White fluffy stuff on fins

[Jay.B.]

1. Ammo - 0 / Nitrite - 0 / Nitrate - <10 / Salinity - 1.023

2. 180Litres, approx 47 US liquid Gallons / 1 GSP, 1 Yellowfin Dwarf Angel and a ghost goby.

3. Fed twice daily, morning with a block of frozen mysis which is defrosted in tank water and then drained off before adding. Evening, a chunk of raw king prawn for Bonzo before repeating the mysis thing for the other guys. There is also nori in there for the angel to graze on. weekly water changes of 20 to 40 Litres, fine filter floss replaced weekly to stop bacterial build up, carbon meida and phos removal media rinsed weekly. the only product that has ever entered the tank has been in the last few days, and that was salifert kH & pH buffer as I had a fall in pH, which I have assumed was due to the long period of having no lighting. No medications have been used in this tank.

4. had issues with lighting, see thread in marine tanks section for details on that.

5. the tank has been set up in one form or another for over a year. It was originally cycled as a low brackish aquarium and was cycled using pure industrial ammonia from work, but as Bonzo grew I upped the salinity eventually reaching marine conditions where it is now.


Since the new lighting getting switched on, I have noticed this greyish white fluffy stuff appearing on Bonzos fins and a little over his eyes, it is also a little over the angels eyes, but nowhere near as much. the goby on the other hand is totally clear of any such fluffy stuff and has no signs of anything being at all wrong.
I do have some marine melafix on order as I have been told it could be fungicidal or bactericidal.
I am doubting it being marine whitespot because it isn't clear white grain like spots, and surely all the fish would be infected, especially bottom dwellers.
I will try and get a picture of it when I get home this evening.
It's a crappy description I Know, but does anybody have any idea what this could be and what may have caused it and how it can be treated.
all info greatly appreciated

Jay
(first time hospital poster)

[yunachin]

It sounds like a fungal infection of some sort. Some puffers get it, as well as other marine fish like Copperbands, etc and it is an eye sore but not detrimental to their health. Usually it goes away on it's own.

[Jay.B.]

so nothing too much to worry about then?

I'm guessing a dose of this melafix won't hurt anyway...

It's the first time there's really been anything wrong with him in the year I've had him, apart form the occasional grumpy spell, so I guess I may have over-reacted a little

[yunachin]

Nothing wrong with over reacting. I don't see where Melafix would hurt. I have never used it in a situation like this but I try not to use medication if I don't have to. Just my personal preference. I wish I could remember the name of the infection. Argh!

[dab335]

I had a niger trigger with the same sort of symptoms. I used the melafix and it went away. Just remember to add an air stone, ive noticed whenever i used pimafix or melafix the fish seem to need more oxygen!! Let us know how it goes!!

[Jay.B.]

Cheers guys, feeling better about it now.
Melafix should be arriving today so I'll get them dosed up tonight. I have an air pump on standby from mixing water so fingers crossed it won't stress him too much.
Tried to get a clear picture of it, using the flash is too bright, but without it his fins are just a blur.

[Jay.B.]

Melafix finally turned up today.
there has been a little improvement naturally on the fluffy fungus, but decided to treat anyway.
Removed carbon, turned off skimmer, air pump on standby, 7 daily doses coming up
MMmm my tank smells all minty

[t1gerbee]

let me know how if the melafix works.. may order some myself..


watch your ammonia... no skimmer...could spell danger...

[Jay.B.]

I will do.
I may just look out some ammo lock or something just in case.
it does say on the instruction to turn it off, so I'd assume they had done their research, it's not like api to churn out out something like this without thorough testing

[Nick]

All the melafix will be skimmed out of the water onto your floor in about two hours, if you don't turn it off

I have found physically picking off bacterial/fungal white fuzz(it can be hard to tell which is which with the eyes, it all looks funguslike) off the fins helps a good deal, I'd do this if it lingers for long.

[t1gerbee]

I have found physically picking off bacterial/fungal white fuzz(it can be hard to tell which is which with the eyes, it all looks funguslike) off the fins helps a good deal, I'd do this if it lingers for long.

that does not sound like a fun game!

[Jay.B.]

Fingers crossed I won't have to do that.

[Jay.B.]

OK then, treatment finished tonight, water change, put carbon back in and switched skimmer back on.

all the fluffy bits have gone, although, at the moment he has a bit of a dust covering on his slime coat from the water change.

he is buzzing around all white bellied again. Not sure if it went on it's own or if the melafix helped.

Water stayed stable while the skimmer was off, no ammo, nitrite and nitrates kept below 20 by the algae I have in there, so all in all a successful first ever treatment

[yunachin]

Good to hear.