Loaches Are Sick... Is It Ick?

[Equalibrium]

I started a freshwater aquarium a couple of months ago and a friend of mine gave me some riccia. Well there were some snails in it, and soon I had a snail epidemic. My other friend told me he would trade me his Yoyo Loach for all of my largest rams horns. I like him so I made the trade. I heard that they are a schooling fish so I hassled my local aquarium store to get me a couple of more. They FINALLY came in and I went and bought a couple more yoyos and a dwarf gourami. Well once I put them in my tank, about a week later, my adult loach became very ill and a few days later he died. It was sad, he was big and beautiful. Well the little loaches were acting ill being very secluded and I have yet to see them eat. I have had them for a couple of weeks now and they are FINALLY beginning to act normally (swimming into the current of the outflow). The only thing is I have noticed that they have this white pigmentation of the top of their bodies... as if they are loosing color. I have noticed the same on my gourami that I bought from the same fish store. They were actually all in the same tank when I bought them also. Anyway, my friends say it can't be Ick because the spots are not small but very large patches of silvery white. Does anyone know anything about such a disease? the spots are located on the upper portion of the fish just behind the head. I guess in comparison to a human it would be on the back of the neck or back of the head. I really don't know how to accurately describe the infection verbally. Anyone who might have any questions or information in regards to this please let me know as soon as you can because I have lost one loach and do not wish to lose my other two. Thank you
-Equalibrium

[Dos-Loachez]

Well i can assure you it isn't ich. Unfortunately i've been dealing with issues with ich lately.Ich looks like little white grains of salt attached all over their bodies normally you'll see it on their fins and tails first. (Even though its normally in their gills first before spreading to areas you can see)

From what it sounds like it might be viral issues like Fish Pox, Lymphocystis, Columnaris. I'd suggest taking a photo of the infected fish and posting it or taking a look on google to see which issue it might be. Most cases are going to expect you to text your water PH, Nitrites, Nitrates etc and do a partial water change some even mention to take out your gravel and clean it also.

Sorry i couldn't really give you a straight answer other than it doesn't sound like Ich. Also make sure that you know what you are dealing with before you treat your tank, Loaches are sensitive to certain chemicals.

[Diana]

Columnaris is very common, and can look like a white area, often starting on the dorsal surface of the fish, but it can be anywhere. It is a Gram negative bacteria, and responds to most of the fish antibiotics that are on pet and aquarium store shelves. It is often mistaken for a fungus, and some antibiotics for fish are mis-labeled, and refer to this disease, but calling it a fungus.