Ich, Lympho or something else?

[Cojo]

Hey all,
I recently picked up this little copperband butterfly, and he is in a mid-cycle quarantine tank alone (it’s not an ideal quarantine, but I will fallow before adding anything permanently). Anyway, he’s starting to show signs of a disease. It looks like ich, but I wanted a second opinion before treating. I’m just starting back up the hobby and don’t have the roster of meds to mass treat for everything just yet.

The wife and I really like this new guy and will do whatever is necessary to save him. And advice so I can target it is very appreciated. In one photo I try to show that some of the spots are black on his tail. I’m not a pro yet, but it looks a little odder than standard ich.

Thanks in advance,
-Connor

 

[Cojo]

He is eating, active and seems all together happy other than the spots.

 

[Sam816]

looks like ich. if its eating then add fish vitamins to the food.
how are you planning to treat it? TTM or copper?

 

[lba4590]

CBBs are very prone to lympho. Do you see any raised spots on the body at all?

 

[Cojo]

looks like ich. if its eating then add fish vitamins to the food.
how are you planning to treat it? TTM or copper?

I don’t have the faculties for TTM yet. Still setting up my permanent QT system. I have cupramine coming in the morning, so copper is the plan if the consensus is ich. He’s eating frozen mysis and frozen butterfly cubes. Do you have a preferred vitamin I’ll pick up?

 

[Cojo]

CBBs are very prone to lympho. Do you see any raised spots on the body at all?

Not exactly a RAISED spot, but a speck or 2 of white on the body.

 

[Cojo]

Not exactly a RAISED spot, but a speck or 2 of white on the body.

Sorry for the super crop, but this is what I’m talking about.

 

[Sam816]

I don’t have the faculties for TTM yet. Still setting up my permanent QT system. I have cupramine coming in the morning, so copper is the plan if the consensus is ich. He’s eating frozen mysis and frozen butterfly cubes. Do you have a preferred vitamin I’ll pick up?

any fish vitamins should do. Selcon, aquaforest fish V etc.
I believe copper safe and copper power is easier on fish. since you will need to up the copper concentration quickly keep an eye on the fish's behavior.

 

[Cojo]

any fish vitamins should do. Selcon, aquaforest fish V etc.
I believe copper safe and copper power is easier on fish. since you will need to up the copper concentration quickly keep an eye on the fish's behavior.

Perfect. I’ll treat it as if it’s ich at least. I order some copper safe, so I’ll have coppersafe and cupramine arriving in the AM. I ordered Selcon as well (been meaning to), but it’ll take a few days.

if you or anyone else has any other advice, I’d take it. I’ve been perfecting my freshwater planted systems for a decade, but this is my first time fighting marine ich. I’ve read a ton, so I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I’m doing. First-hand experience always beats that out though.

thank you very much for taking the time to assist me and my butterfly. Hoping for the best.

 

[polyppal]

Does this tank have any inverts or corals? If not, you can treat him via hyposalinity and it should wipe out the ich in 30days

 

[Cojo]

0 inverts or coral. I’ve never heard of doing that, but I love the idea. Let me research it for a bit. If there’s a preexisting thread or article you’d recommend on the subject, would you share it?
Can you do that along with copper? Or is that completely redundant if you’re breaking the lifecycle with inhospitable water?

 

[Cojo]

I am reading humblefish’s add on it. Since I don’t yet have an ATO, it may be tricky to maintain it perfectly. It’s a great idea though.

 

[kartrsu]

I would treat with copper to rule out ich, but looks more like lympho. The way to tell the difference is if the spot stays there over 7 days, 10 to be safe. If it does, most likely lympho.

 

[Cojo]

Great advice guys! I’m on it.

 

[Cojo]

I wanted to post an updated photo of what I’m dealing with. The black bits are spreading and just look very unusual. Right now I’ve got my copper treatment up to 1.75ppm (gradually raising to therapeutic). The black is making me less confident it’s ich. The fish is still active and eating/behaving like nothing is wrong


Any thoughts?