My pufferfish has white spots and mouth sores. Is it Ich or something else?

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.

It is difficult to determine since the image is not clear. Fish are very hard to photograph! If it does, then it is very early infection. Ideally, new fish should be quarantined for at least 2 week sin a separate tank to confirm good health prior to introducing them into the main tank. Monitor for worsening symptoms. If necessary, you can purchase an ich treatment and treat the tank. Look in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

It could be Columnaris, aka cottonmouth. It looks like a fungal infection but is actually an infection caused by a gram negative bacteria. You can treat with kanamycin and nitrofuran. Both are antibiotics effective against this bacteria. Brand names are Kanaplex (by SeaChem) and Furan 2 (by API). You can find them online or in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if necessary. You will likely need to treat the entire tank since more than one fish is symptomatic.

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.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about your fish and including a photo. This is a fairly large lesion and needs to be diagnosed and treated. Parasitic infestations and bacterial infections must be considered. Adding non-iodized salt at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons for 3 consecutive days might provide some osmotic relief but is not therapeutic levels. A skin scrape and microscopic examination is needed to diagnose parasites is needed. Different parasites require different medications. Bacterial infections should be treated with systemic antibiotics through injections or oral medications, not water additives. Good luck.

This could be bacterial or parasitic infection. It is difficult to determine definitively since the image provided is not clear. Fish can be difficult to photograph. Basic care includes checking water quality and chemistry. This can be done using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. There should be an absence of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20-60 ppm. pH should be as close to 7 as possible, avoiding large swings. Koi can tolerate a wide range in temperature, but generally do best between 65 F and 75 F. Again, avoid large swings in temperature to prevent stress or shock. If necessary, a partial water change can be done to stabilize chemistry and/or improve water quality. If you have other koi, consider placing this one in a hospital tank to make treatment easier and to prevent spread if the condition is infectious. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) can be used to reduce stress, improve gill function, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 14 days then reassess the condition. If there is no change, consider a broad spectrum antibiotic or "all in one" treatment. Either can be found in the Aquarium section at Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated. All that said, if the spots multiply and appear like tiny grains of salt, it could be an ich infection. In this case the entire tank will require treatment. There are several commercial ich medications that can be used. You will also need to thoroughly vacuum the substrate/gravel in the tank and wipe down all tank furniture.