Could this be...the dreaded ick?

[albionpo]

I just brought home a racoon butterfly yesterday afternoon...looked great in the store, eating...good color...no spots. Hmmm....I get him home and in the tank ( my QT is being used right now ) and within a few hours he's got some white spots on body & fins. Looked like grains of sand or yes, I could even say SALT. So, I'm freakin out thinking I've got the dreaded ick here, and I'm all ready to set up the HT today but he looks great this morning, with no spots whatsoever! Could the spots I saw have been grains of sand or something? Do fish usually show signs of ick that early coming from the LFS? What do you guys think? Do the spots come & go so fast like that? Thanks for your advise...
PS: There hasn't been any scratching or hiding & he's been eating fine since I got him in...Hmmm...
[ November 19, 2001: Message edited by: Albionpo ]

 

[beth]

PLAY IT SAFE! And go ahead and place the fish in QT. Don't treat yet; just wait and see.
In the meantime. Do a water change in your main tank, and start feeding your fish garlic soaked food.

 

[albionpo]

Thanks Beth, I moved him over yesterday to the HT and while I haven't seen any more spots,I did see some reddening at the base of his fins...I'm thinking that the spots I saw were sand or maybe bubbles cuz I don't see them any more and still no scratching or anything but I do believe he's got a bacterial infection! ( maybe the start of finrot ) Now, I had the same problem not too long ago with another fish and all my water paramaters were and still are just fine...I don't know where the problem is coming from but there's obviously something wrong in my main tank. So...now I have my only two fish in the HT eating vitamin soaked food and taking maracyn/maracyn2 very well, looking better but I'm really freaked about putting them back into the tank! What do you think could be causing this bacteria build-up? Water quality seems to be fine Ammo-0 Trites-0 Trates-.5 or less PH 8.2 SG 1.024( I've had it checked at the LFS too ) but the fish don't seem to think so! I think I'll do a major water change ( 50% ) and clean up in the tank but I don't want to hurt the biological filter in the process. How can I be sure it's not going to hurt my fish again? Can anyone offer any suggestions here? Sorry this is so long!! I'm just quite confused and frustrated! Thanks!!

 

[beth]

Well, you don't know yet what your fish have.
What type of filtrations are you using in your main tank? What temp does your tank usually run? Is this a FO tank?
[ November 21, 2001: Message edited by: Beth ]

 

[albionpo]

Sorry, I forgot to include all that good stuff...My main tank is a 55G FO with a few pieces of LR and LS, some small inverts that came in on LR...snails, crabs...I'm currently using an Emperor400 filter ( just ordered a skimmer but it's not here yet )and my tank has been cycled for about 1 month now...The temp in my tank stays on the higher side of normal (around 79-80) as I live in a warm area. The only fish I had in the tank were a couple of tank raised percs ( one has died since put in the HT ) and more recently, the racoon B/F...I thought they might have a bacterial infection because of the reddening at the fins and some deterioration on fins as well...Don't see signs of any thing else ( no scratching, spots )so I just can't figure out where it could be coming from...They look better now but I'm so scared of putting these guys back in the main tank after they finish their antibiotics! I've changed out 30% of the water, cleaned everything up and all the water parameters still come out perfect...I've got these little tiny black worms in the tank that make me wonder...I understand most worms are good for your sand bed but I can't ID these things for the life of me! I've posted on this before but still haven't figured them out. Do you think they could have been an internal parasite? came out in the feces maybe? They're so tiny but seem to be all over the place...just no sign of them ON the fishies. Anyway, I'm so confused and hoping I don't have to tear down this tank and start all over...Yikes! Any ideas?
[ November 22, 2001: Message edited by: Albionpo ]

 

[albionpo]

Ok TerryB, Thanks! So, I'll stop the M1 now and continue the M2 at double the recommended dose? Cool...hope it does the job! Any ideas on these little black worms? I did a nice overhaul on the tank-cleaned everything, but the worms are still hangin out...like this big -- . Dozens in sight and who knows what's down in the sand!!! Should I be worried? Thanks for the advice!

 

[beth]

No, don't worry about the worms. I think you're problem is that your tank is very new. Butterfly fish are delicate fish. Both clowns and butterflys are better left to the well established aquarium.

 

[albionpo]

Thanks Terry & Beth for you help & advice! I was hoping my Racoon would be fine cuz I've heard they're a hardier B/F and I wanted him to help eat some aiptasia I had on my LR...I hope he makes it, he's really beautiful! Anyway, an update on my fish...Racoon is eating ravenously but colors are kind of fading & looking "washed out", clownfish isn't eating at all and niether one has had any bowel movements since placement in the HT! Well, I hope I'm doing the right thing here...M2 double dose, vitamin soaked food...I've heard a freshwater dip will help with the Bowel movements? If they aren't doing fine after the treatments, should I try another dose? Anyway, Thanks for your help, have a Happy Thanksgiving & God bless...