ICH (white spots)

[snowdude]

I have a 65 gallon tank. I have a shrimp and blemmy, they seem unaffected, and they have been there the longest. But my clown and tang have white spots. PLEASE... any suggestions? All testing for nitrites, nitrates, ph and ammonia levels are perfect in my tank.

Poor water quality has nothing to do with parasitic problems although it will lower the fish's immune response allowing the fish to become infested faster. Inverts are unaffected by fish pathogens and bennies/gobies do seem to have higher resistances to these types of problems although no fish is immune for long periods.

How long since the last fish addition?

Quarantine all the fish and determine if the problem is Cryptocaryon irritans aka ich which will appear as small sugar sized nodes. In which case the best treatment will be >>hyposalinity<<. Or possibley Amyloodinium ocellatum aka marine velvet which will appear smaller like grains of salt or a light dusting. The best treatment there is copper, preferabley chelated or better still Seachem's Cupramine.

With the clown you should also keep a look out for Brooklynella hostilis or clownfish disease. Usually visible by excess sliming on the fish almost like a cloud surrounding the fishs' body. Best treatment would be formalin.

In any case of the above, once the fish are removed and QT'd the main display should remain fallow for a minumum of 4 weeks, preferbley 6.

Cheers
Steve

[SquishyFish]

My suggestion is to read this article. Its fairly simple...it covers the life cycle, treatments and prevention. The short verision is basically what he told you. The life cycle is 4 weeks. Meds dont effect the parasite in its "cyst" form. So you have to treat the life cycle..not the visible parasites. Quarantine the fish...fallow the tank. Other treatments are listed in the article.

http://www.reef-aquarium.net/resources/disease/ich.html