uh-oh

[Jnance]

looks like my new butterfly has three pieces of salt stuck to him.... ich im assuming... what shall i do? freshwater dip? ive never dealt with ich before!

 

[LakeEd]

Jnance,

Lee has writen up some excellent "Stickies" here to help our fish... and if you do truely have Ich, I recommend reading the following information:

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

I hope this helps, until Lee joins in here for added guidence.

Keep us posted!!!

 

[Reefergeorge]

Is the fish in quarantine or your display?

I'm no fish doctor, but in the past I never worried about a few spots. I would keep an eye on him and watch the spots to see if they change. This is just my opinion. I know others have different ways to deal with Ich, and I don't want to start a this is the right way debate. Good Luck

 

[leebca]

Sorry to hear of the problem. First, you need to be sure of the diagnosis. If it is Marine Ich, you need to treat the fish quickly.

No matter what choice you make on how to treat the fish for Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) the fish needs to be in a hospital tank/quarantine tank for treatment. The reference link given in the post above is a good one if you diagnose the problem as Marine Ich and will use a hyposalinity treatment process.

A freshwater dip will not cure the fish of this disease.

You have a choice if it is Marine Ich: treat with a hyposalinity treatment; treat with a copper treatment; or treat by performing a transfer method (not recommended).

Additional references and that same reference which may help:

A Quarantine Procedure

Marine Ich - Myths and Facts

Copper Medications - Good, Bad, and Ugly

A Fish Hyposalinity Treatment

 

[Jnance]

turns out they are growing at an alarming rate..

 

[Scooterman]

I hope you can treat it & get it back to health, don't feel bad about it, this is all part of keeping marine fish, treating will just make you stronger or a better reefer

 

[Reefergeorge]

Any changes?
Have you set up a hospital tank?

 

[Jnance]

fish now in my 7 gallon nano. havent really done anything to treat, he seems healthy as an ox as far as i can tell. i think my cleaner is picking them off, because the big ones are all gone and theres only two really small ones left, could the shrimp cure it or will they just keep coming?? sorry if stupid question, ill read the stickies now...

 

[Jnance]

ok so turns out the cleaner shrimp picking them off is the second dumbest thing to think about this parasite... and to think once its gone its cured is the first... so that last post sounds pretty stupid now. oh well, so i should raise my nano specific gravity to 1.08?? sounds dangerous. but then again read the last post....

 

[Reefergeorge]

No, If your going for hypo-salinity lower it to 1.009.

ok so turns out the cleaner shrimp picking them off is the second dumbest thing to think about this parasite... and to think once its gone its cured is the first... so that last post sounds pretty stupid now. oh well, so i should raise my nano specific gravity to 1.08?? sounds dangerous. but then again read the last post....

 

[NC2WA]

Jnance,

If it is Ick, the Cleaner shrimp will NOT cure the fish of it. I believe Leebca has some articles about this.

 

[leebca]

If you're sure it is Marine Ich and you want to treat with hyposalinity (lowering the salinity), then this is the set of directions to follow: A Fish Hyposalinity Treatment.

 

[Jnance]

in process....