7 weeks hypo and still ick!

kiefers

Active Member
okay.... I think something got lost or forgotten in the post. there were not "multiple" spots. Just one or two, and they were big. Nothing like the MICU I had. 1 or 2 BIG pimple spots. I did not see any on the fins like normal just the side. I never knew for ich, or read anywhere where the parasite left scars in the tissue. (look at the sides below). And yes.... He had not had anything to eat yet hense the piched belly,, T.R. poited that out Lol... he eats very well and often.
 

spanko

Active Member
I am not sure what copper treatment does to lympho, but I am starting to wonder, from descriptions, if it could be a case of that?
 

mproctor4

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiefers http:///forum/thread/385899/7-weeks-hypo-and-still-ick/40#post_3395214
okay.... I think something got lost or forgotten in the post. there were not "multiple" spots. Just one or two, and they were big. Nothing like the MICU I had. 1 or 2 BIG pimple spots. I did not see any on the fins like normal just the side. I never knew for ich, or read anywhere where the parasite left scars in the tissue. (look at the sides below). And yes.... He had not had anything to eat yet hense the piched belly,, T.R. poited that out Lol... he eats very well and often.

Most of the time he has only had a couple of spots at a time, but altoghter there have been close to a dozen spots (guessing here), one time there was about 5 at the same time.
From what I can tell from a magnifying glass and a quick moving tang, there isn't anything out of the norm around the gills. Also I haven't seen any scratching since about week 2 of hypo.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/385899/7-weeks-hypo-and-still-ick/40#post_3395306
I am not sure what copper treatment does to lympho, but I am starting to wonder, from descriptions, if it could be a case of that?
Our trusty local fish guy seems to think it could by lympho also, but it doesn't quite match the description he is giving us. I couldn't find any pictures that look like it either or what early stages of lympho looks like. I have never seen any "cluster" like white areas that commonly are associated with lympho. (although not always) One post I found someone had a description of something that sounded just like our YT, everyone who commented seemed to think that it was lympho but the pictures were to old to view and there was never a conclusion posted. When we first got the tang there was one spot on the fin that I thought looked like lympho but cleared up right away and haven't seen anymore on the fins. None of the pictures I have seen so far have what looks to be a BB under the fishes skin, but maybe it is just difficult to see in pictures. I know it doesn't show up in our pictures.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tangs rule
http:///forum/thread/385899/7-weeks-hypo-and-still-ick/20#post_3395183
1. it helps to properly identify the ailment. If your treating for ich, when some other malaise is present you're wasting time and fish lives.
r />2. If your performing hypo OR copper, and several weeks into the process you see A RECOURRANCE of ich and positivly identify it as so - WTF are you supposed to do - piss in the qtine tank? pray? I had a full ich comeback on my last qtine batch that had been in hypo for 3 weeks. and daily, i was seeing MORE not less, so I combined copper with the hypo. Majically, it did not kill my fish, and the navarchus angle AND orange shoulder tang AND blenny AND others survived. This was not the first time in the decade i've been doing this, that during the first treatment regimine, the parasite returned, requiring combining methods.
3. I can post links to articles that say just the opposite of what this character has calimed in the quote that you posted. That combining or "double whammy" approach is SOMETIMES required to do the trick, when ONE tratment alone either fails, OR allows a return of the parasite. Opinions are like noses, everyones got one and some are bigger than others.
4. I guess you have to make a choice, in the end. Allow the fish to die due to ich or velvet, which is a very high probablity, OR try combonations of treatment methods, AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH - and at least try to save the fishes life. But in the end - do what you want, it's your money .
I realize it helps to properly identify the ailment....that is exactly what I have been trying to do! I've been searching the internet as well and haven't found anything that is exactly like what we have.
I did the copper and hypo together because you recommened it and I trust the advice you have given me. I've had no problem combining the two methods. I just wasn't fully sure if you were aware of what the YT symptoms were and how they have changed. I certainly am not putting down your recommendations and hope I haven't insulted you in anyway, that was not my intention. Many years ago I realized that things in this hobby do not always make sense, what works for one person may not work for someone else. Also things that should never work, sometimes do.
This isn't about money.........when I entered this hobby I took on the responsiblity to keep my fish as healthy as possible. That includes new purchases as well as my current inhabitants. If it were about money, the fish would have been long gone and replaced. I'm just very frustrated and really getting tired of it, I would like to find the most effective treatment and get it done. So much for patience is a virtue....that's flying out the door about now.
 

mproctor4

Member
It looks more like lympho than ick, but it still isn't quite fitting the discription. Just to make sure it is clear, the yellow tang in post #43 is NOT our tang. Kiefers and I have a difference of opinion here, I don't think our yellow tangs symptoms look like the YT in post #43
but it does look similar to hippo's picture (that is the closest picture I have seen). Just imagine the white bumps on the hippo looking like they were sitting on top of a mosquito bite and before the white spot appears it looks like a large grain of sand on a mosquito bite. While reading one of your links there was a reference to a disease called Epitheliocystis that sounded similar but it says it mostly effects the gills, and the gills on ours looks fine. I haven't been able to find a picture of the epitheliocystis on a fish yet. The spots on our yellow tang are all a perfect circle shape (much like the blue hippo), alot of the pictures I am seeing of lympho seem to be an irregular shape.
Thanks again everyone for all of your help.
 

tangs rule

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/385899/7-weeks-hypo-and-still-ick/20#post_3395212
Okay, so is there an ich infection and by that I mean can you see the teel tale signs in a bunch of white spots over the fish, with a mag glass or 10x loop inside or around the gills? Or are these pimples just a random rare occurance?
Where the hell is Beth????
Depending on the answers you give to the above two questions I will tell you what I would do. May not be the real answer or even one you will give any thinking too but I will wade in non-the-less.
Tangs rule, this "character" seems to have some pretty extensive background here. Maybe take a moment to read his bio here, then do an internets search if still curious about his credentials.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/45723-lees-bio-k-leebca.html
I read and fully agree with 95% of his statements and experience, my only difference was during 1 treatment for parasitic issues (ick/vlevet) for fish in qtine, when you have a reoccurance of the parasite while performing 1 teratment method, it may/might be necessary to involve another method too. I've had to do this a few times this year, while treating a group of fish, and have combined hypo with copper, or copper with formalin while treating, as there was an additional and increasing outbreak of parasites in the tank - well into the single method treatment. Other than that - dude is spot on, and his artical should be required reading for anyone getting into sw fish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mproctor4
http:///forum/thread/385899/7-weeks-hypo-and-still-ick/40#post_3395394
It looks more like lympho than ick, but it still isn't quite fitting the discription. Just to make sure it is clear, the yellow tang in post #43 is NOT our tang. Kiefers and I have a difference of opinion here, I don't think our yellow tangs symptoms look like the YT in post #43
but it does look similar to hippo's picture (that is the closest picture I have seen). Just imagine the white bumps on the hippo looking like they were sitting on top of a mosquito bite and before the white spot appears it looks like a large grain of sand on a mosquito bite. While reading one of your links there was a reference to a disease called Epitheliocystis that sounded similar but it says it mostly effects the gills, and the gills on ours looks fine. I haven't been able to find a picture of the epitheliocystis on a fish yet. The spots on our yellow tang are all a perfect circle shape (much like the blue hippo), alot of the pictures I am seeing of lympho seem to be an irregular shape.
Thanks again everyone for all of your help.
That is lympho - 99% sure from your pictures. It's too big&white to be ich. Now since the fish are in a reduced salinity system with copper - i would think it would be best to stop copper, and begin a very slow SG increase to normal levels. Copper and hypo will have no effect in curing lympho, and a healthy (ier) fish should be able to kick it. BUT that is just a guess - I know raising sg will stress the fish some and don't know if it'd be best to leave it where it is, or raise it???
BETH????
I'm pretty sure removing the copper wouldn't hurt, thru waterchanges. PH maintenacne will also be imporntant in helping the fish kick the lympho, and the best sign is a good appetite, keep a strong food supply, laced with garlic&selcon/vitamins
 

mproctor4

Member
Thanks for the reply. So far I have left the copper in the tank. I started raising the salinity about a week ago. The last 2 times I have done hypo (on other fish), I took 2-3 times longer to raise the salinity then recommended, I had the time so it wasn't worth stressing them out. Right now the tank is sitting at 1.016, with the goal being 1.024. ph is and has been 8.0. Do either of you think it would be safe to move the powder blue tang to the DT once the salinity is up? He has not shown any signs of problems at all. I have very mixed feelings about it. I do not want to risk my DT but feel that it would be less stressful for both tangs to separate them. The last couple of weeks they have started to bicker, nothing serious but it is getting more frequent as they are getting bigger in a little tank.
 

mproctor4

Member
Forgot......the reason I have left the copper in was I wanted to be positive it wasn't a parasite. Also the length of treatment recommended is 4 weeks, I am only a few days shy of that so thought it wouldn't hurt to leave it in the full 4 weeks.
 

spanko

Active Member
I am also leaning towards something other than Ich now and would almost put money on the lympho.
If it were me I would put the fish back in the display and give them the loving attention and room to move they so deserve at this point. I think a little normality would go a long way here.
JMO
 

mproctor4

Member
Thanks Spanko. That is what I have been thinking but with the health of my other fish at stake, it is nice to have a second opinion. If it isn't too stressful for them I could get the salinity up by Sun. Hopefully my other tang will behave and leave them alone. He was good buddies with my other YT and for the week I had my other blue, he ignored him. Hoping for good behavior to reduce the stress. I really like my aquascaping right now, so I will probably have to rearrange it to get him to behave. Small price to pay I guess.
 

spanko

Active Member
Well it is just me and you at the moment (shhhh don't tell the old man), maybe we should see what some others say.
 

mproctor4

Member
Well......the old man likes you so I think it will be okay
Where is everybody?
I have a few days to work on raising the salinity so I have some time. Just checked it tonight it is 1.018 and I may add a little more before bed. He doesn't look too bad tonight.
 

mproctor4

Member
Well I bit the bullet and put them in the DT Fri. nite. The yellow tang looked horrible and I would not have been surprised Sat. am if I found him dead. But much to my surprise, he looked MUCH better!!! His HLLE will take a while to clear up but I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will make a full recovery and hasn't contaminated the DT. It is funny because there is minor bickering between the yellow and the powder blue, but they stick together. Most of the time they are side by side. The sailfin has been on very good behavior as well. The flame angle is the one who is giving them a hard time but they just ignore her. All of the other fish have totally ignored them. The yellow follows the cleaner wrasse around the tank begging but it doesn't appear that the cleaner wrasse is finding anything on them to clean. yeah.
Thank you TangRules and Spanko for your help!!
Ignore the cyno--recently took down my turf scrubber to make room for a bigger protein skimmer and started vodka dosing.
 

spanko

Active Member
Everything looks and sounds good so far. I think you and your creatures will be fine. What is the glass in the tank for? Do your sun coral polyps open during the day?
 

mproctor4

Member
The glass is for some loose mushrooms I had floating around. I am trying to get them to attach to some rubble so I can glue them to a rock. I have 2 clumps (scientific word there) of suncorals. The smaller clump, about 3" in diameter open several hours during the day. I've had them for about 1 1/2 yrs. I have a much larger group of suncorals you can see a corner of in the 3rd picture that have only been in the tank a few weeks. There are 3 different types of suncorals on one LARGE clam, it is about 8". There are very large polyp yellows, plain jane orange, and 2 clumps of black. The yellow and black open up a few hours during the day, the orange had some damage and are starting to come around now, they open a couple of hours a day. All open up well at night. I've had to move several pieces of coral to hubbies tank because the sailfin suddenly won't leave them alone and part of my lights went out. I'm glad I have the suncoral because they are about the only color I have right now. In a couple of months I hope to get new lights but my brain coral, candycanes, acans, etc will have to stay in hubbies tank or future Seahorse tank because of the Sailfin. Good thing I like him!
This picture was from a couple of weeks ago, they are actually looking a bit better now.
 
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