YES!
i added some new plants recently - not too long before the first fish
got ill - do you think that's it?

Having read that ick and velvet only survive a few hours or a couple
of days at most without a host fish i had discounted that idea, the
LFS keeps aquarium plants in shallow water-filled trays which are
unheated, not sure if the lack of heat would kill the parasites or
simply slow down thier life cycle so they last longer.

which parasites could it be?

chris

(The upside down catfish is hanging in there with his yellow spots and
dusty areas, not gilling too fast and not listless at all.)