Skin Disorders

Symptoms

Causes

Treatments & Links

A). With a magnifying glass, you can see red dots on the fish, or you can see transparent disc shaped crustaceans

If Not

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Your fish are affected with fish lice

If Not

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Treat with  De-Los.

B). Elongated oval objects measuring up to 10mm, stick up out of the skin

If Not

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This involves the egg pouches of copepods, e.g.  Lernaea.  The anterior portion of the parasite is burrowed deeper into the skin

Treat with  De-Los.

C). Round reddish enflamed areas, 38mm in diameter, are visible on the skin

If Not

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These are sucking marks made by leeches, which often attack the fish only at night, then hide during the day

Treat with De-Los.

D). Small, dark, knot-like thickened areas, up to 1mm in size appear on the skin

If Not

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Encapsulated metacercariae (larvae) are often found on fish caught in the wild

Fish can live to a ripe old age, despite the condition.  No treatment is needed.

E). The fish appear to be sprinkled with sand or grit.  The lumps are white, about 0.5 to 1.5mm in size.  The skin comes off in shreds

If Not

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a).   In the case of freshwater fish, they are affected by the protozoan Ichthyophthirius (Ich). 

b).  Marine fish are affected by Cryptocaryon Irritans

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a).   Malachite Green -or- Forma-Green.

b).  Treat the fish with Copper Sulfate -or- Quinine Sulfate

F). Clearly delineated, whitish, translucent areas measuring 1 to 3mm appear on the skin.  Often visible only from a head-on view

If Not

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Your fish are affected by the protozoan ciliate Chilodonella

Treat your fish with Metronidazole -or- Malachite Green -or- Forma-Green.

G). In marine fish, heavy slime production, along with loss of appetite, lethargy and labored breathing.  In the terminal stage, skin slabs come off

If Not

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Your fish are affected with Brooklynella Hostilis

Use:   Malachite Green -or- Forma-Green -or- Quinine Sulfate

H). Tiny, dirty-whitish to yellowish dots up to 0.3mm in size appear on the skin and scale edges

If Not

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Your fish are affected with Oodinium

Use:   Malachite Green -or- Forma-Green -or- Quinine Sulfate

I). The skin clouds up in some areas, then comes off, leaving bloody patches

If Not

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Your fish are affected by a heavy Costia infection

Use:  Forma-Green -or- Acriflavine Neutral -or- Copper Sulfate.

J). Whitish translucent areas, not caused by slime form on the skin

If Not

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 The fish are probably affected by Sporozoa

No suitable treatment known.  Furazolidone Powder helps in rare cases.

K). The skin, cloudy and inflamed in places, produces a great deal of slime

Does the pH satisfy the needs of the fish?  The skin is either infected with Parasites or Bacteria

If Not

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Extreme fluctuations in pH, lead to slime production in the skin. 

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Treat with:   Parinox

Adjust the pH by doing a water change.

L). White threads grow out of white and red edged wounds, and form cottony puffs

If Not

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Fungus is infecting the wound

Treat with:   Malachite Green -or- Forma-Green -or- Nitrofuracin Green

M). A whitish film forms around the mouth of one or more of the fish

If Not

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Your fish are affected with Columnaris

Treat with:   TMP Sulfa -or- Sulfa 4 TMP -or- Parinox.

O). The scales in many places are outlined in white.  The skin easily becomes slimy.  The fish folds it's fins and sways

If Not

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Sounds like your fish have a heavy infection of Columnaris. 

Treat with:   TMP Sulfa -or- Sulfa 4 TMP -or- Parinox.

P). Redbordered lesions in the skin.  They often clear up spontaneously

If Not

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 The lesions rupture, releasing liquid. your fish are affected by Furunculosis

If Not

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Lesions rupture, but nothing is released. Your fish are affected by open Tuberculosis. WARNING: This disease can be spread to humans. DO NOT put your hands or arms in the tank if you have cuts or open sores on them.

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Treat with:
Furazolidone Powder

Treat with:  Kanamycin + Vitamin B-6.  Treat for up to 30 days.  Isolate this fish and treat them for 30 days.

Q). A swelling forms in the muscle under the skin during the course of several weeks and may protrude way out from the surface of the body.  The scales can be lifted also

If Not

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A sporozoan cyst or lesion forms in the musculature

No suitable treatment known.  Verify by dissecting the fish.

R). Blisters form along the lateral line.  Often associated with bloat, spread scales and popeyes

If Not

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Your fish are affected by Abdominal Dropsy.

Treat with Koi Fix®, or a combination of Oxolinic Acid and Oxytetracycline in the feed at 1 tsp. per pound each.   Use Forma Green in the water if the fish has ulcerations.

S). Light colored spherical prominences which look like eggs but cannot be wiped off, form on the skin

If Not

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Your fish are affected by the Lymphocystis virus

No suitable treatment known.

T). Variously sized blisters which form on the skin pop when stroked, producing a crackling sound

If Not

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Your fish are affected by a swim bladder disease

Make sure fish is aerated sufficiently.  Treat with Erythromycin -or- Quinine Sulfate.