fish still rubbing on rocks

[copi]

I'm new around here & didn't realize there was a board just for questions on sick fish, so I'm posting my follow up here.

The first part of my question and replies is here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=33972

I've changed some water and water tests are coming in line. Two damsels died, two still swimming. The two remaining are constantly scraping themselves on the rocks. No other signs of disease in these two.

I don't know what to do... advice appreciated. Thanks so much.

 

[clowninround]

Are you sure it's not marine velvet? Do you have a QT tank? I would move them into one and keep a closer eye on them. Velvet looks like a fine white dusting on the fish which may be whats causing the discoloration. It might be kinda hard to see. But the thing is, if you put them in a QT tank and they do end up have some type of parasite, you are also elimating the risk of the fish getting it again once they are treated and put back into the tank. Hope this helps.

 

[copi]

The two damsels are the only living things in my tank at present. Is there reason to move them to another tank?

I was reading a bit on hyposalinity -- any thoughts on this technique?

Thanks.

 

[quarryshark]

If it were marine velvet, hypo won't work. it only works on ich. The proper treatment for velvet is copper (preferably cupramine) in a qt tank. You don't ever want to use copper in your display tank.

 

[clowninround]

Don't get coppersafe, it's a chelated copper and it's hard to find a test kit for it. I was recommended to use the SeaChem brand. There tests and products I have found to be the more reliable line anyways. Thats just what I've noticed.

 

[clowninround]

Sorry quarryshark, didn't notice you already recommended it . Listen to Quarryshark, he knows his stuff!

 

[austinsdad]

Look at the pec fins. See any fine white spots? I think that's where you'll see Velvet first. Any fine white spots on the fish yet? When I had it, I didn't know 'till after a few deaths. It looked like the fish hand fine sand stuck to their bodies.

Sounds like you gotta get the right diagnosis - whether velvet, ick, or something else, and whether hypo or other meds are needed. Guess it'd be hard to fix something not knowing what it is first.

 

[copi]

I see some white on my fish now...

The larger fish has a white spot on his tail... it looks like a small bread crumb stuck to him.

The smaller fish has two similar spots on his top side -- small white specks that are three dimensional... the fish isn't changing color, but rather it appears that there is something stuck to the fish.

Sounds like ick then??

Also, why not copper in the main tank if it is fish only?

Thanks so much, you folks are a huuuge help to me!!!

 

[clowninround]

Because even if you're not doing corals, invertebrates probabally won't survive in that tank, ever. Copper is really hard to get out of a tank.

 

[copi]

The spots are probably better described as similar to a grain of sugar or salt... thats what they look like. One spot on the tail of the larger fish, two such spots on the topside of the smaller fish.

 

[dralarms]

Sounds like ich.

 

[clowninround]

Do you have a pic?

 

[clowninround]

You're going to need to treat them with copper. It'll treat ich and velvet. Like QS said, try to get some cupramine and a seachem copper test. Whatever copper treatment you get you're gonna need to make sure that the test kit tests for that type of copper.

 

[quarryshark]

You don't want to treat in the main. For one, anything porous will absorb copper making it difficult to maintain treatment level.
Also, when the treatment is done, your biological filter will be all but dead.
Also, it will leach out of any thing porous for a looong time. Your sand and rock will be dead, you will be unable to add inverts or coral for a very long time, maybe never as far as coral goes.
Just generally a very bad idea to treat the main. Shortcuts with treatment are not advised, especially by those of us who have been through it. Myself and the previous 2 posters I know have beaten parasitic outbreaks with the use of qt and did no damage to our system.

 

[austinsdad]

I believe you gotta also remove any carbon from the filter - assuming the copper treatment is done in a QT tank with a small HOB filter.

 

[copi]

I gave my fish a fresh water dip. They didn't seem to enjoy it at all... basically they sank to the bottom and didn't move. Was worried that I'd killed them.

Upon returning them to the aquarium, the salt-grain-like spots on the fish are no longer present. Is this a definitive diagnosis of ich? If so, is hyposalinity a reasonable option?

Thanks.

 

[dralarms]

Sounds liek it.

 

[quarryshark]

Sounds like you are on the right track.