Ick or bites

[jamiegrl]

Ok so I had ick in the tank and went through the 6 week fallow DT and my 2 clown have been in a HT doing hypo for 4 weeks (im using a refractometer)
they have been in hypo SYMPTOM FREE for 3 full weeks
I started to raise the salinity and im at day 3 with the level at 1.017
the fish might be showing signs of ick... i cant tell
the fish move too fast and they have been fighting like crazy so i dont know if they are bites
they both have a little red mark on the top of their heads as well (im assuming bites... they have been goin at it like crazy)
there are 3 spots in question, they both have an area right below their mouths that could either be ick or a small injury from fighting
and on the larger clown there is a tiny white spec in the same exact spot on each side of it's body... it's flat and barely visible... i cant get a good enough look to see if it's ick or another gash...
any ideas on how to differentiate between ick and bites or how to get a better look???

 

[jamiegrl]

i used a magnifying glass and this is what I saw.
The white dots are not visible unless the sun is reflecting off them
is this what it looks like when the scales are missing?
because I looked at the fish closely for a long time and it was like the dots were disappearing... unless the light was reflecting off them like a sheen or something
isn't ick white dots that are like peices of salt speckaling them
this seems different
so my question is: Is this what it looks like when scales are removed from bites

 

[sepulatian]

It does not sound like ich to me. Ich is indeed round white dots that stick out from the fish. If they have been fighting and there are also red marks then it is likely from the aggression. Keep watching the spots. If they fall off and others appear in different places then they could be ich spots. From the description it does not sound like it though.

 

[armywife1314]

sep i was asking a question similar on a different thread it sounds a lot like what my male clown has. because he had more now he has less and now even less. i thought it was from a coral but you said that was black spots but by male and femal do tend to get a little rough now and then i just didnt think that that would be it.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by armywife1314
http:///forum/post/2630672
sep i was asking a question similar on a different thread it sounds a lot like what my male clown has. because he had more now he has less and now even less. i thought it was from a coral but you said that was black spots but by male and femal do tend to get a little rough now and then i just didnt think that that would be it.
Yeah, when the clowns fight they can leave marks, typically on the mouth and face area as well as nipped fins and tail.

 

[jamiegrl]

Thanks so much
yea like i said it's almost like a sheen where the scales are missing
the spots are flat if not indented in the flesh
the fish with these marks also has a nip out of the fin as well
i will continue with raising the salt level and keep an eye on it
if they develop true signs of ick i can always lower the level again
Thanks for all your help

 

[armywife1314]

Yeah, when the clowns fight they can leave marks, typically on the mouth and face area as well as nipped fins and tail.
good to know. it is only around his face, that makes me happier.