fish in it. You'll spread the bacteria to the other fish if they're susceptible.

It's almost definitely bacterial and those are the two antibiotics I'd choose. But like philipraposo1982 mentioned, weakened fish can die from treatment with both. I'd use Kanaplex if you only want to use one because it's absorbed into the body.