# White spot on chiclid



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

My yellow coloured chiclid has white spots and is very lethargic. It was a shy fish even before but still it used to swim around. Any idea what it is, Shall I try salt if it is a fungal infection.
and is salt (one table spoon in 5 gallons) a good way to keep to keep fresh water fishes healthy.


----------



## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

This is a Betta forum, so most of us won't be able to help as much as we could with a Betta. Could you fill out the form in the disease section, pretty much the easiest way to help, I'm not sure I see where the 'white spot' is. You cannot use table salt, you need aquarium salt. AQ (aquarium salt) is the easiest way to prevent fungal type disease, but it's best not to use it with SBD.
Clearer picture maybe? He's a pretty Chiclid, what breed?


----------



## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

I really can't tell what's going on in the photo. But that's an Orange chromide cichlid, the only cichlid that comes from Asia. They do very well in brackish water. Adding salt would actually be a good idea as it's part of their natural environment . Are you keeping him with any other tank mates such as corys or plecos?


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

Thanks. I will try and see with aq salt. coming on betta fish I have one cute boy shall I add in betta also aq salt to not have any fungal infection. yes he has tank mates all chiclids and one tiger oscar and one albino oscar.


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

Unfortunately it didn't survive. I came home and found him dead though did a water change in morning and added few indian almond leaves to the tank, what worse is that I find that same white spots on my blood red parrot fish. will this fungal infection spread on to all my fishes, any cure please let me know. what immediate steps should I take?


----------



## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

Generally fungal infections are contagious, so use the AQ. If I remember right, Chiclids prefer higher PH, and IAL lowers PH? I could be wrong about that speices though.


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Sorry for your loss.


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Saif said:


> I find that same white spots on my blood red parrot fish. will this fungal infection spread on to all my fishes, any cure please let me know. what immediate steps should I take?


We need to know very specifically what these white spots look like. Was anything new recently introduced to the tank, and if so what was it? How big is the tank? What species of fish are in the tank and how many of each? Are you using cichlid lake salts or any other additives to re-create their natural water environment? Anything to buffer the pH such as cichlid substrate?


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

I couldn't take a very close look as it was hiding, what I can explain is that yhose were white spots all over it and on the fins it was completely white. I have 25 gal in which I have total of 11 fishes. one red blood parrot one yellow parrot, one albino oscar, one tiger oscar and rest are all chiclids of different sizes and colours. no other was introduced in the tank. I used local aquarium salt in the tank once I noticed the white spots.i have two filters one top one which has charcoal and sponge. and one in the tank which I connect to air pump, in it I have crushed corals and sponge for filtering. and I have an air stone and few decorations.


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

and two live plants. can the plant be the cause of disease if it is rotting due to whatever reasons.


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

and I used ial because they release tannins which are good for fish health something like medicinal value, I didn't knew that ot lowers ph correct me if I am wrong. and I have coral chips in my filter which will act as buffer and maintain the ph.


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

If you did not introduce anything new to the tank in the last two weeks, then it's not Ich (Ich looks like grains of salt on the fish). It could be anchor worms, but I'm not really sure about that either. Those can look like white pimples _at first_. Look up anchor worms on Google images and see if that resembles what you're seeing.

If that's not it, you might have to consider asking on a site that is specific to cichlids.


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. From now onwards I am using aquarium salt (1 tablespoon in 5 gallons) and hope everything is fine. All suggestions appreciated


----------



## Cinderwolf (Dec 22, 2011)

Im sorry, I cant help with the illness, but I just needed to chime in. Your tank is extremely over stocked. 

All of those fish will get huge. A quick estimated aqadvisor input puts your tank at 442% stocking. ( please note I didn't have your filter models or the exact species of cichlids for the last 8 so the reading is a bit off, but even just putting the parrot and oscars in put it way about recommended tank stocking) 

You need to seriously consider both getting a much larger tank, and re-homing a handful of your fish. If not you will probably have fish with major stunning issues and/or aggression.


----------



## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

Remove the rotting plants and vaccumn the gravel well. We need more information . Please tell us what size tank you have ( I thought I saw 5 gallons???), do you have a filter, what other inhabitants do you have, do you have an adustable heater? Have you introduced any new fish recently? Do you quarantine new fish? How long has the tank been running? What symptoms do your fish currently have?

Please post some clear pictures of your fish and whole tank. Resort to video if you can't get the fish to sit still.

Since it could be fungal or ich Paraguard might be a medicine to to try (it treats both parasites and fungus). But you will need guidance on how to use it for this situation and to make sure it won't adversely affect your current fish.
I've used it for baths only. I think one of our other responders has used it for longer periods.

Salt can be used for illness when other medications are not introduced. I am fairly sure you will need something besides salt to cure this-If you use introduce other meds the salinity should be reduced. Blood parrots are NOT brackish fish thus once well don't need salt in the tank all of the time.


----------



## Cinderwolf (Dec 22, 2011)

jadaBlu said:


> Remove the rotting plants and vaccumn the gravel well. We need more information . Please tell us what size tank you have ( I thought I saw 5 gallons???), do you have a filter, what other inhabitants do you have, do you have an adustable heater? Have you introduced any new fish recently? Do you quarantine new fish? How long has the tank been running? What symptoms do your fish currently have?
> 
> Please post some clear pictures of your fish and whole tank. Resort to video if you can't get the fish to sit still.
> 
> ...


It was mentioned earlier that it is a 25 gal with 11 cichlids in it.


----------



## Saif (Sep 24, 2015)

Dear friends, After introducing salt in an amount of one tablespoon in 5 gallon. I found it to work well, the white spots which had spread even to my tiger oscar and they were looking like snowfall on its fins but now all fine, healthy and happy and my tank is running slightly more than two months. I will upgrade when the fishes get big as of now all are happily swimming around with very less aggression which is a part of their nature. by less aggression I mean no fish is bullied or dominated.


----------



## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

Cinderwolf said:


> It was mentioned earlier that it is a 25 gal with 11 cichlids in it.


Yeah that will be an aggressive mess very soon. The bioload for one oscar soon requires a 75 gallons (less than one year) and does best with a large canister filter. 
You will need at 180 to 200 gallon tank if that is out of reach please consider rehoming most of your fish while they are still small.

There's an Oscar forum and 2 major forums for large cichlid fish one starts with the word Monster. I would suggest joining that one. They will be educating without being mean. Starting learning about your fish's needs now so they wind up living a long time. Well cared for cichlids can live up to 15 years.


----------

