Parasite? Ich? Help!

[mgmitch]

This is the best picture I can get, whatever this is… has spread badly over the last two days. This is a blue line goby, I have 2 clowns in the tank that don’t have any signs of what this goby has. This is the best picture I could get as you can image how hard it is to get a good picture of this guy. I’ve been treating for ich, although I don’t think it is ich, looks a lot bigger to me. Any clue on what this disease/parasite is and what I can do about it? Help would be greatly appreciated! Tank has been running for 3 months and water parameters are nothing out the norm.

 

[Spare time]

Looks like marine ich to me. If the dots get bigger in size, it could be lympho (they look big in the pic but that's probably just the size of the fish; plus I usually don't see that many spots with lympho so I am sorta doubting lympho. Lympho looks like large fuzzy blobs). Marine ich has oval shaped attachments and the placement of the dots can vary over time. Velvet looks more like sugar and kills rapidly. The only treatment for marine ich is 45 days in copper at 81 degrees F (while the tank remains empty). Alternatively, you might be able to use cupramine in tank which is supposed to not "stick" to rocks but no inverts can be in the tank when this is done. You can try ich management, but this is a last resort method that is not recommended as the fish still have to cyclically get ich and any new addition will be attacked with the parasite.

 

[corey904]

looks like ich to me if you haven’t already go watch

 

[nereefpat]

I’ve been treating for ich, although I don’t think it is ich, looks a lot bigger to me.

How are you treating?

 

[mgmitch]

Looks like marine ich to me. If the dots get bigger in size, it could be lympho (they look big but that's probably just the size of the fish; plus I usually don't see that many spots with lympho so I am sorta doubting lympho). Marine ich has oval shaped attachments and the placement of the dots can vary over time. Velvet looks more like sugar and kills rapidly. The only treatment for marine ich is 45 days in copper at 81 degrees F (while the tank remains empty). Alternatively, you might be able to use cupramine in tank which is supposed to not "stick" to rocks but no inverts can be in the tank when this is done. You can try ich management, but this is a last resort method that is not recommended as the fish still have to cyclically get ich and any new addition will be attacked with the parasite.

Thanks for the info. Judging by google images I don’t think it’s lympho or velvet. Although I’m new to reef keeping (not aquariums), the spots do look larger than freshwater ich (not sure how they differ). I am using kick-ich which one of the guys at my LFS has used before and I trust him. I’ve heard mixed reviews but that most likely comes with any ich treatment.

 

[mgmitch]

How are you treating?

I am using Kick-ich. A guy who owns a saltwater shop that I visit very frequently has used it so I trust him. I have corals and no hospital tank, this product claims to be coral safe and I have not seen any bad signs from my corals. The fish has gotta really bad the last 2 days. Still feeding, still active.

 

[Tamberav]

Kick ich isn’t really a proven cure. Copper is but not reef safe.

Have you done a fresh water dip to see if it could be skin flukes?

 

[mgmitch]

No, I have not. I’ve also never attempted a freshwater dip, I’ve heard of it though. But would it be worth doing it if it doesn’t have skin flukes? And are skin flukes contagious? Because my other fish seem completely fine.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I have had success with using Hydroplex for a 10 minute dip in saltwater to kill the bugs on the fish. You still have to do the hospital treatment but it is much less stressful than a freshwater dip.

 

[mgmitch]

I have had success with using Hydroplex for a 10 minute dip in saltwater to kill the bugs on the fish. You still have to do the hospital treatment but it is much less stressful than a freshwater dip.

What do you mean by hospital treatment? If you’re referring to another tank that is not an option…

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is the best picture I can get, whatever this is… has spread badly over the last two days. This is a blue line goby, I have 2 clowns in the tank that don’t have any signs of what this goby has. This is the best picture I could get as you can image how hard it is to get a good picture of this guy. I’ve been treating for ich, although I don’t think it is ich, looks a lot bigger to me. Any clue on what this disease/parasite is and what I can do about it? Help would be greatly appreciated! Tank has been running for 3 months and water parameters are nothing out the norm.

This is likely lymphocystis and is viral. Generally its associated with poor water quality and/or diet. The size of nodules too large to be ich.
It can be the water from the LFS and not yours or reaction to change in store and your tank parameters. If fish is not breathing heavily , you can give it a freshwater bath in same temperature as your display for 5 mins.
A couple curiosities I have . . . . . .
What is age of your tank ?
Acclimation - How did you acclimate and for how long ?
What test kit(s) are you using?
Is fish eating?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What do you mean by hospital treatment? If you’re referring to another tank that is not an option…

Hospital tank not needed in this case. Focus on water quality right now.

 

[Tamberav]

No, I have not. I’ve also never attempted a freshwater dip, I’ve heard of it though. But would it be worth doing it if it doesn’t have skin flukes? And are skin flukes contagious? Because my other fish seem completely fine.

Yes they are contagious and so is ich. If it is lympho then it isn’t contagious.

Clownfish have thick slime coats so they may not always show obvious signs. It’s possible they may still become ill.

Once ich or velvet or flukes and such is in your tank. That is where it will stay unless the fish are removed and the tank is left without fish for 45 days at 81-82 degrees.

Getting a for sure diagnosis with this photo is eh. The spots look too large to be ich though. A FW did would knock flukes off but many use prazipro on their reef which treats flukes. If it is lympho then it just needs to go away in time.

 

[mgmitch]

This is likely lymphocystis and is viral. Generally its associated with poor water quality and/or diet. The size of nodules too large to be ich.
It can be the water from the LFS and not yours or reaction to change in store and your tank parameters. If fish is not breathing heavily , you can give it a freshwater bath in same temperature as your display for 5 mins.
A couple curiosities I have . . . . . .
What is age of your tank ?
Acclimation - How did you acclimate and for how long ?
What test kit(s) are you using?
Is fish eating?

Great reply! But my question to you, are you certain? He’s got a lot, probably 20…. To answer your question though, 3 months, 30-45 minutes drip, aqua forest, fish is eating and active

Yes they are contagious and so is ich. If it is lympho then it isn’t contagious.

Clownfish have thick slime coats so they may not always show obvious signs. It’s possible they may still become ill.

Once ich or velvet or flukes and such is in your tank. That is where it will stay unless the fish are removed and the tank is left without fish for 45 days at 81-82 degrees.

Getting a for sure diagnosis with this photo is eh. The spots look too large to be ich though. A FW did would knock flukes off but many use prazipro on their reef which treats flukes. If it is lympho then it just needs to go away in time.

and just regular RODI water?

 

[nereefpat]

and just regular RODI water?

No. Tapwater with temp to match the tank

 

[DaddyFish]

and just regular RODI water?

Make sure it's dechlorinated

 

[Breadbox]

This is Ich, this is not likely to be lympho or flukes, they look quite different, reef safe ich treatment won't do much good here as it looks serious. I've only used copper to treat ich so I can't comment on the effectiveness of other medication.

I've lost fishes before because I'm stuck wondering if it is actually ich(it is ich) and hoping that I never have to go through with the time and money with setting up a hospital tank, my only regret is not setting one up earlier. Clowns are quite resistant to disease, I was in your exact situation before, all my other fishes are having problems yet the clowns are looking completely fine.

If you don't have another tank just use a bucket with airstone and order a submersible filter in the meantime, do not use freshly dechlorinated water if you are using copper, dechlorinator may become toxic when reacted with copper, do more water changes since bucket/tank is uncycled. Oh and you want to treat all your other fishes as well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Great reply! But my question to you, are you certain? He’s got a lot, probably 20…. To answer your question though, 3 months, 30-45 minutes drip, aqua forest, fish is eating and active

and just regular RODI water?

I was able to expand photo. These look more like viral nodules known as bacterial tufts. Its generally derived from poor water quality and /or diet. Can be water from pet store or yours.
maintaining good water quality and diet should provide improvement. Add selcon vitamins and garlic extract to the foods occasionally.
Foods:
Formula 1 fozen
LRS Fish frenzy
Hikari marine cuisine
mysis shrimp
Spirulina brine shrimp

If youre using API test kits, you may be getting false readings