Am I Freaking Out?

[College_Reefer]

I have a 100-gallon display tank in which I have quite a few fish, all are happy, healthy and fat which is great! I picked up a small fox face yesterday to add to the group and when I went to go get it, he looked somewhat thin/underfed but nothing some garlic nori can't fix so I got him bagged and off I went. When I got home, I did a good inspection of the fish and noticed his fin was healing from an injury but no other issues. This morning, I noticed the dreaded white dot... it looks like there's only one or two but I'm worried that my tank now has ich. I very well could be spiraling but I'm not sure how to proceed. I will get pics when I get home this evening as I had to rush out the door. There has been LOTS of conjecture on this topic which is why I'm asking. I have seen that it'll kill literally everything to if your fish are happy and healthy, you don't have anything to worry about. My thought was to get the new fish eating selcon soaked foods, get some weight on him and see if he kicks it himself. The other thing I could do is remove him and take him back, but my understanding is once they're in, the ich is already introduced and its futile to do that versus giving them a fighting chance to conquer it themselves.... Any advice?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

We will need some pictures under white light, and a list of parameters, and other tank inhabitants. Hopefully either @vetteguy53081 or @Jay Hemdal can come in on this.

 

[MnFish1]

A picture is great - under white light. 1 spot does not necessarily suggest ich. It is somewhat likely (EDIT - unlikely) for a spot from ich to develop within hours. Watch to see if there are more spots - and if they are moving (coming and going). The most likely issue (without the benefit of a picture) would be a transit injury or lymphocystis. Again - a good picture will be a great help.

You're right different people have different feelings about ich - and also have different results depending on their husbandry and bioload and other factors.

I would say you made at least one mistake - which is assuming that a thin fish should be dumped into the display. I would have observed separately - or quarantined it (or not bought it). Ie, do not assume that Nori/Garlic will do anything. Not meant to be critical, but IMHO this is one of the major causes of disease in non-quarantined fish - the purchase of a fish that does not look perfect. (Of course if its an online purchase, you don't have that benefit)

If it is deemed to be ich, it would be recommended to treat in a separate hospital tank (all of your fish) - and leave your tank fallow 6-8 weeks. Especially if other fish show any symptoms.

 

[Rappa]

Get the fish out asap and relocate it. Bring it back, set up a QT, whatever you have to do. Pray that it is not in tomont stage yet. You might be able to catch it before it starts swimming around stage. Almost everyone seems to learn this lesson at some point. Gotta QT new fish.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Pictures would be helpful! I agree, I would get the fish out of there just to be safe!

 

[Formulator]

Not saying you should count on it, but there are lots of examples of mature tanks with resistance to ich, so just because the new fish may have it doesn’t necessarily mean the whole tank is doomed. I would still get it out asap for treatment in quarantine, but just to provide you some hope…

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a 100-gallon display tank in which I have quite a few fish, all are happy, healthy and fat which is great! I picked up a small fox face yesterday to add to the group and when I went to go get it, he looked somewhat thin/underfed but nothing some garlic nori can't fix so I got him bagged and off I went. When I got home, I did a good inspection of the fish and noticed his fin was healing from an injury but no other issues. This morning, I noticed the dreaded white dot... it looks like there's only one or two but I'm worried that my tank now has ich. I very well could be spiraling but I'm not sure how to proceed. I will get pics when I get home this evening as I had to rush out the door. There has been LOTS of conjecture on this topic which is why I'm asking. I have seen that it'll kill literally everything to if your fish are happy and healthy, you don't have anything to worry about. My thought was to get the new fish eating selcon soaked foods, get some weight on him and see if he kicks it himself. The other thing I could do is remove him and take him back, but my understanding is once they're in, the ich is already introduced and its futile to do that versus giving them a fighting chance to conquer it themselves.... Any advice?

While a white dot or two is a cause for possible concern, If parasitical, will increase in number and locations each 24 hours. Keep an eye on it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

As others have said, it may or may not be ich - watch for spots to come and go and change location every day or some, but generally increasing in numbers, watch for spots on the fins also, that all points to it being ich. No point in pulling the fish out now, the other fish have been exposed.

You can try "ich management" instead of pulling all of the fish for treatment. Here is a post about that:

"Ich Management"

Because this topic continues to come up, I wanted to create a sticky thread so that it is more easily referenced. Please understand that I am NOT presenting this as an optimum method for controlling marine ich, just putting it out there for people who want to try it. Also, do not pick and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[College_Reefer]

Added some pics, did my best to get its front fins… the first pic is the most clear for what I’m generally concerned about. There are zero anymore on its body (musta been detritus or something) but there are a few spots on its front fins. None on the tail at all either. He’s thin so I’m trying to get him eating as well. Thinking selcon and garlic soaked food to assist in nutrients?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Whoa - the foxface is really thin. The trouble is that when a fish gets this thin, they begin metabolizing their liver for energy. That damage isn’t repairable and at some point it will prove fatal. Bulking the fish up with multiple daily small feedings of high protein, high fat food may help, avoid nori for now.

I can’t rule out ich, some of the fins look cloudy, but tough to see clearly.

 

[College_Reefer]

Whoa - the foxface is really thin. The trouble is that when a fish gets this thin, they begin metabolizing their liver for energy. That damage isn’t repairable and at some point it will prove fatal. Bulking the fish up with multiple daily small feedings of high protein, high fat food may help, avoid nori for now.

I can’t rule out ich, some of the fins look cloudy, but tough to see clearly.

I’ve been doing this a while now and can fully agree it was a stupid decision to take it. I shouldn’t have. I was in a rush, asked them to bag it while I grabbed other stuff I needed and then left as I had my dog in the car and didn’t want to leave him long. Many compounding mistakes on my part with this one but all I can do now is try to get him fatter and hope for the best.

 

[Charles Zinn]

I have a 100-gallon display tank in which I have quite a few fish, all are happy, healthy and fat which is great! I picked up a small fox face yesterday to add to the group and when I went to go get it, he looked somewhat thin/underfed but nothing some garlic nori can't fix so I got him bagged and off I went. When I got home, I did a good inspection of the fish and noticed his fin was healing from an injury but no other issues. This morning, I noticed the dreaded white dot... it looks like there's only one or two but I'm worried that my tank now has ich. I very well could be spiraling but I'm not sure how to proceed. I will get pics when I get home this evening as I had to rush out the door. There has been LOTS of conjecture on this topic which is why I'm asking. I have seen that it'll kill literally everything to if your fish are happy and healthy, you don't have anything to worry about. My thought was to get the new fish eating selcon soaked foods, get some weight on him and see if he kicks it himself. The other thing I could do is remove him and take him back, but my understanding is once they're in, the ich is already introduced and its futile to do that versus giving them a fighting chance to conquer it themselves.... Any advice?

What type of fish was it in with at fish store? ifr it was a tang could have been hit with scalpul or he was caught in net wrong. Scqalpul wounds don't end well and can be hardly notice if in abdenum