Ich or brook?

Rakie · Mar 28, 2018

It doesn't matter which of the three it is, you needed to get it out. Specs disappearing and re-appearing sounds like Ich, which means they've created cysts and fallen into the sand, will soon hatch, and infect ALL your fish.

You don't have to treat with medications right away, but you should always remove immediately. Your other fish may now have the parasite, but just handle it better as they are not as infested as this particular clown.

I'm afraid you may need to QT all your fish now.

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2018

Course of action. QT your fish or live with ich. Many of us live with it. I have a tank right now that does. I used Medic from Polyp Lab. Use VitaChem or Selcon in the morning and let the food thaw out in this stuff. Add some Tigger pods which are good for omega 3 to help with a fishes slime coat. Fresh meaty food like scallops, shrimp, clam, squid, Lobster, or salmon chopped up fine if he is still eating.
Or QT with copper and do the tank to tank transfer method.
It is your tank. We can only give you the best fighting information. You need to figure out which one you want to do.

roberts01 · Mar 28, 2018

Ok, will put the fish trap in and try to get all of them out slowly.

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2018

Some LFS will do the treatment for you. Can be like $10-20 a week per fish, but you are also talking at least 2 months.

4FordFamily · Mar 28, 2018

40B Knasty said:
Some LFS will do the treatment for you. Can be like $10-20 a week per fish, but you are also talking at least 2 months.

I wouldn’t trust that with a damsel, personally. Cross-contamination a near certainty, in addition to the information in this article:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

That’s assuming they know how to properly treat, something the vast majority don’t do.

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2018

4FordFamily said:
I wouldn’t trust that with a damsel, personally. Cross-contamination a near certainty, in addition to the information in this article:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

That’s assuming they know how to properly treat, something the vast majority don’t do.

I agree I wouldn't either. Just the LFS that I go to. I would. So it is taken with a grain of salt not knowing who they know.

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2018

4FordFamily said:
I wouldn’t trust that with a damsel, personally. Cross-contamination a near certainty, in addition to the information in this article:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

That’s assuming they know how to properly treat, something the vast majority don’t do.

After reading that. Jeez..

Yup, do your own QT.

4FordFamily · Mar 28, 2018

40B Knasty said:
After reading that. Jeez..
Yup, do your own QT.

Yeah, it’s pretty involved for a LFS, to say the least!

Humblefish · Mar 28, 2018

Most LFS are not setup to do proper QT, unless they have a dedicated system for such away from their retail tanks. Each & every fish must pass through this QT system, and things like copper must be tested on a daily basis to ensure a therapeutic level is being maintained at all times. Also, corals/inverts cannot be placed in the same tanks or even housed within 10 feet of your fish retail system because those can be carrying tomonts. (Unless said corals/inverts were isolated to a fishless environment for 76 days beforehand.)

I have advised, helped setup QT systems for many LFS/public aquariums. Only a handful are doing it the right way, and it shows because they are suddenly developing a unique problem: Their loyal customers have stopped buying fish because the fish in their DT never die.