# Pleco sick with white film/splotchs, help please!



## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

The white spots might well be ich (look it up and see if that looks right), the film could also be part of that. If you agree, I would change more water to get all the medication out and vacuum the substrate as well as you can (ich often hides in substrate), and then begin slowly raising the tank temperature--86 degrees F should kill all the ich. Medication along with raising the temp, though, could be toxic, so do make sure to get it out first.


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## Elephantine (Jul 30, 2016)

When I've seen pictures of Ich, it always looks like a bunch of individual, raised dots - like the fish was sprinkled with sand. But I've never dealt with it in person. You think it can look like this sort of surface-covering stuff, too?


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## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

Elephantine said:


> When I've seen pictures of Ich, it always looks like a bunch of individual, raised dots - like the fish was sprinkled with sand. But I've never dealt with it in person. You think it can look like this sort of surface-covering stuff, too?


Hmm, maybe not... I've seen it in person, but it's been a while--you're right that it didn't look exactly like these splotches. The film over the fin (and eyes), though, can be a side effect of ich. 

Check this out, though (and then google for pictures): Chart on Fish Diseases, Symptoms and their Treatments

I'm not convinced it's something bacterial, as the sores don't look typical of that, but of course there's a million types of bacteria, so who knows. It looks more parasitic or fungal to me, or maaaybe like fish pox? Fish pox would also explain why the meds weren't helping. Maybe just keep dosing the meds for another week? If they stopped the spots from progressing, they might be doing something.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Your best bet is to take the fish to the vet, or at least a scraping from the white spots.
I have never seen ich look like that.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Not ich! But then I don't have a better answer, either. Plecos are tough so I might think it best to give him time while watching for changes in the spots. Having pictures and then taking pictures again later may be one good way to look rather than trying to remember the size of the spots. Look for slow increases or decrease in size, color, etc? 
One reason for not being ich is that ich moves fast. the spots seem to change almost overnight. Ususally that means they get lots more spots but not in the same place. Like dipped in salt and then rinsed and dipped again!!! 
Us care in choosing meds for catfish. Aware thet they often react differently? But the good side is that they rarely get to the point of needing meds. 
Maybe the old boy is just getting grey hair/ I hear that happens to folks at times!!


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

As I said if it is a cherised family member, a vet visit will be the best hedge.
There are many viruses, bacteria ans fungi which look alike to the naked eye. With plecos you want to know what you are dealing with as you don't want to play around with medicines if avoidable.


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## Elephantine (Jul 30, 2016)

Hey everyone!
Thank you so much for your replies! (Sorry I haven't respond earlier, I thought I had email notifications set up but actually I didn't :/ )
We have a vet appointment set up for the morning, though I'm a little nervous about moving him I think it's the best way to figure out what is going on.
 So far antibiotics haven't helped, and the spots have spread, so definitely trying to get this taken care of quickly.
Thank you all again for chiming in, I'm happy to hear any more advice and I'll post the results of the vet appointment for anyone curious - or anyone who runs across this in the future.
Thank you,
El


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Wishing you best of luck, hopefully it isn't just a case of the fish reaching the end of its natural lifespan.


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## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

Good luck! I hope you find answers and solutions.


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