White Film on catfish

Oct 18, 2006
741
2
0
Oceanside California
#1
Ok i have a striped raphael catfish... this fish is awesome. He seems healthy and showing no signs of illness, but the top of him has a white film starting behind his eyes and going to his top doral fin thing. I dont know what to call it, but if i get a pic i will post it, just wondering what diseases could cause a white film type stuff on fish?
 

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
Aug 26, 2003
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Southern California
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#2
It sounds like something to do with its slime coat. Sometimes fish will excrete extra slime coat around an injury or if there was a big swing in parameters. It's also possible for the slimecoat to get a parasitic disease.

Those would be my top two guesses.
 

Oct 18, 2006
741
2
0
Oceanside California
#3
i think it may have started when i took him out of tank into bucket when doing substrate change last weekend. Damage may have been done while netting him... he is tricky little guy, so will this go away on its own if it is the slime coat thing?
 

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
Aug 26, 2003
15,115
13
38
Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#4
If it's a little damage, then it should be fine. I wouldn't do anything other than keep an eye on him to make sure there isn't any sign of infection like fuzzy white growths or redness. Keep the water clean, which I'm sure you do anyway. I guess you could say it's the fish equivalent of a scab over a small wound.
 

Likes: arcab4
Mar 31, 2016
1
1
1
#6
Netting a Raphael catfish can be very harmful because of the spines running along its body they stick these out when they feel threatened it is best to use a small Tupperware or a special scoop you can buy at some pet stores :)
 

Likes: arcab4