velvet or ick? AND WHAT IS THAT!!!

[pagan___mother]

ok so this morning I went to feed the fish and to make sure all was well. I found my pictus catfish in the corner at the bottom (where he lays during the day). he would have random 'twiches', and i notice what looks like small salt grains or dust on his body. velvet and ick look the same to me. BUT he also has what looks like a blood blister at the base of his dorcel fin. I have searched the internet and found lots of info on ick and velvet.....but nothing on this mysterious red spot and random twitch. I have issolated him to a 20 gallon tank. I have been sitting here in front of the other tanks looking at the others and so far everybody is clean and VERY ACTIVE. I have tried to get photos of the pictus but he is stressed from being caught and placed in a new tank.....needless to so he wont hold still and my camera isnt THAT fast. And last....HE WONT STOP 'CROAKING' i can hear him! he is croaking non stop!! (sounds like an electrical current going threw the water)

Is there any suggestiong as to what that red spot is or where i can find some info?

[Judge]

Sorry Pagan Mother about your problem. If I had to hazard a guess I would say it is Velvet. Mostly because of the croaking. Their gills tend to move rapidly with Velvet and this in turn could be causing the croaking sound you are hearing. Velvet is also more concentrated on the body while Ich is predominantly on the fins. This is not cast in stone anywhere but is a generality that may help you tell them apart.

I am not an advocate of medications or adding chemicals to water but Aquarisol does work on both parasites. Good luck. I hope your pictus pulls through and you have no more contract it.

[Loman]

Pagen Mather. I am trying to recall your situation regarding ammonia tests. For some reason I am thinking you can not get easy access to one. I suspect the blood blister is the result of ammonia poisoning. Bleeding around the gills and fins is one symptom of ammonia

[pagan___mother]

thank you for the help, i took a sample of my tank water to my lfs and the ammonia levels are .25
On that note. i found the pictus dead just a few hours ago im gonna wait a few months to let the tank stabilize before adding another.

[Loman]

Sorry to hear that. I would wait till the ammonia drops back to zero. Nitrites should pop up and then down too. You want to get some more ammonia sources (i.e. fish) soon after the ammonia returns to zero so the bacteria continue to grow