# The eternal white fuzz disease pandemic



## Riki Tiki Tavi (Feb 14, 2011)

Hello fellow fish fanciers. Over six months ago a new fish introduced a quick-killing white fuzz disease that eventually spelled doom for all but one of my many formerly long lived and precious fish. The disease struck quickly and annihilated all life from angel fish to the lowly kuhli loach.

My water parameters were less than optimal due to my preoccupation with moving and I basically lost everything. I am now in my new place and have begun a new eden, a fresh community planted tank, fully cycled, fertilized and currently stocked with some daneos, a barb and a couple of catfish.

In quarantine, however, I am keeping my last descendant from the previous tank. He does exhibit symptoms from time to time and I am currently treating him again with tetracyline. Let me describe the disease:

Often begins with a tiny bump on the eye.
Eye swells and white fuzz appears on it
White fuzz travels to the body, mainly on the head and sides
The fish is dead in two days despite every treatment, regular water changes, slightly higher temp... I've tried everything
They are found in ignominious rigor mortis fully encased in a white poof-ball of fuzz with very cloudy eyes.
The fish who temporarily recovered were blinded in the afflicted eye

My last lovely, brilliant turquoise jewel cichlid has been fighting the disease the entire time. He is blind in one eye now, but currently displays no fuzz or bulge in the eye. Any test fish I place into his tank quickly become sacrificial lambs, within hours, to the perpetual white fuzz.

Current parameters: API tetracycline, pH low (prob result of ecological destruction from meds), hydor heater, temp high 70's, no ammonia, 10 gal quarantine tank, 1 turquoise jewel cichlid appx 3". 

Please help me defeat this evil white fuzz, what could it be? What demon of white death has taken residence with my favorite fishy? 

I have kept fish my entire life, from childhood, and have never met a nemesis of this virulent ferocity. Can someone please help?

Photos to come, if any brave hero should kindly reply.


----------



## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

You didn't mention your nitrite and nitrate. What are they? 
What test kit was used? 
How low is the pH?
What was the previous pH (if you assumed ecological destruction of the med)?
If you don't have the KH and GH kits, please measure those and post the results assuming your pH did change by a large margin.

I need the pics to verify what you have here.


----------



## Eylisia (Feb 16, 2011)

Sounds like hexamita, as the blemish to the head and the disease following the mid line of the fish are your main symptoms. The fuzzy stuff is fungus, which will move in on pretty much any injured or sick fish, fungal infections are simply diseases of opportunity. when your fish has a lowered immune system, they jump right in :| Also pop eye is very common with hexamita.

It could possibly be columnaris (mouth rot), but as the common name suggests that tends to stay around the head, ie mouth, gills and sometimes eyes.


----------

