Blackmoor With WhiteSpot/Ich?

Question
Hi david
I have one blackmoor in a 30Ltr Tank, it is a fairly new setup but has been cycled, I do a 25% water change every week and treat with a safe guard to neutralise the Ammonia and Nitrates

The past few days ive noticed that my blackmoor is rubbing himself against the gravel and plants and has started swimming eratically, he is spending a lot of time over the air stone and seems to have a light white coating on his body especially around his face area. i think im also seeing faint white spots appearing on his tail fins and he has a larger one under the equivilant of his chin, he seems to be clamping his fins and has stopped eating since yesterday, he is also hiding at the top of the tank behind the water tubes of the filter...ive started treatment for white spot but would like your opinion on if i am treating the right thing...he seems like hes giving up the ghost but will this improve?

Answer
Hi Emma:  If he has ich you will need to raise the water temperature to about 78 degrees for goldfish (black moor) and remove the carbon filter from the tank during the medication process or it will absorb all of the medicine.  There are other issues that come up in fish that look like ich but are not ich at all.  One of those would be high water chemistry levels which can cause small white blisters on the fish's skin.  The reaction would be much the same.... rubbing and hiding, etc.  I would check the water chemistry to rule out a chemical irritant.  Try to brine him with brine shrimp... I know it sounds odd but happy fish recover better then miserable fish... just like humans... although I have an Oscar that is not happy unless he is miserable.  Add some aquarium salt to the tank was well... keep me posted... dave