Possible white spot

[trillyen]

glad its not ick man!!!

 

[james734]

It still can be Ich. Fish will have a tendency to rub up against things when they have ich. A lot of times this is even before we see the white spots. The parasite is digging under the skin/scales of the fish and causes irritation. Chances are if you see the white spots the fish is already infested with Ich and has it in it's gills, etc. When we see the white spots ich is starting it reproduction phase and is ready to drop. I cannot remember what phase this is called.

Ich must have a host to survive, So it will not affect inverts, but it can be brought into the tank when introducing anything wet.

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it's not there. That's why QT
'ing anything wet prior to going into the display is required.

 

[Damsel13]

trillyen you cracked me up!!! And by the way I wish I could have a cool tank like the one in your avatar.

 

[idgy]

So do I just move the fish that seem to be infected to a hospital tank and leave the ones that look fine? Should I move all fish to the hospital tank?

 

[idgy]

I do not have a hospital tank. How should I start one. Basically I mean the water. Don't you have to wait till the water cycles?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If one fish is infected, than the tank is infected and needs to be left fallow (fish free) for 6 to 8 weeks while the fish get treated in a hospital tank aka QT. Read the quarantine procedures link. Here is a link on how to treat the fish with hyposalinity. Done per instructions, safe and effective.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27155

 

[idgy]

Maybe I am not understanding the correctly. I should or should not make up the hospital tank with freshly made saltwater? That would cause a cycle and the fish in the hospital tank would die? Correct?

Please forgive me, I just want to be sure I am doing this correctly and that I do not wind up killing the fish.

Thank you!

 

[james734]

Yes, Setup a QT/hospital tank with with fresh SW and use a simple HOB filter. No rocks, no sand no anything except some large PVC pipe pieces for the fish to hide in etc. (No Sand unless you have something that requires sand). You will have to fight any cycle with water changes. I've had to setup a 10g tank quickly like this also. I ended up changing about 1g of water in the morning and 1g at night. this was to keep the Ammonia and nitrites down.

Also make sure to not share nets or any thing else like that between to 2 systems. Keep everything separate.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If no PVC pieces, can use Tupperware, etc. Just trying to give the fish some nonporous hiding places so they can make a home out of the sterile environment. You will be changing water to rid the tank of nitrogen waste products such as nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and proteins. The tank will never fully cycle, as there will be no substantial bacterial bed. This is just a treatment tank where the low salinity will kill almost everything except the fish who will be quite content there, with less stress on their system too.

 

[Reefergeorge]

Not trying to start a debate or anything. But every once in a while I see a couple white dots on my coral beauty and just keep an eye on her, keep my water peramators good, feed a variety of food, and in a couple days all is well.
I'm not saying it is the best, but just in case it doesn't get better I would have a 20 setup as a hospital. Good luck

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Not trying to start a debate or anything. But every once in a while I see a couple white dots on my coral beauty and just keep an eye on her, keep my water parameters good, feed a variety of food, and in a couple days all is well.
I'm not saying it is the best but just in case it doesn't get better I would have a 20 setup as a hospital. Good luck

George, glad you have a healthy tank, but your fish are not currently dashing themselves against the rock creating open sores in a fairly new tank.

 

[Reefergeorge]

George, glad you have a healthy tank, but your fish are not currently dashing themselves against the rock creating open sores in a fairly new tank.

I'm just saying before someone goes chaseing fish around a reeftank with a net. I would make sure it isn't going to cause more harm than good(just a thought). And he sid the tank is 3 years old and his first bout with MI.

 

[idgy]

Yes, 3 years old, 58 gallon tank. This is my first bout with MI. It started about 3 or 4weeks after I added 3 new fish. This is about a month ago. I started the tank with a flame angel, 2 clowns and a royal gramma. They were in the tank well over 2 years before I added a jawfish and two firefish. The first week everyone was a little thrown off that 3 new fish were put into the tank. By the end of the second week everyone seemed pretty settled and nobody seem to be upset any more. Now about 4 weeks later the jawfish rubs his gills on rocks or shells and the royal gramma I catch butting up against rocks as well. The other fish seem fine. The only thing is that the jawfish has created a small wound which has me worried.

But I do not see any white dots on the royal and the jawfish has one white dot that has been there for about 5 days.

I guess I have to get another tank and start a QT. How big of a QT should I get for 6 fish? I want them to feel safe and not get any more stressed than need be.

Once again I thank everyone for their input.

 

[idgy]

(No Sand unless you have something that requires sand).

I have a jawfish, would he be fine with out sand?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

(No Sand unless you have something that requires sand).

I have a jawfish, would he be fine with out sand?

Fish diseases are typically noticed only after it is much too late. Well done on catching it soon enough. Read Lee's write-up on how to do hyposalinity and what size to use. I gave you a link to it on the last reply to you. Sand is best avoided in hypo. For the duration of the treatment, should be find. You can give him a piece of small 1" diameter plastic pipe to use as a cave.

 

[idgy]

Thanks, I did read that thread and thanks. I must have missed it about tank size. I have been reading so much information and at the same time worried and just a mess at the moment. So much info I am trying to process it all and find the right solution.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

No worry, you are doing great. Take a breath and relax, plenty of time to get everything going. Your fish will be nearly symptom free within the first couple days of hypo.

 

[james734]

Take a breath and relax

That's some good advice right there. You'll get through this pesty little parasite.

 

[idgy]

would it be to much if a bought a nano tank 34 gal and set that up as a QT tank?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

would be perfect!