Possible fish with ick!

Schulks · Jul 29, 2022

My clowns seem very lethargic today. Does this seem like anything to worry about or is that normal with raising the copper? It has been about 2.5 for 30 ish hours.

jfoahs04 · Jul 29, 2022

Schulks said:
My clowns seem very lethargic today. Seem like anything to worry about or is that normal with raising the copper. It has been about 2.5 for 30 ish hours.

The fish in the PVC doesn't look bad to me, but the fish on the right seems a bit lethargic. I don't know if it's the video, but it also looks a little pale? I can't tell for sure from the video, but does it look like it's breathing heavier than normal to you? Have you tested ammonia? It can get away from you quickly in a HT/QT setup.

Schulks · Jul 29, 2022

jfoahs04 said:
The fish in the PVC doesn't look bad to me, but the fish on the right seems a bit lethargic. I don't know if it's the video, but it also looks a little pale? I can't tell for sure from the video, but does it look like it's breathing heavier than normal to you? Have you tested ammonia? It can get away from you quickly in a HT/QT setup.

I have stopped testing ammonia and I am just watching the ammonia badge in the tank. I am using copper so I'm unsure how to track it. I wasn't going to worry until my ammonia badge at least matched the green alert color. I have the red sea ammonia test too any pointers on using it in a copper qt?

I think you might be right it is just him. The other clown seems better. I don't believe either is more pale than the other or breathing hard.

not too sure why I added the picture cause different screens will process the colors differently..

Jay Hemdal · Jul 29, 2022

Schulks said:
I have stopped testing ammonia and I am just watching the ammonia badge in the tank. I am using copper so I'm unsure how to track it. I wasn't going to worry until my ammonia badge at least matched the green alert color. I have the red sea ammonia test too any pointers on using it in a copper qt?

I think you might be right it is just him. The other clown seems better. I don't believe either is more pale than the other or breathing hard.

not too sure why I added the picture cause different screens will process the colors differently..

The clown does look a bit lethargic, is it still eating? Copper won’t do this to clownfish something else is going on.
Does it’s skin look cloudy or mucus covered? The problem is sometimes that clowns are succeptable to Brooklynella, but copper doesn’t treat that.
Jay

vetteguy53081 · Jul 29, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
The clown does look a bit lethargic, is it still eating? Copper won’t do this to clownfish something else is going on.
Does it’s skin look cloudy or mucus covered? The problem is sometimes that clowns are succeptable to Brooklynella, but copper doesn’t treat that.
Jay

Was just going to say something about presence of brook

Schulks · Jul 29, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
The clown does look a bit lethargic, is it still eating? Copper won’t do this to clownfish something else is going on.
Does it’s skin look cloudy or mucus covered? The problem is sometimes that clowns are succeptable to Brooklynella, but copper doesn’t treat that.
Jay

They did not eat as much as I hoped this morning. They didn't really go after the food but ate a few pieces that floated by them. The gramma was very active eating and goby ate too.

I'll keep looking for peeling 'skin' for brook. Right now, I still see what looks like specs from ich in a few spots on their fins. He is behaving more normal now and swimming around some.

Jay Hemdal · Jul 29, 2022

Schulks said:
They did not eat as much as I hoped this morning. They didn't really go after the food but ate a few pieces that floated by them. The gramma was very active eating and goby ate too.

I'll keep looking for peeling 'skin' for brook. Right now, I still see what looks like specs from ich in a few spots on their fins. He is behaving more normal now and swimming around some.

I’d say stick with the copper then.
Jay

Schulks · Jul 29, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
I’d say stick with the copper then.
Jay

Could I have overdosed them on Metroplex+focus on mysis shrimp? I might be using too big a scoop for the small amount of shrimp I prepare each day.

Jay Hemdal · Jul 30, 2022

Schulks said:
Could I have overdosed them on Metroplex+focus on mysis shrimp? I might be using too big a scoop for the small amount of shrimp I prepare each day.

Could be, but metronidazole is so bitter, that fish rarely eat it at a proper dose, much less an overdoses.
Jay

Schulks · Jul 30, 2022

The one clown is acting more lethargic today and now I can see he is breathing faster. I did not notice him eat. My clowns look very similar so I struggle to tell who is eating and who isn't but I don't think he did. The other clown only had a couple bites again too.

Could this be flukes? I didn't do a freshwater dip or anything.

Maybe a gill infection from copper irritation?

Jay Hemdal · Jul 30, 2022

Schulks said:
The one clown is acting more lethargic today and now I can see he is breathing faster. I did not notice him eat. My clowns look very similar so I struggle to tell who is eating and who isn't but I don't think he did. The other clown only had a couple bites again too.

Could this be flukes? I didn't do a freshwater dip or anything.

Maybe a gill infection from copper irritation?

As I said, this isn't from the copper, except indirectly - copper takes a minimum of 72 hours to begin to cure. Fish WILL get worse during that time. Depending on if the copper was started late, they can even die - but from the disease, not the copper.

In looking at the video again (I was on my phone yesterday) - it is really pixelated. I can almost see mucus though. Can you get a clearer video? If this is Brooklynella, copper won't work.

You can use a 5 minute FW dip to buy some time if it is Brooklynella or flukes.

It is not unknown to have multiple diseases going at one time. That said, in looking back over these posts, this has been cooking along for over two weeks now? That can cause what I call "stale ich" fewer discrete spots and the symptoms are much different - rapid breathing, mucus on skin, etc.

Jay

Schulks · Aug 4, 2022

Sorry I didn't respond last time. I couldnt figure out how to upload higher resolution videos or why it was blurry.

Things have been going well though and the lethargy has been gone. I believe I was overdosing them on the metro.

Today I did an ammonia test and it is exceedingly dark possible 2.0+ ! I already had saltwater ready to go but hadn't dosed it with copper. How long should I wait after dosing copper before I can get accurate test results from the hanna checker?

Should I try to remove the fish and do a 100% water change or just do 50% water changes every day for awhile?

Schulks · Aug 4, 2022

The fish do seem fine. Royal Gramma has been hiding none stop a few days but everyone else is acting fine and eating well. The seachem ammonia badge still looks green and is not blue yet; am I worrying about nothing? Is the Red Sea Ammonia test just giving me a 'mostly' false positive?

Jay Hemdal · Aug 4, 2022

Schulks said:
The fish do seem fine. Royal Gramma has been hiding none stop a few days but everyone else is acting fine and eating well. The seachem ammonia badge still looks green and is not blue yet; am I worrying about nothing? Is the Red Sea Ammonia test just giving me a 'mostly' false positive?

If your tank was truly above 2 mg/l ammonia, the fish would be dying. In this case, I would trust the ammonia badge (assuming it isn't really old).

Jay