One of my Zebra Danios is losing its color on its skin and the skin seems to be flaking away. It looks almost as if it were shedding because all the scales sort of poke out and straighten. Here's the weird part though: he acts completely normally, eats fine, and is very active. He's just being the hyperactive danio he's supposed to be. I know it's not ich or velvet disease because he isn't rubbing against the glass or anything. Also, the water is a little bit cloudy. I'm not sure if these things are related, though.
Today I tried putting it into a quarantine tank, but he's REALLY fast. After 10 minutes of trying to net the fish, I gave up. Could anybody give me some answers? Thanks!

Hi Guy35

That sound sort of like the start of an ulcer what are your current water perameters ? :(
rgrds
broxandval Fishiedude

I'm sorry about your danio. I guess getting a photo of the fast guy is out of the question? When the skin seems to be peeling off, that could be a fungal infection. If the water quality is poor, then fungus grows well. The loss of color could mean almost anything from poor water quality to parasites, bacteria, funguses, and so on. Ick normally looks like little white spots. A fish with ick doesn't have to scratch but they are usually lethargic unlike this fish.

Is the entire fish in this condition or just a spot here and there? Fish often get localized bacterial and/or fungal infections at the site of a physical injury.

Regardless of whether or not it's related, doing a large water changes and cleaning the tank can only help improve the water quality and fish's health. You might also want to add some aquarium salt if your other tank inhabitants are tolerant of it. Ulcers (bacteria), tumors, etc. may look like little volcanos erupting from the skin.

I hope he gets better!

Hi Robyn, now it almost looks like as if his skin were scales like a reptile. They are kind of frilly and rough.

Guy35
We still need your water perameters to give you an accurate diagnoses the faster you act on things the better your fish stands a chance of surviving this. :(
Living in the US you have accsess to antibiotic medicines where we dont, I believe you can get medicated food stuffs ? :)
Antibiotics should help you reverse this but as Robyn says large water changes etc are the order of the day.
Best of luck with this
rgrds
broxandval Fishiedude

Could it be dropsy?

Hi Robyn
At the moment because it is specific the one area is grounds for an ulcer. :(
But drpsy through infection wikk may be the end game for this fish if not treated sharpish. :(
rgrds
broxandval
Fishiedude Flowersmile

Guy35, is it just one spot or the entire fish? I was under the impression it was the entire fish.

Hi Robyn
Scales as in many hence our thought that this was the start of an ulceration not Dropsy . :)
Unless weve read the post wrong that is :unsure:
rgrds
broxandval Fishiedude Flowersmile

sorry that i haven't replied in so long. kind of busy. anyways, i put in a little aquarium salt every day for 3 days and some aquasafe with bio extract. the danio is doing really good now. he's recovered and you can't even tell he was once sick. there was a huge gash on his side, so maybe the poor fish's body was reacting to it. the cut has healed too, but you can still see the scar there. thanks for everybody's help!

I'm glad he's better! As I said in my first response, "Fish often get localized bacterial and/or fungal infections at the site of a physical injury." You hadn't mentioned the physical injury before so that explains it.

Hi Robyn
No there wasnt was there, now that changes things and explains it at the same time :lol:
rgrds
broxandval Fishiedude Flowersmile

I have found that Zebra Danio's scar easily after there infections or injury's have healed :/