Ick... or something else???

Discussion in 'Diseases' started by TravisVT, Oct 2, 2012.

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  1. TravisVT

    TravisVT Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2012
    Messages:
    159
    Location:
    Colchester, Vermont
    Hey everyone!
    Looking for a little help here. I added an Atlantic blue tang about 3 weeks ago to my tank and i'm pretty sure it has ick or velvet. I have done a ton of research and read many forums on what to do when you get ick but i haven't found anything in regards to what i have been observing on the tang. The tang was added just shy of three weeks ago (no QT tank... i know i know) and the first 2 weeks no issues at all, getting along w/ tank mates, aggressively eating and swimming all around. About a week ago i noticed a few very very small white specs on his right fin and right body and went right to a Ick diagnosis. I watched the tang for the next few days and noticed that in the morning and during the day, there are no white spots at all but at night, a hour or two before lights out, the tang had increased the amount of white spots to 15-20 on fins and face and they much easier to see. I know ick will go in stages and fall off but for the past 5 day/nights in a row i have barely seen any white marks during morning/day and more at night. So my question is, could this be some other parasite that likes the light, or is this just part of the ick growth process?
    **
    What i have done so far from first noticing white spots
    day 0-5 - nothing - just observed and hoped it would go away
    last 3 days - raised temp to 82.5 to try and speed up cycle
    yesterday mixed Seachem Metronidazole w/ food
    ***
    tank details and parameters
    tank up and running for a year now - no fish deaths in over 6 months - no new fish added (except tang) in last 4 months
    90 gal w/ sump
    100 pounds of lr/ls
    aquatic life 1w led light (turns on at 12pm and off at 1030pm)
    amm and nitrite - 0
    nitrate - 0-5
    ph - 7.8-7.9
    calcium - 440
    alk - 8
    temp - normal 79 - now 82.5
    **
    Current status of tang
    Still swimming and eating great. At night when the white spots are easier seen and there are more of them the tang does tend to swim quickly/aggressively around the tank. It does not scratch on the live rock, just swims quickly. I have been keeping a very close eye on all the other tankmates and none of them are showing any sign of ick/white spots.

    Any advice or help is much appreciated!
    Thanks!!!
    Travis
     
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  3. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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  4. TravisVT

    TravisVT Fire Worm

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Colchester, Vermont
    Thanks Vinny for the reply. After reading your links it sounds like you have never had ick before so i'm not sure if you will be able to answer or not, but people who have had fish with ick, do you see the spots during all parts of the day (morning, afternoon, night) or does it come and go as mine seems to(only visible a few hours before lights out)?
     
  5. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    southeast ohio O-H....

    lol, other than corrailline, there aren't many on here more knowledgable about Ich. But yes, that seems about right, Ich as you see it comes and goes, and can look alot worse after a stressful day.

    But you kinda missed a major point in his threads. Too much fosh for too little tank. Tangs are notorious for Ich, and that Tang belong in a much bigger tank than yours. Chances are as he grows, you will become more and more used to dealing with Ich.

    What are your other fish/inverts?

    But I'd make sure it is eating seaweed soaked in garlic and selcon, and keep stress down in your tank.

    Good lcuk
     
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  6. TravisVT

    TravisVT Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2012
    Messages:
    159
    Location:
    Colchester, Vermont
    Current fish stock
    - 2 clowns
    - 3 chromis
    - bicolor angel
    - wardly wrasse
    - algae blenny
    - pink spot gobby
    - ABT (with ick)
    - 2 fire shrimp
    - 4 turbo snails and a few hermits

    The tang is still eating looks healthy besides the spots. It sounds like a 90 gal is to small for this tang when it grows so my next question is should I try and get the tang out?
    Trying to get it out will only stress it more im sure, but for the health of the other fish and maybe the tang if i can get it out and to a hospital tank, would it be best to try and take it out? If so, do you think using a fish trap would be least stressful?
    If you dont think taking it out would be best, just continue to feed (soak in garlic and selcon) and hope the ick goes away? Has anybody had a fish that got ick, and the fish lived without is spreading to other tank mates? My father had a tank years ago and i remember him talking about ick and i never thought it was a big deal, but now reading about it, it sounds like the end of everyones life in the tank and the only way to cure it is to take all the fish out and let the display tank be fish free for 6 weeks, which i cant do.
    Can you guys let me know your thoughts on this?

    Thanks again for the comments and help :)
     
  7. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Fish are most suseptible to parasites or diseases when they are stressed.Poor diet,overcrowding, and water quality are the most important factors. If you read my links you will see that I advocate not putting too many fish in a system. Disease and Parasites can spread like wildfire in a heavily stocked system and the chances of fighting and stress are much more likely.
    IMO I would not try to remove the Tang.As long as its eating it should be able to combat Ich. Added stress may cause a secondary infection. Foods soaked in Selcon or Garlic are a great way to prevent that.I also would not add anything else to the tank as there is the possibility of introducing other parasites or diseases. If the fish continues to eat and seems to be rid of the Ich then you will be able to remove it and rehome.Good luck catching it though.Removal of most of the rocks will probably be necessary which is another reason I stress carefull research before the purchase of any animal.Good Luck.;)
     
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  9. TravisVT

    TravisVT Fire Worm

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    159
    Location:
    Colchester, Vermont
    UPDATE:
    Day 20 - Tang still showing white spots at night but not during the day. Could the Trophont stage last a lot longer then the normal 3-7 days? The tang still swims, eats and appears healthy. No other fish in the tank show any signs of ich or white spots at all.. Do you guys still think it is ich or could it be something else? I will try to get a picture tonight but it will be tought because the tang never sits still!!
    Also there has never been a night that the tang did not show the white spots, so there never was a time when it was gone, then came back worse as ich normally does, it just never went away at all.