Saltwater & Reef

MarkW19 · 09-27-2004, 03:44 PM

Things are confusing me about whitespot.

I'm still being told that whitespot can occur a year after a fish has been introduced, even if it's been QT'd correctly before being put in the tank, because stress at a later date will bring the whitespot out.

Whitespot = ich right?

And, the best thing to do is just to leave the whitespot as is and it'll right itself and go.

Is this right?

fishman · 09-27-2004, 04:49 PM

If your saying that whitespot = ick then the answer is...if the fish was QT properly and there is no exposure of ick to the tank, then no the fish can not catch ick. Ick is a parasite. If the fish is introduced to the tank and doesnt have ick, then there is no way for the ish or the tank to just get ick....However if the fish was not QT for the length of time needed and or treated, then yes the outbreak of ick can occur. And no-if you leave ick to run its course, most if not all off the fish will succomb to it.
I dont know any other terms used to describe ick, but I have heard whitespot and as far as I know these are the same.HTH

MarkW19 · 09-27-2004, 04:51 PM

I guess whitespot = ick = ich ?

Atari · 09-27-2004, 06:14 PM

Who is telling you these lies!! :P

MarkW19 · 09-27-2004, 06:31 PM

lol, can't say... :p hehe...

Am I right in thinking that if a fish is ok and shows no signs of whitespot (ich/ick whatever you wanna call it) within 6 weeks then the parasite isn't present in the fish?

fishman · 09-27-2004, 06:57 PM

I would assume 6 weeks is good...however make sure its 6 weeks!! I went 4.5 and saw no signs then all of the sudden woke up to find my regal covered!

MarkW19 · 09-27-2004, 07:00 PM

eek...is he ok?

MarkW19 · 09-28-2004, 06:45 PM

So, will the whitespot DEFINITELY show itself in 6 weeks, if it's there? Or could it not lurk behind the scenes for a few months if the fish isn't stressed, then be brought out in a few months if the fish gets stressed etc.?

Or, after 6 weeks if there are no signs, does that mean the parasite is DEFINITELY not present in the fish and can't be in the future (considering no other fish/the tank doesn't have it etc.)? Will it definitely show up in 6 weeks if it's there?

09-28-2004, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkW19

Will it definitely show up in 6 weeks if it's there?

It really depends on the fish but there is a very very low possibility it could go through without showing up. Never say never but the chances of it showing up in the display having never gone through QT is very high. Choose the lesser of two evils as they say and QT the fish. If present, the parasite should definately show up. For C. irritans to show up from a fish after the QT process was done properly would be very improbable but not impossible.

Cheers
Steve

MarkW19 · 09-28-2004, 07:17 PM

OK, cheers

Can whitespot go away if left untreated Steve?

09-28-2004, 07:48 PM

No, C. irritans will always be present as long as there is a fish to feed on and the fish itself remains untreated. It will not go away by itself. It is possible for the parasite to remain on the fish for a prolonged period of time (usually no more than 6 months) without showing up providing the fish is extremely healthy, well fed and little or no stress. Basically refered to as "aquired immunity" on the part of the fish which is usually the result of having fought it off before.

Very little is often needed for it to resurface including obviously stress, adding a new fish upsetting the "environmental balance", less than adequate water quality and a reduced immune response from improper diet. One thing I can assure you of though, if the fish does need treating and it's done properly, there is no way it can re-occure due to that particular fish (or fishs) once treated. That part I can guarantee but only if treatment is done properly.

Cheers
Steve

MarkW19 · 09-28-2004, 07:58 PM

Cool, but I guess it can come and go as long as the fish is kept healthy, with no bad effects on the fish?

09-28-2004, 08:11 PM

Actually the more often it re-occurs the more toll it will take on the fish overall health and longjevity. The sooner it's dealt with the better off the fish will be and help ensure a much longer life span. No parasite should be left untreated.

Cheers
Steve

MarkW19 · 09-29-2004, 03:05 PM

If I buy a fish from a tank that has had no whitespot signs for 6 weeks, and no new fish introduced for 6 weeks, and the fish I'm buying has been in there for 6 weeks (!), will I be ok without a QT?

MarkW19 · 09-29-2004, 05:53 PM

And as far as treating whitespot, hyposalinity is prefered over medicine? Would 3 fish (clown/banggai/regal tang) be ok in a 15gal QT if the worst happens? I guess I'd have to do waterchanges every day to keep the amm/nit down.

Can it not go away on it's own?

09-29-2004, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkW19

If I buy a fish from a tank that has had no whitespot signs for 6 weeks, and no new fish introduced for 6 weeks, and the fish I'm buying has been in there for 6 weeks (!), will I be ok without a QT?

The chance of introducing a parasite is still very high unfortunately. Unless the fish you are buying is in a tank connected to no other systems, has been isolated in it's own system for the entire 6 weeks and has also been treated, then you would be safe from at least C. irritans. One main problem you need to realize is that most all LFS fish systems are interconnected via the filtration and water flow so even though they may be in their own tank, they are still not truely isolated. They are also quite careless about tranfering items from tank to tank as well as sharing apparatus between tanks. The other thing to consider is that one type of med if used is not effective on all parasite types. It might supress the onslaught of a parasite for a short term but does not always effect a proper cure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkW19

And as far as treating whitespot, hyposalinity is prefered over medicine?

If C. irritans then yes, hyposalinity would be the prefered treatment. The term white spot is rather general though so be sure of what you are treating if it ever becomes necessary.

Quote:

Would 3 fish (clown/banggai/regal tang) be ok in a 15gal QT if the worst happens? I guess I'd have to do waterchanges every day to keep the amm/nit down.

Quite small to be honest you would most likely loose at least one fish due to stress and possible water quality issues. Ammonia can spike quite quickly leaving you little time to react. The Banggai and tang will not tolerate it much at all.

Quote:

Can it not go away on it's own?

Nope!!

Cheers
Steve

MarkW19 · 09-29-2004, 08:04 PM

Hehe, thanks again Steve.

The other option would be to transport the fish for an hour in individual bags to someone I know with either a QT tank each or a bigger tank for treatment.

Would this be harmful on the fish, or would you prefer this over putting the 3 fish in my QT?

If I just do a waterchange everyday in the QT, regardless of how much ammonia is in the water, will that not help prevent a spike?