Ich I think

[revhtree]

I think one of my fish has ich, little white spots all over his body and fins, They just popped up. I looked at him at 6, and then got back at 8:30, and he is covered. Could it be something else. Also, I have another prob. I have a qt but the nitrite, and nitrate are off the chart. What can I do? Please Help?

Thanks.

Ps. I have little white dots all over the back of my tank???

 

[steve-s]

I think one of my fish has ich, little white spots all over his body and fins, They just popped up. I looked at him at 6, and then got back at 8:30, and he is covered. Could it be something else.

Could also be velvet but if I'm correct, you have also recently added fish to the main without a QT period. You really have little choice but to QT all the fish you have now and treat with Cupramine to be safe. It will help if it's either problem. How many days since the last fish was added?

Also, I have another prob. I have a qt but the nitrite, and nitrate are off the chart. What can I do? Please Help?

Only option here is water changes to bring it down to safe levels. Just keep in mind that once the fish and meds are added, any water for water changes must be medicated before it's added to maintain the copper concentration.

Ps. I have little white dots all over the back of my tank???

Could be snails eggs or spirorbid worms. In either case, nothing to be concerned about. Cysts from C. irritans are rarely visible to the eye.

Cheers
Steve

 

[quarryshark]

Want to just add to the above that the main tank will need to be void of fish (inverts are Ok) for at least 4 week, 6 would be better to allow the parasite to go though its life cycle and die off. If you don't, it will come back.
Also if you use cupramine, you will also need to get the sea chem test kit to keep the level of copper at thereputic levels.
Good luck!!

 

[revhtree]

All I have is a 10g qt tank.....is this ok for all my fish?

Should I geta bigger tank and add the water from the qt tank, and also some water from the main tank? Say 25g...10g from qt, and 15 from the main tank?

Is green x something I could use to treat the qt tank?

Will it die out from the main tank after 4-6 weeks on it's on?

Also What is the exact test kit I will need?

 

[gump3842k]

If your sure it's velvet or ich coudnt you use hyposalinty in your main tank for 4-6 weeks while keeping everything else in QT tank...thats what I did and it worked

 

[revhtree]

Thanks for the help..anymore suggestions? Is the idea for the 25g tank ok??

 

[Brisc0]

My purple tang bloomed with ich three days ago, and im talking big time. I have three scarlet skunks in the tank and they are keeping him clean. I think netting the infect fish, moving it to a new environment, then adding meds can be as stressful and damaging as the parasite itself. My clowns have had ich on and off for their life in my display, but never more than a slight case of it. My green chromis seem immune, and the scarlets clean up the mandarin and tang. I don't suspect my methods are the most popular, however I have had good success so far by natural methods of ridding the parasite coupled with healthy diet and good water quality. Best of luck to you, I hope everything works out.

Had to edit the post to add that tomorrow is day four of my tangs massive ich infestation and I suspect if things improve as rapidly as they have since the onset he should have a clean bill of health by day 5 or 6. I understand the cause of the infection is not irradicated by this method, and there is no true immunity from exposure (in case post that follow wanted to remind me of that LoL). I just wanted to give another perspective other than QT that seems to have at least some success in my tank.

 

[steve-s]

Should I geta bigger tank and add the water from the qt tank, and also some water from the main tank? Say 25g...10g from qt, and 15 from the main tank?

Considering the fish you have a 20 gal long would make a better choice. You need tank length to allow more swimming room. Everything from the existing QT could be transfered over to seed the new QT and the remaining water needed could be transfered over from the main tank. I would aslo get some extra filtration equip and a heater for the 10 gal in case you needed the additional space.

Is green x something I could use to treat the qt tank?

Green-ex is hit and miss and not something I would reoommend.

Will it die out from the main tank after 4-6 weeks on it's on?

As long as there are no fish remaining in the main tank, yes. No host=no parasite (given enough time)

Also What is the exact test kit I will need?

Seachems multi-test copper kit for the Cupramine, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and alk/pH.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

If your sure it's velvet or ich coudnt you use hyposalinty in your main tank for 4-6 weeks while keeping everything else in QT tank...thats what I did and it worked

If this was a sure case of C. irritans what you suggest is possible although all life in the sand bed would be extinguished as well. If there was a misdiagnosis and this was Amyloodinium ocellatum (velvet), hyposalinity would be ineffective. You need to use copper which cannot be used in the display tank.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

You knew this was comming so please do not be offended

tomorrow is day four of my tangs massive ich infestation and I suspect if things improve as rapidly as they have since the onset he should have a clean bill of health by day 5 or 6. I understand the cause of the infection is not irradicated by this method, and there is no true immunity from exposure (in case post that follow wanted to remind me of that LoL). I just wanted to give another perspective other than QT that seems to have at least some success in my tank.

To point out a few facts concerning the life cycle of the C. irritans. The time line for the parasite is much longer than you might think and 5-6 days is no guage of success (although I do hope you acheive it, I have strong doubts).

On the fish>> from a few days upto one week
From the fish to encysting>> Approx 24 hrs
From the cysts to becoming new Theronts>> a few days upto a month
New theront to fish>> up to 24 hrs

Without meds to interupt the life cycle, the parasite in fact can go 35 days (approx) to complete one turn of it's life cycle. I would say you are far from "out of the woods". Also keep in mind that natuaral "biological" cleaners are effective somewhat in the wild but the fish they are aiding are not in a closed system where the parasites can easily infest them. They are in the open ocean where the parasite fisn them by chance

I think netting the infect fish, moving it to a new environment, then adding meds can be as stressful and damaging as the parasite itself. My clowns have had ich on and off for their life in my display, but never more than a slight case of it.

Don't you think the fish constantly battling a parasite is just as stressful? If you take the lesser of two evils, the treatment is a one time occurance if done properly. The fish can then live out the rest of it's life without the constant aggravation. 8)

Cheers
Steve

 

[quarryshark]

If your sure it's velvet or ich coudnt you use hyposalinty in your main tank for 4-6 weeks while keeping everything else in QT tank...thats what I did and it worked

If this was a sure case of C. irritans what you suggest is possible although all life in the sand bed would be extinguished as well. If there was a misdiagnosis and this was Amyloodinium ocellatum (velvet), hyposalinity would be ineffective. You need to use copper which cannot be used in the display tank.

Cheers
Steve

I concur, I tried this treatment for velvet (in a qt tank). It cost me 3 fish. Cupramine is a relatively mellow copper that works well.

 

[steve-s]

BTW, moved to the SW sick fish/coral forum

Cheers
Steve

 

[revhtree]

Thanks All.

 

[Brisc0]

I understand the cause of the infection is not irradicated by this method, and there is no true immunity from exposure (in case post that follow wanted to remind me of that LoL)

Cleaner shrimp, good diet with garlic, temps above 82, and UV are the remedy that works best for me, It won't be out of my tank as fast as a QT 4 - 6 week treatment, likely will never be 100% out, but I can keep it under control this way and hopefully my fish will be better for it in the long run.

 

[Brisc0]

You knew this was comming so please do not be offended

No offense at all my friend, I respect your opinion and the polite way you challenge mine. The diversity of how we do things is what I love about this place. Anyhow, if we all did it the same way, we wouldn't have anything to talk about LoL

 

[revhtree]

Should I put a power head in the qt tank?

What Size Filter should I have for a 20-25g qt tank?

 

[steve-s]

Should I put a power head in the qt tank?

Wouldn't hurt. I would use a slower flow model though. You need just enough to keep the water aerated (at the surface) without creating to much flow for the fish.

What Size Filter should I have for a 20-25g qt tank?

What did you have on the 10 gal? Any type of HOB rated for that size tank should do. Especially with the added PH.

Just a note on the temp mentioned above... Above normal temps do not actually kill C. irritans but simpley speed up the life cycle. It can be a means to and end at times though. The optimum breading temp for the parasite is 86°.

Cheers
Steve

 

[revhtree]

Ok, I got the cupramine today, and the copper test. I will set up the new tank tomorrow. I hope it is not to late. It looks real bad tonight. The appetites are down, one not eating at all.

How long does it normally take to destroy the fish, once you notice the ich??

 

[quarryshark]

It depend of if its velvet or ich. If its velvet, it can kill very fast. If its ich, it can kill fast too depending on the level of infestation. Ich also can dissapear for a few days, weeks and come back twofold.
I'm not sure about this, but based on you posts you may have velvet in you tank. I did not see anything about this in your posts until today. How long has this been developing? Velvet has a fast onset.
Either way I would move fast. Not eating is not a good sign.
Do you know how to fw dip? It could give you fish some relief when moving them to the qt tank.
If I could beat it, so can you.

 

[revhtree]

Thanks quarryshark, I needed that boost of confidence. How do you freshwater dip?

I have read some on it, but have never done it. What do you recommed is the best way?

Thanks. :?