Is This Ich In The Pic????
- Thread starter ren99
- Start date
scubadoo
Active Member
It does not look like ich but it does look like your tang is unhappy. What size system? What are you feeding? How old is the system? What are your water parameters? Is the fish eating? Any agression in the system? How long have you had the tang? Did you inquire about where it was collected and how? Are the spots on the tang constantly?
ren99
Member
90 Gallon tank that is 4 months old
water parameter 80-84 degrees 0,0,0 amonia,nitrate, nitrite 8.3 ph.
65 # of rock with seaweed fed everyday.
got the tang 1 week ago. He ate at first, but then stopped eating for 3 days, and now is eating again off the rocks and sea weed clipping. sea weed is the only thing I been feeding him.
white dots only show up when you look at him from a very specific angle and lighting condition. another words, most of the time you cant see these white dots. White dots certainly much bigger then a sugar grain. Hes had the dots for a few days, has not gotten worse, has not gotten better. Not too sure if he came this way cuz its hard to notice since only shows up under certain angle. He does not scratch him self against rocks. Dots on him is constant.
Personally witnessed cleaning shrimp having a buffet on him 1 morning.
no idea how he was captured.
No aggression in tank. his friends include 2 clown, lawnmower, firegoby.
water parameter 80-84 degrees 0,0,0 amonia,nitrate, nitrite 8.3 ph.
65 # of rock with seaweed fed everyday.
got the tang 1 week ago. He ate at first, but then stopped eating for 3 days, and now is eating again off the rocks and sea weed clipping. sea weed is the only thing I been feeding him.
white dots only show up when you look at him from a very specific angle and lighting condition. another words, most of the time you cant see these white dots. White dots certainly much bigger then a sugar grain. Hes had the dots for a few days, has not gotten worse, has not gotten better. Not too sure if he came this way cuz its hard to notice since only shows up under certain angle. He does not scratch him self against rocks. Dots on him is constant.
Personally witnessed cleaning shrimp having a buffet on him 1 morning.
no idea how he was captured.
No aggression in tank. his friends include 2 clown, lawnmower, firegoby.
scubadoo
Active Member
The pic does not look like ich but your words seem to indicate that it could be . If he has only been in the system for a week he could be stressed. A 90 is too small if this is a large Naso. He could be feeling stressed due to feeling cramped. If he is a small Naso he can survive for a brief period of maybe a year in your system.
I would monitor him to see if the condition worsens. if I go by your pic it does not appear to be ich. If I go by your words it appears ich is a possibility.
Also, your water temp swing of 4 degess (80-84) is not good. The temp should not fluctuate by more than two degrees. Constant fluctuations in water temp of greater than 2 degrees can bring on disease if disease is present in the system. Not good if the 4 degree fluctuation occurs on a daily basiis.
You also need to feed hin some Mysis shrimp and some other food. Greens need to be a vital part of his diet but not the only thing.
JMO
I would monitor him to see if the condition worsens. if I go by your pic it does not appear to be ich. If I go by your words it appears ich is a possibility.
Also, your water temp swing of 4 degess (80-84) is not good. The temp should not fluctuate by more than two degrees. Constant fluctuations in water temp of greater than 2 degrees can bring on disease if disease is present in the system. Not good if the 4 degree fluctuation occurs on a daily basiis.
You also need to feed hin some Mysis shrimp and some other food. Greens need to be a vital part of his diet but not the only thing.
JMO
Good comments, Scuba.
Try stablizing that water temp.
Is the food you mention the only items the tang will eat? Or is that all you have tried to feed? If he is refusing other food, you may try to make a homemade mix similiar to what I posted in the FAQ, adding some of the seaweed to this if you like. In the mix, add some fresh garlic [not bottled], then try to coax the tang to eat the mix [in addition to the sheets you are already feeding] using a turkey baster for target feeding. If he starts to eat, start also soaking this mix in zoecon at least for 1 feeding a day.
If your cleaning, then likely the fish is suffering from parasites.....do you have a QT?
Try stablizing that water temp.
Is the food you mention the only items the tang will eat? Or is that all you have tried to feed? If he is refusing other food, you may try to make a homemade mix similiar to what I posted in the FAQ, adding some of the seaweed to this if you like. In the mix, add some fresh garlic [not bottled], then try to coax the tang to eat the mix [in addition to the sheets you are already feeding] using a turkey baster for target feeding. If he starts to eat, start also soaking this mix in zoecon at least for 1 feeding a day.
If your cleaning, then likely the fish is suffering from parasites.....do you have a QT?
speg
Active Member
A few fish will do this as a sign of stress. Usually when you receive the species from the pet store you'll look in the bag and notice that he has large white circles covering his body (and this is where you panic usually!). When you are bringing it home from the LFS it is a usual occurance ... though if he has been in your system for a while you should consider doing a lot of checking/testing/improving. Ich will actually protrude from the fish, these dots are just changes in color in small areas on the fish.
ren99
Member
Thanks for everyone's comments.
Yes, water temperature is going to be more stable in the coming weeks as I have built a cooling fan system from used computer parts. But now that the temperature is getting under control, I am having a problem with the water evaporating too fast! about 2-3 gallons a day! but that can be its own thread.
I tried to feed him plankton as well. Is this good for him? However he does not seem to be enjoying plankton as much as I don't see him eating much of that.
Beth can you explain what you mean by feeding a fish with turkey blaster? Last time I put something near the tang, he ran away quite fast. Same for my fire goby which just darted back into his hiding hole instantly.
I will monitor his white spots for a few more days. (althou I think he is getting better, or could just be my optimistic thinking)
Scuba doo, why did you say my tang looks unhappy? What made you say this from the picture alone?
Yes, water temperature is going to be more stable in the coming weeks as I have built a cooling fan system from used computer parts. But now that the temperature is getting under control, I am having a problem with the water evaporating too fast! about 2-3 gallons a day! but that can be its own thread.
I tried to feed him plankton as well. Is this good for him? However he does not seem to be enjoying plankton as much as I don't see him eating much of that.
Beth can you explain what you mean by feeding a fish with turkey blaster? Last time I put something near the tang, he ran away quite fast. Same for my fire goby which just darted back into his hiding hole instantly.
I will monitor his white spots for a few more days. (althou I think he is getting better, or could just be my optimistic thinking)
Scuba doo, why did you say my tang looks unhappy? What made you say this from the picture alone?
ohiorn67
Member
Wow, you sound just like me, although my naso does not have these spot issues. I have a 90 gallon with a naso that has been in for about 3 weeks. I am currently getting ready to order a new 180 tank this Saturday if all goes well. My naso is about 4 1/2 inces long or so and seems very happy in the tank. She LIVES for the moment I will put algae sheets in her clip and I try to put a variety. She has no interest at all in other food and garlic she could care less about. I have just realized that if I take the actual clip out of the tank and she can't stare at it..full or empty, she will eat a few flake food pieces that happen her way when I feed the tank the rest of the flake food. She has no interest at all in mysis or frozen emerald entree but will eat just a few of these flakes. She appears very very healthy so I have not raised any concerned yet and is soooo social as a fish and fun. So far so good..how big is your naso? Also your list of fish crack me up. I have a pair of mated maroons, a bicolor blenny and a 6 line wrasse with mine...very similar ...show me pics of your tank!!
speg
Active Member
He said he was unhappy because.... he is. The fish is showing these spots as a sign that the fish is stressed. It is not ich... but stress often leads to ich. Your tang isnt gonna be able to eat phytoplankton. Try some algae sheets with a clip, spirulina flakes, spirulina enriched frozen brine shrimp etc. Its a tang and it needs vegies..... ones that it can see 
ohiorn67
Member
HI again...yes, my tank is 4 months old as well. Nice pics. I think part of the problem (chime in if others agree with me) is that many times naso tangs that are under about 4 inches are not as hardy so am truly hoping that your tang will be an exception. Turning blue I am sure what you mean? Naso tangs are grey and stay that way. Oh yeah and my spoiled tang will eat a little spirulina flakes....I think the big issue for you will be size and whether the naso you have will do ok but just keep watching close. I don't think this is ick but is stress. My naso on the way home in the back had that from being moved...but it was gone an hour into the tank. Here are a couple of my tank pics.....
scubadoo
Active Member
Originally Posted by ren99
Thanks for everyone's comments.
Scuba doo, why did you say my tang looks unhappy? What made you say this from the picture alone?
The bleached out areas are a sign of stress. It could be caused by numerous factors...water quality, diet, others tormenting/aggression, temp fluctuations, lack of appropriate water movement, etc.
The temp fluctutations you currently have could be stressing the new addition. IMO...you should address that ASAP.
Also, make sure you have plenty water movement...a must for keeping tangs healthy and happy.
Thanks for everyone's comments.
Scuba doo, why did you say my tang looks unhappy? What made you say this from the picture alone?
The bleached out areas are a sign of stress. It could be caused by numerous factors...water quality, diet, others tormenting/aggression, temp fluctuations, lack of appropriate water movement, etc.
The temp fluctutations you currently have could be stressing the new addition. IMO...you should address that ASAP.
Also, make sure you have plenty water movement...a must for keeping tangs healthy and happy.
Turkey baster, not blaster. This is a cooking utensil used to marinate turkey while it bakes. It is commonly used in the hobby to target feed fish. Basically, you prepare the fish's food, when ready to feed, add seawater, then syphon the food up into the turkey baster. Then put the baster in the tank and slowly release the food in the vicinity of the fish. Hopefully the fish will get the idea that this equals food and will start eating better. I have even manually fed fish with this.
Think about preparing a homemade food such as the one I have listed in the FAQ.
Think about preparing a homemade food such as the one I have listed in the FAQ.
bird dog
Member
With out a doubt stress. If it is eating you are doing good. Some tangs like a powder blue get color flashes when they are confronted by oyher fish. Ick likes to kill tangs with thin skin like Powder Blue ,Powder Brown and Naso is next in line. Your fish would start to get
a multitude of little white dots and you would see it scrape on rocks and point itself into your water flow.When it stops eating and slows down it too late.
a multitude of little white dots and you would see it scrape on rocks and point itself into your water flow.When it stops eating and slows down it too late.
ohiorn67
Member
I tend ot disagree, sorry.....it is a bit of stress yes so please address that...but I researched and researched tangs before ever purchasing my naso.....and they are one of the hardiest LAST tangs to get ich .....the powder blue's and other blue's and such have very thin skin that it is easy for the ick to adhere to..the naso's have much thicker skin which is why they are considered easier regarding getting ick. All tangs are more subseptible than many other fish but in tangs, naso's are not an "ick magnet" as the blues.