Treat anyway?

DracoKat · Oct 8, 2016

I got a bristletooth tang a week and half ago. Been in QT since with prazipro.

This morning, I could've SWORN I saw ich on his fins. Did a nice size water change and looked again and I don't see any signs of ich.

He's been eating like a pig in the last few days (First week he didn't eat at all, then few days he ate everything in sight)

Should I treat with copper anyway? Do ich come and go as quickly?

melypr1985 · Oct 8, 2016

Ick will usually be present for a few days before dropping off the body. Velvet can move much quicker but is usually more numerous. If there isn't any sandin the tank to stick to him temporarily then it might be prudent to treat anyway. I'd go ahead and treat any new fish for ick as a matter of course.

Humblefish · Oct 9, 2016

melypr1985 said:
Ick will usually be present for a few days before dropping off the body. Velvet can move much quicker but is usually more numerous. If there isn't any sandin the tank to stick to him temporarily then it might be prudent to treat anyway. I'd go ahead and treat any new fish for ick as a matter of course.

^^ Agree. I think I'd start raising copper immediately just in case what you saw was velvet.

DracoKat · Oct 9, 2016

I am sure it's not velvet. This morning I just see one spot on the fin (From what I can see, he was hiding in the PVC). No sand in the tank. I went ahead and put copper in last night.

Can you see ich on the PVC pipe? I see spots on the inside of the pipe, but I am not sure what it is. Looks like ich, but not sure if its possible to see them anywhere but the fish?

melypr1985 · Oct 9, 2016

DracoKat said:
Can you see ich on the PVC pipe? I see spots on the inside of the pipe, but I am not sure what it is. Looks like ich, but not sure if its possible to see them anywhere but the fish?

You wouldn't be able to see ick on any hard surface. The only reason you can see it on a fish is because the immune system's reaction causes the slime coat to attack the insertion point creating a white dot that's visible to the naked eye.

Humblefish · Oct 9, 2016

DracoKat said:
Can you see ich on the PVC pipe? I see spots on the inside of the pipe, but I am not sure what it is. Looks like ich, but not sure if its possible to see them anywhere but the fish?

No, ich is invisible to the naked eye in all forms. What you are actually seeing on the fish is the immune system response: Excess white mucous building up around the trophont insertion point.