Is this ICH
- Thread starter jwhiteuwc
- Start date
jwhiteuwc
Member
I posted this in the "NEWBIES" forums as well.
Here is the link to that forum.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/111167/is-this-ich
Questions I asked there are:
Hello,
I was watching my Hippo/Regal Tang up close and noticed these white, raised, spots on him.
I hope you can ID them from the PIC.
I do have a southdown sand bad, and at first glance it looks like peices of the sand are stuck to him.
It it is, please here are a few questions on treatment.
My current setup is 2 - clowns, 1-hippo tang 60lbs of live rock
25 snails - few crabs, 1-cleaner shrimp.
If I do have ICH I plan on setting up a QT tank to do hyposalinity on him, now for the questions.
I Must remove all fish right?
Do have to remove snails/crabs and shrimp from the main tank?
Arg... first time with ICH if that's what it is. Frustrating.
Thank god I have a 35gal laying around
Here is the link to that forum.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/111167/is-this-ich
Questions I asked there are:
Hello,
I was watching my Hippo/Regal Tang up close and noticed these white, raised, spots on him.
I hope you can ID them from the PIC.
I do have a southdown sand bad, and at first glance it looks like peices of the sand are stuck to him.
It it is, please here are a few questions on treatment.
My current setup is 2 - clowns, 1-hippo tang 60lbs of live rock
25 snails - few crabs, 1-cleaner shrimp.
If I do have ICH I plan on setting up a QT tank to do hyposalinity on him, now for the questions.
I Must remove all fish right?
Do have to remove snails/crabs and shrimp from the main tank?
Arg... first time with ICH if that's what it is. Frustrating.
Thank god I have a 35gal laying around
elfdoctors
Active Member
It sure looks suspicious for ich!
How long has it been since the symptoms showed up? How long after your last addition did the first symptoms show up? Are there any other symptoms (e.g scratching at rocks, labored breathing)? Has anything disturbed the sandbed (e.g. moving a powerhead jet to send a spray of sand into the tank)?
If it is sand grains, it will not last long although the fish may be scratching at the rocks. I have seen this on my own hippo after I adjusting powerheads. This diagnosis can explain some of the "cures" from the reefsafe medications.
Glad to hear you are setting up a QT, both for current treatment and for future additions.
If you ultimately decide that it is ich: here are some answers to your questions about treatment.
All of the fish need to be treated - even the ones that don't look ill. Tangs are usually the first ones to get sick from an ich manifestation but it can infect all sw fish.
Both of the effective treatments, hyposalinity (preferred as it is less stressful for the fish) and copper are toxic to your inverts and live rock. They would have to be separated. If you did treatment in the 35, the display tank would be ich free in a month if there are no fish in it.
There is some danger to doing hyposalinity in an uncycled tank. Another option would be to put all your live rock, inverts and some of your sandbed into the 35 and do hyposalinty in your display. If you do copper your sandbed should also be removed.
If it's any consolation, be glad you didn't have too many fish before you got your first infection. With a QT you hopefully won't have to worry about infections in the future.
How long has it been since the symptoms showed up? How long after your last addition did the first symptoms show up? Are there any other symptoms (e.g scratching at rocks, labored breathing)? Has anything disturbed the sandbed (e.g. moving a powerhead jet to send a spray of sand into the tank)?
If it is sand grains, it will not last long although the fish may be scratching at the rocks. I have seen this on my own hippo after I adjusting powerheads. This diagnosis can explain some of the "cures" from the reefsafe medications.
Glad to hear you are setting up a QT, both for current treatment and for future additions.
If you ultimately decide that it is ich: here are some answers to your questions about treatment.
All of the fish need to be treated - even the ones that don't look ill. Tangs are usually the first ones to get sick from an ich manifestation but it can infect all sw fish.
Both of the effective treatments, hyposalinity (preferred as it is less stressful for the fish) and copper are toxic to your inverts and live rock. They would have to be separated. If you did treatment in the 35, the display tank would be ich free in a month if there are no fish in it.
There is some danger to doing hyposalinity in an uncycled tank. Another option would be to put all your live rock, inverts and some of your sandbed into the 35 and do hyposalinty in your display. If you do copper your sandbed should also be removed.
If it's any consolation, be glad you didn't have too many fish before you got your first infection. With a QT you hopefully won't have to worry about infections in the future.
jwhiteuwc
Member
I just noticed this ICH on him today.
I'll I've added in the last 3 days is a Cleaner Shrimp and some snails, no other fish.
I just did clean out the tank yesterday and put in some new water.
Do you think it's sand? It's stuck to his fins and close to his eye.
Should I finish setting up the QT and just drop him in there and see if the spots are gone by morning? if they are that would indicate sand, but if they aren't well then... ICH it is.
I used 20 gallons of my water from my display tank in my QT tank and about 15 gallons of new water in my QT tank to fill it.
Should be cycled, though I'm expecting a mini cycle to probably happen.
Hopefully he can with stand the mini cycle.
I'll I've added in the last 3 days is a Cleaner Shrimp and some snails, no other fish.
I just did clean out the tank yesterday and put in some new water.
Do you think it's sand? It's stuck to his fins and close to his eye.
Should I finish setting up the QT and just drop him in there and see if the spots are gone by morning? if they are that would indicate sand, but if they aren't well then... ICH it is.
I used 20 gallons of my water from my display tank in my QT tank and about 15 gallons of new water in my QT tank to fill it.
Should be cycled, though I'm expecting a mini cycle to probably happen.
Hopefully he can with stand the mini cycle.
elfdoctors
Active Member
Have any fish been introduced within the last month? If so, ich is more likely then sand.
How aggressive was your tank cleaning. Did you mess up the sandbed?
Go ahead and get your QT set up. Just adding water from an established tank will not eliminate cycling. (It will speed it up somewhat.) Otherwise you would never have gone through the process when you got your tank started. You could have just bought some water from your LFS and bought the fish the same day. Even most LFS owners know that doesn't work.
As long as the fish is not appearing ill and the spots have been only there for a day, you should be able to wait and observe the spots. Don't add any new fish however. Sometimes the spots will fall off within several days only to reappear later. You could use some garlic now if you have some. Sand grains can stay on for several days also but should diminish every day.
If the fish starts to look ill, (particularly heavy breathing or if it stops eating) treatment should be started immediately. If the spots are worse tomorrow I would also discount any theories other then ich.
How aggressive was your tank cleaning. Did you mess up the sandbed?
Go ahead and get your QT set up. Just adding water from an established tank will not eliminate cycling. (It will speed it up somewhat.) Otherwise you would never have gone through the process when you got your tank started. You could have just bought some water from your LFS and bought the fish the same day. Even most LFS owners know that doesn't work.
As long as the fish is not appearing ill and the spots have been only there for a day, you should be able to wait and observe the spots. Don't add any new fish however. Sometimes the spots will fall off within several days only to reappear later. You could use some garlic now if you have some. Sand grains can stay on for several days also but should diminish every day.
If the fish starts to look ill, (particularly heavy breathing or if it stops eating) treatment should be started immediately. If the spots are worse tomorrow I would also discount any theories other then ich.
jwhiteuwc
Member
No new fish besided the Hippo tang within the last month.
Just added some snails on Thursday.
I went ahead and moved all the fish over the the QT and dropped the Salinity down to 1.020, if the little spots are gone by morning then I know it was sand, if not, hypo has already begun.
Only reason I moved them over is, my female clown didn't eat a thing today, which is strange, cuz she's normally a pig all the time.
Thinking she's starting to get ICH too, just no visable signs yet.
I left my cleaner shrimp and all the snails/crabs in teh display tank.
Just moved over the fish. I sure hope they make it through the hypo an cycling....
Arg.... somedays It's hard keeping this hobby, someday's it's enjoyable.
Thanks for all the help.
Just added some snails on Thursday.
I went ahead and moved all the fish over the the QT and dropped the Salinity down to 1.020, if the little spots are gone by morning then I know it was sand, if not, hypo has already begun.
Only reason I moved them over is, my female clown didn't eat a thing today, which is strange, cuz she's normally a pig all the time.
Thinking she's starting to get ICH too, just no visable signs yet.
I left my cleaner shrimp and all the snails/crabs in teh display tank.
Just moved over the fish. I sure hope they make it through the hypo an cycling....
Arg.... somedays It's hard keeping this hobby, someday's it's enjoyable.
Thanks for all the help.
dankell
Member
i had the same fish, and the same problem !! consider yourself lucky though, i lost 6 fish to that marine ich, (and by the way, yes it is ich on your tang) i got rid of the fish , purchased a uv sterilizer, and no more problems !!! you must know that Blue Hippo Tangs are the worst at getting Ich, do some research on that fish and you will see what im talking about, sorry bout the probs dude, but i went through the same thing, beautiful fish, Ugly Problems....good luck
dankell
Member
yes, im very proud of purchacing the sterilizer, its worked wonders , and talk about clear water !!! it looks like all my fish are floating in air !! honestly, it works very well, i have a 125 fish only tank, Lion,Sohal Tang,Flame Angel,Clown,Firehawk,Niger Trigger,and plenty of Hermit Crabs, oh and a Domino Damsil,and a Sailfin Tang, and their all doin great, NO ICH !!! Good luck !!