spots on BPT Ich or not?

Joe BBC · Feb 25, 2019

Please help identify these spots - look too big for ich? I am getting QT ready. Just noticed on Saturday. Also rubs against my candy cane coral. My first thread - not a good one... Please advise reefers.

HotRocks · Feb 25, 2019

The spot on the eye makes me wonder if it is flukes you are dealing with.

I would recommend a FW dip to confirm if flukes are present.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

Joe BBC · Feb 25, 2019

HotRocks said:
The spot on the eye makes me wonder if it is flukes you are dealing with.

I would recommend a FW dip to confirm if flukes are present.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

Thank you - Should I get a better pic? Do I treat flukes like ICH? So RO/DI for 4-5 mins - correct? I may not be able to respond quickly - busy at work. I'm only into this hobby 4 months now so have lots of questions. Will research flukes treatments.

150 gallon tank bought used - all water parameters are good - checked twice.

4FordFamily · Feb 25, 2019

Joe BBC said:
Thank you - Should I get a better pic? Do I treat flukes like ICH? So RO/DI for 4-5 mins - correct? I may not be able to respond quickly - busy at work. I'm only into this hobby 4 months now so have lots of questions. Will research flukes treatments.

150 gallon tank bought used - all water parameters are good - checked twice.

Correct, make sure RODI is the same temp as the display tank or wherever it is being housed. Use a dark bucket, look for small "sesame seeds" in the bottom of the bucket (this is why you use a dark bucket).

I do think it looks like ich but the eye leads me down the same path as @HotRocks

Joe BBC · Feb 25, 2019

4FordFamily said:
Correct, make sure RODI is the same temp as the display tank or wherever it is being housed. Use a dark bucket, look for small "sesame seeds" in the bottom of the bucket (this is why you use a dark bucket).

I do think it looks like ich but the eye leads me down the same path as @HotRocks

WOW - My plan is to use a trap to catch him/her after work. Never done that either. Then set up HD orange bucket with heater and RO/DI - dip, then into 40 gal QT which was going to my 2nd tank. (all parameters very close) I will take a better picture too cause I dont see any white in the eye when I look closely. I'm prepping (for ich) and remove all the fish but slowly during the week so I dont get ammonia spikes. What fun.

Smo · Feb 25, 2019

Be sure to aerate the RODI water for at least 30 minutes while you are matching temperature. You can add a splash of tank water as well to better match ph.

Joe BBC · Feb 27, 2019

Update on sick tang. I tried to net the tang with frustrating results. The tang seems healthy besides the spot, rubs and scratches. Truth is I am not sure what "sick" looks like besides the spots. Last night I put a plexiglass fish trap in the tank. Now more stress??? Today after work I plan on putting food in the trap and see what happens. My question is: Do I treat just the tang or all the fish. #reefsquad

Bob Loblaw · Feb 27, 2019

Joe BBC · Feb 27, 2019

Bob Loblaw said:
You'll need to treat every fish in the tank. Pulling the rock is a major pita but it's the only way I've ever been able to remove every fish for when QT is needed.

Thanks Bob - I was debating the Ich maintenance VS Ich eradication methods. Since i am just starting out I am going to go fallow for the 76 days. So this weekend the rock is coming out and larger softies. Man, I need more buckets.

Big G · Feb 27, 2019

Try catching the tang at night after the lights have been off and the room dark for a couple of hours. Using a small flashlight, shine it into the fish's eyes. The light will mesmerize the fish making it easy to net it (usually LOL).

4FordFamily · Feb 27, 2019

With any ailment, you’ll want to treat all the fish— typically. If it’s flukes you can do in the DT generally with Prazi. A freshwater dip can confirm. If ich, velvet, brook, uronema, or even some bacterial infections you’ll want to treat everyone.

Ich management can work I practiced it for years but today’s environment is ridden with far more serious parasites than ich and that’s where that ideology falls apart. Ich is less common or as common as velvet now, for example. Brook is much more common than it was when I practiced ich management (up until about 4-5 years ago), and uronema is MUCH more of a threat and probably the worst of all of the above. It has recently been very, very common. As common as ich in my recent experience, unfortunately.

Something to think about.

Joe BBC · Feb 28, 2019

Update: I have a 40 gal tank that was cycled months ago. I finally caught 1 fish and did a fresh water dip for 4 min then into the tank. (Spotted Hawk) my thought process is to add fish to this tank slowly and control ammonia. I know now the rocks must be removed to get all of them but 11 fish at once seemed deadly. The blue tang is back to normal so the parasites must have gone back to the sand bed. Tomorrow I will try to catch another fish. Am I doing this all wrong #reefsquad.

ngoodermuth · Feb 28, 2019

What happened in the freshwater dip? Did you see any flukes? If there were flukes in the dip you can actually just treat them in the tank they are in with prazipro and see if that alleviates the symptoms first?

It's not a bad idea to QT all of your fish anyway, but it might alleviate your stress a bit if it's not as urgent as you think...

Also, if you do need to move them all at once you can... but I would recommend using a bacterial aid like Biospira or Dr. Tim's to help manage ammonia. Also be prepared for water changes, and possibly frequently if necessary. An ammonia alert badge will be helpful as well.

Last, I know you mentioned you are new-ish to the hobby. You can use an ammonia reducing product (like Prime or Amquel) initially if you need to... but NOT with copper. It will react poorly and kill all of your fish rather quickly.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ammonia-control-in-a-hospital-tank.296119/

Joe BBC · Feb 28, 2019

Didn't see flukes but I was using clear tupperware . Just bought black ones today for next fish. I am actually less worried but that's because the tank and livestock look great. I feel patience is best but I know the zombie attack is coming so need to get this done. I want to start this hobby with a pest free tank. All suggestions are welcome.

ngoodermuth · Feb 28, 2019

If you didn't see flukes (with that many marks there would have been quite a few since most are not visible until exposed to the freshwater), I would think you are indeed dealing with Ich instead. It won't hurt to check another fish though, would provide them some relief in any case.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-cryptocaryon-irritans.191226/

Joe BBC · Mar 1, 2019

ngoodermuth said:
If you didn't see flukes (with that many marks there would have been quite a few since most are not visible until exposed to the freshwater), I would think you are indeed dealing with Ich instead. It won't hurt to check another fish though, would provide them some relief in any case.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-cryptocaryon-irritans.191226/

@nogoodermuth thanks- Only the Blue Tang had marks (now gone) and have not had luck catching her. I have installed an ammonia patch and will buy some less expensive salt than reef crystals. Checked water parameters = pH 8.2 , ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates at 15ppm also salinity = 1.023, temp 78. I am somewhat reluctant to put copper in the 40 gallon because of the volume. So bought another 10 gallon. Question: Is it wise to set up the 10 gallon to treat fish with copper and use the 40 gallon as the holding tank while I work to "clean" the DT? Reply when able.

ngoodermuth · Mar 1, 2019

Joe BBC said:
Question: Is it wise to set up the 10 gallon to treat fish with copper and use the 40 gallon as the holding tank while I work to "clean" the DT? Reply when able.

You could do that. But, they need a minimum 14 days in the copper tank before transfer to the 40. You’d only be able to treat one or two at a time in that small volume though...otherwise ammonia will become difficult to manage.

And you don’t have to do anything to your DT besides let it run fish-less for 76 days. Without a fish host they eventually die-off.