HELP! Sick Blue Jaw Trigger

[Mannydouhnut]

I recently purchased a pair of small BJTs they are residing in a 75 reef tank both fish are eating well and aren't shy. My male is covered in what may be ich but looks more noticeable than your standard ich the spots are much bigger. The female has it too but once my halides come on it starts to disappear through out the day. Should I do a freshwater dip or would that stress out the fish to much? These fish were not QTed because my QT sprung a leak and I didn't even notice until I got them home. HELP!

 

[Mannydouhnut]

Oh come on no one?

 

[Ingy]

It's only been an hour since you've posted about a less common type of fish. Most of us won't post about a fish we are not familiar with.

However,

My wife thought my mandarin had ick. Some mornings we see him covered in small white dots. But I saw that it was just sand particles covering him because I guess he burrows a bit to sleep. Does that help?

 

[JJ-MIK]

If you don't have any inverts or anything that can not take copper.. Try adding copper safe. If they show the ick disappearing more than likely its not gone. Just dropped off and is multiplying in the sand or rock

 

[Animal-Chin]

Post a picture of the fish, that would spark some responses...

 

[Mannydouhnut]

That's true. I don't think thats it because I have reef sand not oolite sand but the same thing used to happen to my mandarins In my forty breeders because they wood lodge them selves under the rocks at night to sleep and I had oolite sand. Next time I won't be as specific.

 

[Mannydouhnut]

K I'll try to get a pic.

 

[Mannydouhnut]

I don't know if I can he is very shy and usually only comes out when I'm at least 5 foot from the tank I'm almost positive now it's ich though so I decided the healthiest thing to do was spot feed him until he was fatter than your average bear usually. Aren't ich deaths due to to stress from parasite not the parasite itself. He doesn't even act like he is covered in parasites he still has good coloration and is very active.

 

[Mannydouhnut]

Just found out I had a 5 degree temp drop because my heater was unplugged could that have caused it? Please keep in mind I do not plan on removing the ich from my system completely I just need to keep this fish alive.

 

[mr_X]

Do not add any medication to the display. If you have to medicate them, remove them and treat them in a different container, inverts or not. 5 degree temperature swings can certainly stress fish.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Do not add any medication to the display. If you have to medicate them, remove them and treat them in a different container, inverts or not. 5 degree temperature swings can certainly stress fish.

Ditto on the temperature swing. That can cause all sorts of problems.

 

[Supa Belle]

If its ick I recommend a fresh water dip hyposalinity (1.016ppm) in a QT even if its a 5 gal bucket with an Air stone and pC every other day. And soak food in garlic guard

 

[Mannydouhnut]

Not sure how my heater got unplugged but I got the temp back up and overfed him and he is looking much better now he only has the ich on his fins and even his fins are starting to clear up.

 

[JJ-MIK]

How bad is it for temp to rise?? My heater broke on me yesterday. Somehow it turned itself all the way up.. My water temp was 87 yesterday... I added a bucket of cold ro water to cool it down.. 4 hours later it was still at 87.. Turned heater all the way down and it was still on so I unplugged it.. This morning my temp is at 82..

 

[Gregcoyote]

Don't make any sudden changes. 82 is high but not lethal. Work the temps down slowly.

 

[TheTodd]

Why would you not want the Ich taken care of? Until it is eliminated, it will stay in the tank and spread to other fish. The fact that it is "looking better" is probably due to the fact that those spots will drop off as part of the life cycle. They go into the sand and rock and multiply.

For the temp issue, bring it down slowly...more than a two degree swing per day stresses fish.

 

[mr_X]

I don't agree with stressing the fish more by moving them. I feel (and I've seen this more times than not) that fish can overcome ich if they are in a low stress environment. Ich is present in the ocean. It's always there. It's not like the whole ocean is void of fish as a result......just my .02

 

[Gregcoyote]

I don't agree with stressing the fish more by moving them. I feel (and I've seen this more times than not) that fish can overcome ich if they are in a low stress environment. Ich is present in the ocean. It's always there. It's not like the whole ocean is void of fish as a result......just my .02

Not to act as a choir for X, I agree completely. Stress and overall good environment will cure the fish as its immune system responds to a common parasite in the wild. Tangs are a classic case as stress reduces their already thin slime coat.

 

[JJ-MIK]

What about the white cotton looking stuff? My unicorn tang had white cotton spreading.. But then suddenly it all disappeared. And was healing.. Then a week later it's all back.. It's just on the tip of its fins. Fish looks great otherwise moving around like its happy..

 

[TheTodd]

I've never dealt with it, but maybe Lymphocystis? Sounds like it can come and go. Usually from stress and/or poor water conditions. Google and see if that might be it. White cottony stuff usually makes me think fungal (its the FW side of me), but that is rare in saltwater.