Ick or Something Else?

[blaxsun]

Just noticed this on our one spot foxface this morning (it may have been present yesterday but I didn't notice when I was feeding as the lights were already dimming). He's got similar spots on the other side as well. The half black mimic tang has a few (smaller) dots that may be the same thing on its tail (couldn't get a clear image; will try to post one later). The best way to describe how they look is teeny tiny air bubbles. These are the only two fish out of forty some odd fish that seem to be affected (and none of the other three tangs). They're not flashing or otherwise behaving abnormally, and still have a healthy appetite. 99.99% sure it's not velvet (been there, done that - and this doesn't look anything like it).

Nothing has been added to the tank since early July (so 2+ months with no new fish). I started a Polyp Lab Medic treatment (triple dose), but being in Canada I don't really have too many options for medications unfortunately.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in-advance.

#fishmedic
@vetteguy53081

Addendum: Spoke too soon - the powder brown tang has a 2-3 spots (total, both sides) as well. About the same as the mimic. The sailfin and whitetail bristletooth are 100% unaffected (for now anyway).

 

[nereefpat]

From Jay's book: " As one of its common names implies, the very first symptom of Cryptocaryon is the appearance of tiny white dots, about the size of a grain of table salt, on the skin and fins of just one or two of the fish in the aquarium. Beginning aquarists often miss this early symptom or mistake it for air bubbles."

I would watch for a couple days at this point. You have a picture of the foxface, so see if the spots disappear and appear somewhere else in that timeframe. If so, it's ich, and you'll have some decisions to make.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just noticed this on our one spot foxface this morning (it may have been present yesterday but I didn't notice when I was feeding as the lights were already dimming). He's got similar spots on the other side as well. The half black mimic tang has a few (smaller) dots that may be the same thing on its tail (couldn't get a clear image; will try to post one later). The best way to describe how they look is teeny tiny air bubbles. These are the only two fish out of forty some odd fish that seem to be affected (and none of the other three tangs). They're not flashing or otherwise behaving abnormally, and still have a healthy appetite. 99.99% sure it's not velvet (been there, done that - and this doesn't look anything like it).

Nothing has been added to the tank since early July (so 2+ months with no new fish). I started a Polyp Lab Medic treatment (triple dose), but being in Canada I don't really have too many options for medications unfortunately.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in-advance.

#fishmedic
@vetteguy53081

Addendum: Spoke too soon - the powder brown tang has a 2-3 spots (total, both sides) as well. About the same as the mimic. The sailfin and whitetail bristletooth are 100% unaffected (for now anyway).

Looks like marine ich and unusual to see this following the lateral line. If these spots have moved amongst the fish the last 36-48 hours, it confirms ich and these fish treat well in quarantine with either coppersafe or copper Power to be safe at 2.0-2.25 therapeutic level for a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off or at least keep an eye on other occupants for any signs of outbreak.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Just noticed this on our one spot foxface this morning (it may have been present yesterday but I didn't notice when I was feeding as the lights were already dimming). He's got similar spots on the other side as well. The half black mimic tang has a few (smaller) dots that may be the same thing on its tail (couldn't get a clear image; will try to post one later). The best way to describe how they look is teeny tiny air bubbles. These are the only two fish out of forty some odd fish that seem to be affected (and none of the other three tangs). They're not flashing or otherwise behaving abnormally, and still have a healthy appetite. 99.99% sure it's not velvet (been there, done that - and this doesn't look anything like it).

Nothing has been added to the tank since early July (so 2+ months with no new fish). I started a Polyp Lab Medic treatment (triple dose), but being in Canada I don't really have too many options for medications unfortunately.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in-advance.

#fishmedic
@vetteguy53081

Addendum: Spoke too soon - the powder brown tang has a 2-3 spots (total, both sides) as well. About the same as the mimic. The sailfin and whitetail bristletooth are 100% unaffected (for now anyway).

Looks too large to be ich, and the distribution is linear and not random as I would expect it to be.

Is it mostly on the fish’s left side?
Do you see any spots on the fins?
Do you have any corals with sweeper tentacles?

Jay

 

[blaxsun]

Thanks for the replies guys! (was just away at an appointment)

Looks too large to be ich, and the distribution is linear and not random as I would expect it to be.

Is it mostly on the fish’s left side?
Do you see any spots on the fins?
Do you have any corals with sweeper tentacles?

Jay

On the foxface, yes - it's more prevalent on the left side.
No spots on any of the fins (checked the foxface, powder brown and half black mimic).

The only coral that I can think of with sweepers is an indo torch and a good-sized condy anemone (which the sole ocellaris clownfish hosts). I have a few flowerpots but they're all at the front of the tank. The only coral that's really been growing in leaps and bounds is a green hairy mushroom. None of these (with the exception of the condy anemone) is anywhere near their haunts.

I ran a extra strong treatment of Polyp Labs Medic just after 3pm and after returning from an errand just after 6pm there's a noticeable difference on the fish. The white "dots" are completely gone from the half black mimic, there's only a few small dots left on the powder brown and the foxface is almost completely clear.

On the foxface you can see these tiny brown "divots" where the white dots previously were along the top. There may be some older spots along the bottom of the foxface as well (hard to make out in the image).


Everywhere a dark brown "divot" is now present is where a white dot was previously.


You can see a small brown mark that one of the "dots" left on his lower left abdomen when you zoom in.


Probably one of the clearest (in focus) shots, where you can see the scales in detail.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the replies guys! (was just away at an appointment)


On the foxface, yes - it's more prevalent on the left side.
No spots on any of the fins (checked the foxface, powder brown and half black mimic).

The only coral that I can think of with sweepers is an indo torch and a good-sized condy anemone (which the sole ocellaris clownfish hosts). I have a few flowerpots but they're all at the front of the tank. The only coral that's really been growing in leaps and bounds is a green hairy mushroom. None of these (with the exception of the condy anemone) is anywhere near their haunts.

I ran a extra strong treatment of Polyp Labs Medic just after 3pm and after returning from an errand just after 6pm there's a noticeable difference on the fish. The white "dots" are completely gone from the half black mimic, there's only a few small dots left on the powder brown and the foxface is almost completely clear.

On the foxface you can see these tiny brown "divots" where the white dots previously were along the top. There may be some older spots along the bottom of the foxface as well (hard to make out in the image).


Everywhere a dark brown "divot" is now present is where a white dot was previously.


You can see a small brown mark that one of the "dots" left on his lower left abdomen when you zoom in.


Probably one of the clearest (in focus) shots, where you can see the scales in detail.

At this point, I can't rule out a sting from the Condylactus or the torch. The fish could have gotten startled and blundered into it. In the last photo, I do not see anything treatable, so I would just watch them very closely for now.....

Jay

 

[blaxsun]

At this point, I can't rule out a sting from the Condylactus or the torch. The fish could have gotten startled and blundered into it. In the last photo, I do not see anything treatable, so I would just watch them very closely for now.....

Jay

It's weird to be sure (I've had this anemone for almost 2 years now without issue). The powder brown and half black mimic seem perfectly fine today; just one or small white dots on the foxface.

I dropped to a low dose of Medic and will continue with it for another few days just to be on the safe side (bumped up the food as well).

Thanks again for all your help/insight.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It's weird to be sure (I've had this anemone for almost 2 years now without issue). The powder brown and half black mimic seem perfectly fine today; just one or small white dots on the foxface.

I dropped to a low dose of Medic and will continue with it for another few days just to be on the safe side (bumped up the food as well).

Thanks again for all your help/insight.

Sorry I couldn’t solve the issue though!

Jay

 

[blaxsun]

Sorry I couldn’t solve the issue though!

Jay

That is completely ok - sometimes just knowing what it's not can make the whole difference!