Is this ICK? PLEASE help

[fishytim]

This morning both clowns seemed to have white specks on them. One (seen in the pictures below) seemed to have more than the other. I had an appointment and I just got back and they seem to be gone. In this tank I have 1 fire fish, 1 mimic yellow tang, 2 chromis and the two clowns (false percs). The clowns are very active (just like always) and are eating very well (just like always). None of the other fish had any white spots.
So my question, do my clowns have ick? If they do should I QT just them them or all the fish? If they do have ick any suggestions on what to treat them with? Thanks!
9:00am this morning:

1:30pm today:

 

[pbnj]

Yes, that's ich. The parasites drop-off the fish during their lifecycle only to hatch on the substrate into even more parasites. They usually re-attach at night when the fish is sleeping near the sand.

 

[fishytim]

so it's time to get all the fish out and treat them all correct?
Originally Posted by pbnj
http:///forum/post/2935716
Yes, that's ich. The parasites drop-off the fish during their lifecycle only to hatch on the substrate into even more parasites. They usually re-attach at night when the fish is sleeping near the sand.

 

[srgvigil]

Did you just first notice them this morning? Because if so then it would not make sense why they wouldn't be there just a mere five hours later.
" The trophont stage is seen as the mature parasite attached to the fish, feeding off fish tissue. This has the appearance of salt-like grains often described by hobbyists as white spots or white dots, thus the common name of the disease, “White-Spot Disease”. What the hobbyist is actually seeing with these white dots is a protective covering, or cyst, which the parasite creates over itself as a means of protection. Parasite defense mechanism! As the parasite feeds it will grow in size. It is this growth or varying sizes of the trophont that may confuse the hobbyist to think that the infected fish is suffering from some other malady [such as lymphocysts]. The visible distinction between Ich, and some other problem is usually numbers. Left untreated, ich will multiply on the fish and usually cover the body—fins and body alike. [cycle timeframe: aprrox. 7 day stage]"
The stage where you actually see the ich lasts around 7 days not just a mere few hours. You may want to post this again the in the disease and treatment section because you may get some more knowledgeable answers.

 

[nycbob]

having them this morning, then gone the next sounds weird. maybe it was sand? do other fishes hv it?

 

[fishytim]

That's very interesting...
I saw a couple spots last night, but just a few. before then none at all.
This picture is from Thursday...(man I'm glad I decided to take some pics)

Originally Posted by SrgVigil
http:///forum/post/2935721
Did you just first notice them this morning? Because if so then it would not make sense why they wouldn't be there just a mere five hours later.
" The trophont stage is seen as the mature parasite attached to the fish, feeding off fish tissue. This has the appearance of salt-like grains often described by hobbyists as white spots or white dots, thus the common name of the disease, “White-Spot Disease”. What the hobbyist is actually seeing with these white dots is a protective covering, or cyst, which the parasite creates over itself as a means of protection. Parasite defense mechanism! As the parasite feeds it will grow in size. It is this growth or varying sizes of the trophont that may confuse the hobbyist to think that the infected fish is suffering from some other malady [such as lymphocysts]. The visible distinction between Ich, and some other problem is usually numbers. Left untreated, ich will multiply on the fish and usually cover the body—fins and body alike. [cycle timeframe: aprrox. 7 day stage]"
The stage where you actually see the ich lasts around 7 days not just a mere few hours. You may want to post this again the in the disease and treatment section because you may get some more knowledgeable answers.

 

[fishytim]

As a side note, one clown is sitting on the sand some....but he will then swim around some as well..

 

[fishytim]

something else I just thought about....
Yesterday was the first time I fed the fish "Rod's Fish Food". It's a frozen food... Dont know if that could have anything to do with it, but thought I'd give any info that I could think of..

 

[pbnj]

Originally Posted by FishyTim
http:///forum/post/2935782
something else I just thought about....
Yesterday was the first time I fed the fish "Rod's Fish Food". It's a frozen food... Dont know if that could have anything to do with it, but thought I'd give any info that I could think of..

No, good nutrition can only help.

 

[shyfish]

Hi,
Don't remove your fish even if it is ick. This is not a freshwater tank.
Ick is always in a saltwater aquarium. When your fish are stressed they become suseptable to the disease. Chasing your fish around to catch him will not only stress it further but all his tank mates too.
Most times turning your heat up just a little to say 82 will get rid of ick on saltwater fish. A healthy fish will combate the disease without needing any more treatment.
I understand some shrimps will actually clean the ick off a fish. I don't know much about that because I don't keep shrimp. Personal preferance, I don't like them.
If your tank and all the fish should be totaly in trouble. Turn up the heat to 82, remove carbon from any filtering system and purchase medicine that is Okay to use with saltwater fish and invertabrates. It will say will not harm coral. It doesn't, but it sure will stress them for days and weeks, so don't use such a thing unless absolutly necessary. Or place the coral in the QT tank to dose your fish, it won't hurt inverts. Never use meds unless you gotta.
I personaly just toss in frozen cubes for my fish, they like to tear it apart. However properly you should use a plastic cup...scoop a small amount of tank water... drop the cube in and let it melt, then pour it back into the tank to feed your fish frozen food.
If your clowns are not used to being fed a cube still frozen, it may have stressed him a little to be exposed to the chill. He is healthy and got over it quick.
Hope this helps.

 

[srgvigil]

I'm lost here I'de try contacting Beth

 

[john57]

hyposalinity is the only competely effective treatment to rid your fish of ich, from what I have read on here. Check out the disease forum and read Beth's recommendations. I had a flasher wrasse show signs of ick and the next day it was gone, or so I thought. A week later, my two clowns came down with it big time. One of them died. And the wrasse came down with signs of it again. I pulled my fish and put them in a seperate tank where I dropped the salinity to 1.009 over about 2 days. I'll keep them in there for 4-5 weeks total and during that time, my DT will hopefully be rid of the ick problem. I feel your pain.

 

[fishytim]

I cleaned up my 20 gallon long tank and have the fish in there now... salinity is at 1.022. I will be moving it lower a little bit till I get to 1.009..
6 weeks of this.....sucks...

 

[john57]

The plus side is twofold. The hyposalinity is the best option to deal with the ich. It should rid your fish of any disease. And at the same time, your dt will be cleaned of it also with the length of time it will be fishless. I've read posts about always keeping your fish as healthy as possible and they will tolerate the ich, but you always have it hanging over your head. One sick fish and it's back. I want it gone!!
Dropping the salinity over a 2 or 3 day period is ok. The longer out you take it, the longer your process will be. My fish are doing fine. The seemed a little sluggish after the first couple of drops, but after that, they didn't seem to notice.
Good Luck