# White fuzz/fungus on oto



## brandonhauser (Nov 6, 2015)

Sorry to say I think he's a goner.  I recently had an oto develop a similar growth on his side and a couple days later I awoke to him floating on the top of the tank cold as a bone. Hopefully another user can shed light on to a potential treatment, but unfortunately I don't have any knowledge in that department.


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## anonrider12 (Jun 7, 2011)

Well crap... Is this something that is now in my tank that I should watching for? Or is it an isolated fish that was just a carrier?


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I don't see a fuzz from the photo just discoloration/lack of color on an area of the body and fin. Is there a actual fuzz on that?
I had an oto show an odd light spot, it looked like a white saddle (someone indicated columnaris was likely) but no fuzz. I pulled it from the main tank and put in a smaller cube with prime to bind ammonia and an airstone for 48 hours. Its showed no sighs of sickness so i put ti back in its main tank. Its still alive and so are the other fish. I think it ca scraped or maybe burned by the heater, just needed clean water to heal up.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I see the fuzz. If it is a true fungus (sure looks like it) it is probably growing on a minor injury. 
I would separate this fish and treat for fungus. There are medicines that target fungal problems, but read the label carefully. There is a bacterial disease (Columnaris) that looks a bit like a fungus, and medicines that target this disease may look like they are for fungus, because some of the common names of Columnaris includes the word fungus. 
Some medicines treat both fungal and bacterial problems.


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

Could be fungus (or a bacterial infection that appears to be a 'false' fungus) or Columnaris.

None of them are good and need to be treated ASAP, especially if Columnaris.

Besides the cotton/fluffy growth, does it appear to have any exposed raw flesh deteriorating away? Any milky white internal tissue? Lumps? Gill deterioration? Eroding fins? If so, it is probably Columnaris.
If it is Columnaris it needs the right meds/antibiotics to cure it because it is a gram negative Aerobic bacteria and so it needs meds that specifically treat that type of bacteria which most don't. The best meds for Columnaris is Kanamycin (Seachem KanaPlex) and Nitrofurazone (API Furan-2) used together. You can use Oxytetracycline in place of Furan 2, but Furan 2 is much better.

If the disease is purely fungal infection, there are quite a few products out there that can treat that.

Seeing as how you got the fish from a friend and he has had them awhile, I would guess that they were disease-free prior and it is more likely a fungal infection. But that would be due to the fish being stressed and now in a weakened state of health in turn making the fish more susceptible to diseases and a fungal infection set in. UNLESS, you added something else new that might have brought over Columnaris.

Was the white fuzz there before you got them from your friend?
Check your water parameters. Make sure they are at healthy levels. 

If the other fish are really healthy, they shouldn't get infected. But if they consume the infected fish's deceased infected body or it's feces, they can contract the disease as well.
If the fish dies, remove right away. Some separate, some just treat the whole tank. I am one who goes the safe route and treats the whole tank.


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## anonrider12 (Jun 7, 2011)

The fish seems to be acting in good health. It's more or less just that white fuzz and a little skin deterioration. When I got the fish they all looked in perfect health the other otos look to be I good health no noticeable skin agitation or fuzz. I have put the fish in a small 10 gallon tank with about a soft ball size of moss. All my other fish I my tank are in perfect health. I'm currently having a small algae out break in my 55gl tank. When I added the otos I planted some plants that I got from petsmart in one of those sealed bags. 

I'll check the parameters tomorrow. Should I just go ahead and treat my main tank?


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

Ehh, 55gallon is quite a bit of water = more cost/med use.

For now I would say just treat the known sick oto in the 10 gallon. But keep monitoring the 55 gallon for any newly sick fish.
Just keep water parameters at healthy levels (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20-40 or less nitrates).

Have you decided on what treatment method?
I am still not sure on the positive ID on the disease.
If fungal, I am not sure if a simple salt bath would work or not. Maybe others can chime in.

Too tired right now, will check back later!


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