White spots on fish. Some questions...

Discussion in 'Diseases' started by GjB, Jan 7, 2011.

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  1. GjB

    GjB Skunk Shrimp

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    My Royal Gamma has white spots on his head, one side of his body, and on his tailfin that just appeared yesterday. I have had him in my tank for about a month with no issues and have not introduced anything into the tank since introducing the Royal Gamma.

    He is acting normal, and eating normal, except for trying to brush the white spots off of his body by rubbing up against LR. Sounds like Ich to me but I know nothing about fish disease.

    What are my next steps? I would like to avoid using a QT, if possible. Also, I do not want to dose anything that will endanger my reef. However, if a QT is my only option, I have an empty 12gal Eclipse in my basement.

    If I use a QT, do I just put the Gamma in it (after getting temp & salinity to match my DT)? Or go the hyposalinity approach?

    I also read that once your tank has Ich, that it always will as long as fish are present for the parasite to host (and your tank won't be clear of Ich until you have had no fish in it for 8 weeks)...this seems a little ridiculous to me. I feel like putting all of my other fish in a QT for 2 months would probably make them more susceptible to disease.

    Lastly, will my other fish (False Perc, Yellowtail Damsels, Mandarin Dragonet) get sick from my Royal Gamma?

    Thank you in advance
     
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  3. socal86

    socal86 Fire Worm

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    READ THIS IT IS A LITTLE LONG BUT IT SHOULD HELP ALOTDrTims Home
    What is Oodinium?
    Marine Ich, Velvet or Coral Fish Disease is caused from an infestation of the dinoflagellate Amyloodinium ocellatum. A member of a large group of flagellate protists that are traditionally subdivided into two groups, the animal-like protozoa and the plant-like algae, Amyloodinium ocellatum belongs to the same group of single-cell alga organisms that cause red tides in marine waters. Although this organism does not cause red tides, it is parasitic on fish at one stage in its life cycle, which depending on the temperature of the water can be completed in 6 to 12 days.

    Due to the fact that this organism is able to reproduce so rapidly, when an Oodinum outbreak occurs in an aquarium and it is not immediately diagnosed and treated, in a closed saltwater system it can reach overwhelming and disastrous numbers in a very short period of time. This type of ich is one of the most common causes of a wipeout, or an abrupt loss of all the fish in a saltwater aquarium.

    The Life Cycle of Amyloodinium ocellatum

    Free-swimming cells called dinospores are released from a mature cyst and go in search of a host fish. Typically these cells can survive seven to eight days without a host, but in lower tank temperatures at around 75-80 degrees, some strains may last up to 30+ days.
    Once a host is found, typically heading for the soft tissue inside the gills first, the dinospores lose their swimming capabilities and become non-motile parasitic trophozoites. At this stage they turn parasitic, as each attaches to the host fish by sending out a filament for feeding.

    After deriving nutrition for 3 days to a week the trophozoites become mature and drop off into the substrate, may remain hidden in the mucus membrane, or sometimes be deeply embedded in the tissue of a host fish, where at this point each forms a type of hard shell covering.

    Inside each encrusted cyst the cells, now called tomonts, reproduce internally by non-sexual division. Upon reaching maturity in about five days, each cyst ruptures and releases hundreds of new free-swimming dinospores to start the cycle all over again, but in much large numbers.
    Symptoms

    Most similarly symptomatic to Brooklynella, Oodinium organisms primarily attack the gills first. At the onset of this ich infestation fish often scrap up against objects in the aquarium, lethargy sets in, and rapid respiration develops, which is the result of excess mucus in the gills due to the invasion of the parasites. This is typically noticed as fish staying at the surface of the water, or remaining in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium.

    As the disease progresses outwards from the gills, the cysts then become visible on the fins and body. Although these cysts may appear as tiny white dots the size of a grain of salt, like the first sign of Saltwater Ich or White Spot Disease, what sets Oodinium apart from other types of ich is that at this point the fish have the appearance of being coated with what looks like a whitish or tan to golden colored, velvet-like film, thus the name Velvet Disease.

    Now in the advanced stage of the disease the production of gill and body mucus increases, the fish becomes listless, refuses to eat, and it's not unusual for a secondary infection to develop. For fish that reach this end stage of the disease, it's typically too late. They usually do not respond to treatment, and most often will die.

    Most Effective Treatments for Oodinium

    Remove all fish from the main aquarium, give them a freshwater dip or bath, and then place them into a QT with vigorous aeration provided. Treat the fish in the QT with a copper-based medication (shop & compare prices) per the manufacturer's product instructions. To address complications from secondary infections, also treat the fish with an appropriate antibiotic or anti-bacterial medication. Continue treating the fish in the QT until the ich appears to be gone, and then keep treating for another week after that.

    Unfortunately, Oodinium can withstand a broad salinity range (from 3 to 45 ppt) so Hyposalinity is not an effective treatment.
     
  4. ezz1r

    ezz1r Feather Star

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    Always remember....LOL
     

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  5. Aaron.Herk

    Aaron.Herk Sea Dragon

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    What a great picture
     
  6. GjB

    GjB Skunk Shrimp

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    LOL I'll snap a picher when I get home from work.
     
  7. GjB

    GjB Skunk Shrimp

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    Very helpful. Thank you! I'm going to get my QT started after work. Unfortunately, I have to fill up the 12 gallon, pitcher-by-pitcher with ZeroWater (currently my only source of DI). This will take all weekend....hopefully the tankmates don't catch it 1st.
     
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  9. GjB

    GjB Skunk Shrimp

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    So I came home from work to find my Royal Gamma out and about, looking for food. He looks normal...a few microscopic dots on the top of his head but the rest seem to be gone!

    A few nights ago, perhaps he sneaked out to the local strip club and caught an acute case of crabs.
     
  10. Kevin3884

    Kevin3884 Tassled File Fish

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    Yeh them royal grammas can be real playas with their LA Lakers garb on and stuff ;)
     
  11. TheSaltwaterGuy

    TheSaltwaterGuy Banned

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    XD i recommend doing hyopsalinity when all fish are in ur QT. as for the mandarin he might not get ick; depends on how much slime coat he has
     
  12. Kevin3884

    Kevin3884 Tassled File Fish

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    Not really...it just depends on if he is a healthy fish...