Copperbanded Butterfly Ich?

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seattlereef

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Last week I picked up a Copper banded butterfly and have it in a quarantine tank. Yesterday I noticed two white spots on it. I'm not sure if its just abrasions or Ich? Can anyone help me diagnose? Should I just start treating with a Hyposalinity treatment to be on the safe side? Any help would be great. Note : Both of these were taking during feeding time thus the mysis shrimp in the water. At the end of the video when he swims away you get a good profile of the white bumps.

Thanks!

Video:


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I watched it a few times. It is hard to see. Missed it a couple of times by blinking. :) Thanks goodness I could freeze-frame it.

The 'spots' are raised a bit higher than I would think Marine Ich should. However, I can't be sure. It has more of a viral infection appearance. I would not take any action at this time. Wait and watch. If it is viral what you can and should do is provide the best nutrition possible (hope it's eating) and the best water quality. Keep the water quality high and stable. Keep the lighting low/muted and keep watching. If it viral, you won't see it spread. If it is Marine Ich or some other parasite, they will multiply. Also, Marine Ich will 'disappear' suddenly then reappear. Watch for this, too.
 
Thanks I'll keep an eye on it. She's been eating well loving frozen brine shrimp. I've been testing the water daily and doing water changes as appropriate (about 20% every 3 days)
 
Switch foods/feedings to sea plankton, chopped krill, mysis from the sea, and other pod-like foods. Whole foods (the whole creature) from the sea is better than just the meaty portions (like chopped sea shrimp or chopped scallop, although occassional feedinigs of this is ok). Brine shrimp (freeze-dried, frozen, live) is one of the worst foods to feed marine fishes. They are not from the sea and they are low in nutrition. No wild marine fish has ever seen, much less ate, a brine shrimp in the wild. Avoid land products. :high5:
 
I've been trying to get her to eat mysis but has only been sampling aka eating and spitting it out (so I've been mixing it with the brine). I've also picked up some fresh clams which I chopped up and served on the half shell which she ate some of however the left overs required me to do a water change to clean up. I picked up some Formula 1 gel frozen and spectrum dry to try and vary the diet. At this point given the finickiness of the fish I'm happy to see her eating.
 
Eating something is better than nothing. Keep trying to encourage with other foods. :)
 
I've been trying to get her to eat mysis but has only been sampling aka eating and spitting it out (so I've been mixing it with the brine). I've also picked up some fresh clams which I chopped up and served on the half shell which she ate some of however the left overs required me to do a water change to clean up. I picked up some Formula 1 gel frozen and spectrum dry to try and vary the diet. At this point given the finickiness of the fish I'm happy to see her eating.


how has she been eating?!? we need a status update :D I've had good luck with NutrimarOva too with the really picky eaters in the past. Like Lee said, eating anything is better than nothing!!
 
Can't hurt to use Melafix. Possibly Lymphosist. and can apear as lumpy swelling zits - too large to be pegged as ick. I have bicolor anthias that are nearly cleared up from being in a cupramine and melafix 14 day tx just to be double sure.
 
She's still eating mostly brine shrimp and some mysis. The spectrum was totally ignored. I'm going to need to try some clams again. Looks like she has Ick unfortunately so will pick up some cupamine and start treatment this week.
 

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