Ick?

[Thomas Gregory]

I have a 180g fowlr tank and I've never had this issue before. This is a new tank with only a few fish. My female blue jaw trigger that ive had for 4 days just showed up today with these spots.

What should i do? I dont have a hospital tank set up and i figured i could just treat the whole tank. What should i use?

 

[jsker]

When you feed put is some vitamin m, an antibiotic ( I used metroplex) and use seachem focus to bind the antibiotic to the food and feed frozen. I did this along with adding a garlic supplement. 4 days in the tank plus were and how the fish was handled before it was brought home, it is stress.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

I got a Male and female at the same time from a very reputable place in LA. the female they had for over a month and the male they had for a week. The female was out and about the next day and seems to be fine.

with doing that how long will it take for it to go away and will it come back?

 

[Thomas Gregory]

 

[jsker]

I would say four or five days, I would feed the Antibiotic for at least 2 weeks. Not saying that the LFS did anything wrong, just he has had a lot of changes in a short amount of time and that will cause stress. Then thrown in the tank with some girl he dose not know.

Here is what I feed along with the metroplex/antibiotic I mix a batch of food for 5 or more days to that the food soaks up the med and also binds. I would get on it pretty quick. I would not add anything for a fallow period with the fish in it. just to be sure.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

I will go pick some stuff up after work.

I also read something about a freshwater dip. could that help her get rid of it?
here is the post by humblefish. is it a good idea?


Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes & "Black Ich", Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.
How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.
Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.
For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.
Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.
Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

or maybe do a medicated dip too?

 

[melypr1985]

This looks like ick to me. I would suggest QT for all fish and going fallow in the display for 76 days. Anything else will not rid you of ick, they will only provide a way to "manage" it. The choice is yours of course, but I'll supply some info on both for you here.

http://reef2reef.com/threads/ich-eradication-vs-ich-management.188775/

 

[Thomas Gregory]

@melypr1985 i read that earlier. I was told awhile ago when i first set up my tank that because its a FOWLR tank i could treat the whole tank. Is that not true?

 

[melypr1985]

@melypr1985 i read that earlier. I was told awhile ago when i first set up my tank that because its a FOWLR tank i could treat the whole tank. Is that not true?

It would be very difficult to control the levels of copper in the water since the rock and sand will be absorbing it and releasing it into the water again later. Not to mention if you wanted to keep inverts like shrimp, snails, hermits, starfish ect.... that would be very difficult with the copper soaked rocks and sand. You can pull the copper out again later with cupusorb and other products, but I'm not confident that the rocks wont still leach copper into the water after that.

A QT to treat in is the safest route here.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

I get what you're saying but I won't be able to keep any of those types of invertebrates because of the fish I have so will that matter?

 

[melypr1985]

I get what you're saying but I won't be able to keep any of those types of invertebrates because of the fish I have so will that matter?

The part where the rock absorbs the copper and releases it back out randomly is the most important part here. Copper is a poison plain and clear. It just so happens that fish can survive in it longer than some parasites. Although, if the levels get up too high the fish may not be able to survive in it long at all. You wont be able to control the levels when the rock is taking it out (bringing it below therapeutic levels which leave your fish vulnerable to re-infestation) or leaching it back out bringing the copper level too high and risking your fish's health that way. If you must treat in tank you could try Hyposalinity, but that needs to be done with a perfectly calibrated refractometer and an ATO. Read more on Hypo here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hyposalinity.247596/

 

[Humblefish]

^^Everyone is entitled to their opinion on ich, but personally I'd listen to the lady.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

i got a few things from my LFS like the NLS ICK SHIELD food and some Kordon Ich attack. however the dosing for it on my size tank i will be going through a $15 bottle every 2 days for 5 weeks. can i do a QT and once all the fish are out do a HYPO on the tank for a week hope my two triggers clear up? i would QT my trigger separate from my other fish. hopping that they don't have it yet. and treating both tanks.

 

[melypr1985]

hopping that they don't have it yet.

All your fish have it, even if they arn't showing signs yet. I guarantee it.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

So would QT them and doing a HYPO on the tank work?

 

[melypr1985]

So would QT them and doing a HYPO on the tank work?

You dont need to do HYPO on the tank if you are going to run the fish through QT. Just leave the tank without fish (fallow) for 76 days and any ick parasites will starve and die.... so will most other parasites that might be lurking in there. Do one or the other, but no reason to do both. Personally I would QT the fish with copper safe. I've never used the products you mentioned and dont know much about them. I'm sure @Humblefish has an opinion on them though.

 

[Thomas Gregory]

My thinking with doing both would be to speed up the FALLOW and only make it last 30 days instead of 76. Or however long i should run the copper for.

 

[Humblefish]

My thinking with doing both would be to speed up the FALLOW and only make it last 30 days instead of 76. Or however long i should run the copper for.

Honestly, if you want to go hypo in your DT for 30 days I would just treat the fish in there. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But I wouldn't go thru the hassle of catching all your fish and treating with copper unless you are prepared to go fallow in the DT for 76 days.