ick???

[khoward20]

Ok we have a 38 gallon tank, with 2damsels, a goldnetail eel,some hermit crabs, snails, and a brittle star, and we just added a coral beauty. This is where we might have a problem. I have noticed a few white spots on it. We have only had it for 4days, it seems to be acting fine, eating fine and looking fine besides the few white spots. Should we be worried? And if so what can I treat my tank with? Or do I have to set up a seperate quarantine tank? We are kind of limited because our LFS is pretty poor. Anyway any advice will help thanks.

 

[sankysyuck]

Wait just a few days to make sure its ick. If it is then I'd suggest malachite green or some kind of copper based treatment. Ick is a more of a minor disease problem as long as you diagnose it early and don't wait until your fish are covered in spots. The fish will die withought medication, if you have any inverts in your tank then DO NOT use a copper based medication. It will kill the inverts.

 

[khoward20]

ok i have hermit crabs, snails, and a starfish, what can i use?//

 

[khoward20]

is it possible that it is something harmless?

 

[scubadoo]

You can remove the fish to a QT tank and treat with hyposalinity.
You can also feed the angel garlic soaked food and other vitamins to boost the immune system while in the display tank
A fish entering a new enviornment is often stressed. If the angel is stressed and the parasite present in your tank then they will find that stressed fish.
Check your water parmeters to make sure they are good. Poor water qualty can also bring on ich if the parasite is present in your system.
It is alsready in your display tank so removing the angel will most ilikely not remove the disease.
Copper is not the best approach for ich as it can causes problems with internal organs and cannot be used with inverts, etc. You should never treat the display tank with copper based medications, as it is difficult to totally remove.
I would wait...and soak your food in garlic as well as vitamins. Monitor the other fish for signs of the disease. Erratic swimming and rubbing aginst rocks and other surfaces are also signs of ich. I'm sure you are familiar with the white spots.
I totally disagree that fish with ich will die unless copper and/or a medication is used. Not true as hyposlanity and boosting the immune system of fish will also kick the disease. I have used the boosting of the immune system approach numerous times with success.
JMO

 

[rgaskins]

I'm in the same boat with my daughter's tank...We went to our LPS to pick up some food for our dog...They I guess you could say they carry fish...I think they have more dead than alive...My daughter saw a royal gramma and wanted it....The whole time I was thinking this was a bad idea because of the quality of the fish...Well I purchased him and placed him into a cooler(the one that saltwaterfish.com ships them in) for the 10 minute drive home...I acclimated him for 3 hrs. and the next morning I wake up to find he is covered in ick...If I get this problem fixed I will NEVER buy fish from there again...Saltwaterfish.com is the only place for me...Their fish seem so hardy...And the service is much better the the LPS...