Ich or just debris

[hookedtofowlr]

I know this might sound a little silly but I am having a hard time differentiating some white specks on a couple of my fish. My coral beauty appears to have a few specks all together right above his mouth and my puffer just has a few on his back. My problem is I cannot tell if it is ich or just sand because I know my puffer goes after the crabs and snails frequently always kicking stuff up and the coral is always picking things off of my live rock. Is there any way to tell for sure short of pointing my powerhead at them which the puffer wouldnt mind but would freak the coral beauty out. Thanks!

 

[rcreations]

Ich dots are perfectly round. If it's debris, it should come off within an hour or two. As the fish swims, flow, etc will blow the debris off. If it's ich, it'll stay in the same spot for 1 to 2 days. So if the same white speck has not moved for a day or more, it's ich.

 

[hookedtofowlr]

I will continue to keep a close watch on it then. If it was ich doesn't it affect their eating? Because both of these fish eat a ton when I feed them. By the way all water parameters are great (0 am, 0 nitrites, 5 nitrate, 1.022salinity, 8.1 ph, temp 81) Thanks!

 

[al mc]

Originally Posted by HookedtoFowlr
http:///forum/post/2803904
I will continue to keep a close watch on it then. If it was ich doesn't it affect their eating? Because both of these fish eat a ton when I feed them. By the way all water parameters are great (0 am, 0 nitrites, 5 nitrate, 1.022salinity, 8.1 ph, temp 81) Thanks!
It may not affect the appetite initially. Like many parasitic infections it can cause quick death without symptoms, slow progessive disease to death or full recovery with or without treatment. ***if no treatment and full recovery Ich is still in the system and may recur at any time.

 

[rcreations]

If water conditions are good and fish are healthy, light ich infestation doesn't affect apetite. But if you don't find a way to control it (diet, cleaner shrimp, cleaner wrasse) or get rid of it (copper, hypo), the ich will multiply until it really takes over and kills the fish.

 

[hookedtofowlr]

Alright my lfs never carries cleaner wrasses and I am not sure of the life expectancy of a cleaner shrimp with my puffer. Unfortunately my qt is not ready yet do I have any other options? In my dt I have live rock, fish and a few snails and crabs. Does kick ich work what about diet should I feed anything special? Thanks.

 

[rcreations]

I think your only 2 options are to control or eliminate the ich. Control is through cleaner shrimp, cleaner wrasse, garlic and good diet. Eliminate is with copper or hypo. Copper and hypo should be done in a QT. I don't think any of the medications like Kick Ich work.
btw, I've had the same cleaner shrimp for almost a year and there are triggers and a dogface puffer with it. Most fish will recognize it as a cleaner and won't eat it.

 

[hookedtofowlr]

Thanks for the info. I will go by the lfs and see if they have any cleaner shrimp in stock tomorrow. When you say garlic are you referring to fresh garlic or a supplement you buy at an lfs? Right now I have been feeding the puffer freeze dried krill and once a week frozen mussels and the coral beauty is on a mix of new life spectrum pellets and sera gvg marin mix. Should I change anything? Thanks for your time!

 

[rcreations]

I'm personally not a fan of pellet and freeze dried foods. I feed my fish only frozen foods like forumla 1, mysis, squid, krill, mussels, angel formula, emerald formula, different stuff every day. Add to it freshly squeezed garlic and vitamins like selcon. Soak the food for 5 minutes before feeding.
I should mention... try to add the cleaner shrimp at night when the light are off. This way your fish won't mistake it for food.

 

[hookedtofowlr]

Unfortunately my local lfs is going out of business and did not have any cleaner shrimp in stock. There is a bigger lfs about 1 hr from me but I cannot get up there until this weekend. They did sell me some seachem focus plus metho (sp?) recommended to mix with food and feed. Have you used that before? I wanted to try something until I can get a QT up and running. Also when I get it up and going if I buy a UV and start running that everyday and dont add any new fish will that kill off any remaining parasites? Thanks

 

[rcreations]

The ich will die on its own if it has no fish to feed on. You need to leave your DT fallow for 6 weeks, maybe even 8 to make sure all the ich is gone. The UV will help kill the ich in the water column, but it's not gonna solve your problem by itself. I think UV is more useful for those who want to keep ich under control, combined with the other methods. Not for those who want to completely eliminate it.