what is it? cloudy eyes and ich like spots only.....

[AnnnetteM]

I have 3 fish which have developed cloudy like eyes and ich like spots on the eyes and the ich like spots are minor on the fins also. Nothing on the body of the fish. What could this be? They constantly go to the cleaner shrimp so I know it is bothersome to them. I did have a fish that died behind a mass of rock and was eaten almost completly by morning. So instead of emptying rocks I let the crabs finish him off. He died the first day I got him and now it's about 10 days later that these signs are showing on other fish. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[quarryshark]

Its probably ich. The best time to view the spots are very early in the am or at night.
Can you post a pick? Do you have a qt tank?

 

[AnnnetteM]

Can't post a pic sorry, digital camara broke about 2-3 months ago and I still have to buy another, but I thought it might be ich so I started 4 days ago treating w/
Kick-Ich so I guess I'll just wait it out. I got 2 bottles for a longer treatment time so I'll just wait it out if you think that's what it is. Thanks

 

[AnnnetteM]

Can't post a pic sorry, digital camara broke about 2-3 months ago and I still have to buy another, but I thought it might be ich so I started 4 days ago treating w/
Kick-Ich so I guess I'll just wait it out. I got 2 bottles for a longer treatment time so I'll just wait it out if you think that's what it is. Thanks

 

[quarryshark]

Yikes!!! Kick ich, please don't use it. For proper eradication of parasites, you really need to remove your fish to a qt tank and treat with hyposalinity on copper. As well as a 4-6 week fishless time in the main, this would do it. It is a very dangerous practice to treat the main tank. There are many posts below that will explain the exact procedure.

 

[AnnnetteM]

Why is this? My LFS had sold me this once before and I had no problems. What exactly could happen by using kick ich? It is supposed to be safe for reef tanks according to the bottle. Please explain.....

 

[luntiz]

You don't use Kick Ich mainly because of the cost and time of the medication. It usually takes over hundreds of dollars (30 dollar a bottle) of Kich-Ich to work (if it even does work). Those treatment usually lasts for months and months because the medication is so weak that it either won't work or takes a lot of time.

 

[quarryshark]

Why is this? My LFS had sold me this once before and I had no problems. What exactly could happen by using kick ich? It is supposed to be safe for reef tanks according to the bottle. Please explain.....

How long ago?

 

[Atari]

The thinking is that if the medication is any good (ie potent) then it will kill more than just the target parasite. The reason these treatments are "reef safe" is because they are so weak that they don't kill anything - including the parasites - in significant quantities. Hence long expensive regimens.

The prefered method is to isolate the fish in a QT, leaving the main tank fallow for at least a month. Then use hyposalinity to treat the fish. Over the course of the month the parasites will completely die off and you can return the fish to the main knowing that you'll never get any ich again. Providing ofcourse you QT all new additions first.

 

[quarryshark]

The thinking is that if the medication is any good (ie potent) then it will kill more than just the target parasite. The reason these treatments are "reef safe" is because they are so weak that they don't kill anything - including the parasites - in significant quantities. Hence long expensive regimens.

The prefered method is to isolate the fish in a QT, leaving the main tank fallow for at least a month. Then use hyposalinity to treat the fish. Over the course of the month the parasites will completely die off and you can return the fish to the main knowing that you'll never get any ich again. Providing ofcourse you QT all new additions first.

Well put! Just want to add that copper treatment (cupramine) also works well in a qt.

 

[AnnnetteM]

ok, this is all a gret thought, but how do you get out all the fish with a little over 100 lbs of LR w/corals attached to them? Little firefish, ha that would be a wild goose chase I used the kick ich about 4 months ago and it worked for me with no signs of ich left on any fish and that may be do to cleaner shrimps I don't know, but I didn't have any signs of this until I stupidly added the new fish that died. I don't have a QT tank over 10 gal and I have a vlamingi (sp?) tang, a yellow tang, 4 perculas, a pink square anthias and 2 firefish. I couldn't possibly house all those fish in a 10 gal QT tank. I also have no LFS that I TRUST to QT these fish based upon the fact that the 2 in my area are both the 2 times I have gotten ich in the tank so....any other suggestions?I'm in the hole now being that I should have just QT the last fish that died in the first place..I thought since it was still in acclimation bucket and had just arrived fom Hawaii I woud take a chance (dumb dumb dumb)

 

[quarryshark]

read the post below. That can be the result. Here is the original thread.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=24898
Sorry if this seems harsh, but i'm just trying to help. The way stated earlier in the thread is proven again and again to be the method thats works.
Advisors please feel free to chime in.
As for cathcing the fish, I had to evacuate my 210 gallon with 180 lbs of rock. it was a job, but I brought in several new garbage cans and took out part of my rock. I then drained as much water as I could into the cans. This took away much of their swimming area and made it easier to catch them.