White spot? Ich?

[heithingi]

Hello,
What exactly does white spot or ich look like? I am fairly new to this hobby and tend to be a tad paranoid. None of my fish have ever been ill, but I noticed a white mark on my niger trigger's head today. I believe it is either sand or he scratched himself on his favorite rock, but would like to be sure. Most books discuss these illnesses, but are not really clear as to concise descriptions.
Thanks,
Lynda

 

[pufferlover]

Don't panic, my Niger seems to have a habit of scraping its head in the barnacle where it hangs out (he is a small baby one). Every so often he has a white spot on his head but by later in the day it is gone. Ick is small almost pin sized white spots that appear and as I have found it usually seems to be noticed first on their fins. Now you say you have read your books and there is also a good description here on SWF under hobbiest Info (Opening Page of Site top right).

 

[heithingi]

Hi Pufferlover,
Thanks for the input. I will check out the website right now! One of the books I have shows an angel, I believe, with little tiny white dots everywhere. My niger does not have that at all, he sounds exactly like yours, actually. He has a particular rock with a small hole in it he just seems determined to sleep in, I think he scraped himself.
Thanks again!
Lynda

 

[pufferlover]

By the way may I add I hope you never have to see it first hand. But as I have found out and many others here as I read once it said "it is not what disease you will have in a marine tank it is only a matter of when" I have gone long spells no problems and then spells of nothing but problems. In my case with many tanks I believe I have transferred things around myself even as careful as I am about washing my hands and cleaning equipement. I have found tho that the tanks I leave alone and stop adding fish to do the best and that took a long time to learn that lesson. For a while I was on a fish buying frenzy but I have stopped now and things have settled down again.

 

[heithingi]

Hi Pufferlover,
I know, from my understanding, it is just a matter of time before I have an ill fish. I dread that time! I try very hard to look over each fish carefully, even though I get on the LFS nerves, sometimes. I will not buy a fish that has any sort of white on it, nor hazy eyes, or fin problems...I also make sure they are very active. I have even refused to buy a certain fish as I thought he had white dots on his fins, and the LFS just said, oh, time to treat the tanks again! I would imagine a LFS would most likely have to treat their tanks alot, if they cram the fish in like I have seen around here.
Anyway, thanks for the input, I do appreciate it. Was just worried about the niger.
Lynda

 

[jimi]

Lynda thats good that you dont buy questionable fish. Keep doing that and quarantine any new comers and you may never have a problem.

 

[heithingi]

Hi Jimi,
Thanks. I am going to try my first online shopping experience really soon, the fish should be in any day. Will let everyone know how that goes!
As for the Qtank, I DID have one...now it has somehow turned into another FOWLR tank. I have to go get another one, I guess.
Lynda

 

[coralbeauty]

I know exactly how you feel! I live in fear of fish diseases. Like pufferlover, I stoped buying fish and my tanks stabilized.
Just to add, my various fish get little white spots on them from time to time. Frequently it is sand that is stuck to their slim coats. My clowns get little wounds from fighting and hitting the rocks. However, I have had small controlled outbreaks of white spot. Between the cleaner shrimp and the UV steilizer and good fish health (and some well deserved good luck)they have fought it off. I just love seeing my cleaner shrimp work on my fish!
Take care,
Connie