My new discus fish has white spots but is acting normal. Is it ich?

It could be early ich (white spot) infection or another infection (bacterial or fungal). To be safe, separate him into a quarantine tank and monitor for any change. You can treat for ich as you did it in the past if indicated. Bacterial and fungal infections have different treatments, so I would be hesitant to recommend a specific medication without more information or a definitive diagnosis. You can use plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt or Epsom salt). As a general tonic to reduce stress, increase gill function, treat minor infection of many types and to aid in recovery. This can be added to the quarantine tank at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition.

The tiny spots could be a parasite infection. Ich presents as small dots similar to grains of salt. It will quickly overrun a tank and can kill fish if left untreated. You will need to treat the entire tank as opposed to just affected fish. A broad spectrum parasite medication that covers ich can be purchased at the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

It sounds like they have "ich". Here is a good video about ich that should answer most of your questions. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVwyOifCRHI ) I suggest you talk to an aquarist in your area to get some medication. ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/aqua-life-aquarium-rocklin-2?osq=aquarium+store ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

That doesn't look like Ich infection. Ich typically presents as multiple salt grain sized dots on a fish. The area in the image may be an abrasion. Infection, fungal or bacterial, is possible. The Sera Omnipur may help if there is fungal infection. Be aware the malachite green in it may stain tank furniture or tank sealant. Consider adding in a broad spectrum antibiotic. You should be able to find one in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated. Maintain pristine water quality during treatment as well as afterwards.

Thanks for reaching out about Dart and including photos. The lesions are not clearly visible in the pictures but by the description, could be parasitic as in salt water ich (cryptocaryon). A veterinary visit could provide diagnostic services, as a skin scrape and recommend a treatment plan. Other fish will be affected so treatment should include the entire aquarium. Good luck.

Gradually increase the water temp to about 80 F. This will speed up the lifecycle of the parasite. Once all the spots have dropped off the fish, you can use a commercial ich treatment. Look for one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully. If you have just a few fish in the tank, you can remove them to a separate tank after the spots have dropped off. Leave the main tank empty for 4 days at 80 F. The ich parasite cannot survive without fish, so they will die. After 4 days, perform a partial water change, vacuum the substrate, wipe down tank furniture and return the water temp to normal. Acclimate the fish to water temp before returning them to the water.

Even though a picture of it would help to determine underlying cause more precisely, ich can only be killed in its free swimming stage. After it feeds off the fish, it drops into the substrate where it forms cysts and multiplies. Then the new ich parasites swim out of the gravel and find new fish hosts and start the cycle all over again. That is why it is important after all white spots have disappeared to continue treatment, you should continue treating for an additional 2 weeks after all symptoms are gone. After the spots disappear off the fish, I would vacuum the gravel to suck up any cysts. If you increase the temperature the life cycle of the ich becomes faster. All new fish should be placed in a quarantine tank for at least 2-3 weeks to make sure they are eating, free of disease, and are able to recuperate in a stress-free environment.