Ugh! I think Hewbie has ich!

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

After months of Hewbie being fine and weeks in quarantine with no new additions in the past few weeks since before the tank leak. I think he has ich ugh. He’s covered in white spots and you can’t really see them from the photos/video but look closely near his eyes and on his fins. Can I add cooper to my fowlr tank that is currently a tote? My observation/isolation tank is being used right now and that also has rock and sand. https://youtube.com/shorts/UDGqEsnfOSU?feature=share I assume I can add cooper directly a fowlr if I remove the media and it may not be as strong. This stinks. He was fine for months.

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

Also I gave him a quick dip in methylene blue

vetteguy53081 · Jun 10, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
After months of Hewbie being fine and weeks in quarantine with no new additions in the past few weeks since before the tank leak. I think he has ich ugh. He’s covered in white spots and you can’t really see them from the photos/video but look closely near his eyes and on his fins. Can I add cooper to my fowlr tank that is currently a tote? My observation/isolation tank is being used right now and that also has rock and sand. https://youtube.com/shorts/UDGqEsnfOSU?feature=share I assume I can add cooper directly a fowlr if I remove the media and it may not be as strong. This stinks. He was fine for months.

Does appear to be ich which they are prone to. You will need to place in a quarantine setting and treat with either chelated copper which at times they dont do well with copper or resort to hyposalinity (1.009). other would be general cure, while safe is not always effective.
If using coppersafe, treat at 2.25 therapeutic level for a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Does appear to be ich which they are prone to. You will need to place in a quarantine setting and treat with either chelated copper which at times they dont do well with copper or resort to hyposalinity (1.009). other would be general cure, while safe is not always effective.
If using coppersafe, treat at 2.25 therapeutic level for a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

Can I treat the fowlr tank or tote they are in with rock and sand which is my question? They are kind of living in a tote right now.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 10, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
Can I treat the fowlr tank or tote they are in with rock and sand which is my question? They are kind of living in a tote right now.

No rock and preferably no sand but focus is treatment
They- what other fish?

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
No rock and preferably no sand but focus is treatment
They- what other fish?

I removed the rock but I need the sand because I have a wrasse in there. A wrasse, the pufferfish, and an angelfish.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 10, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
I removed the rock but I need the sand because I have a wrasse in there. A wrasse, the pufferfish, and an angelfish.

Copper level mentioned should be safe for all three- Be sure to maintain good water quality and added oxygen

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Copper level mentioned should be safe for all three- Becdure to maintain good water quality and added oxygen

I added an air stone. I hope I can save the little guy. I love him like a dog if not more. He’s my favorite fishy friend and I feel so bad for him!

KrisReef · Jun 10, 2023

I'm sorry that he has been living in the tote for a month. I would have ich too if I were in there. that fish needs a tank asap, imo. Good luck with treatments.

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

KrisReef said:
I'm sorry that he has been living in the tote for a month. I would have ich too if I were in there. that fish needs a tank asap, imo. Good luck with treatments.

I’m working on it. And it’s been 2 weeks but will now be longer. The tote is now quarantine. Ugh. Him and his tank have been so much of a headache for more than one reason.

AydenLincoln · Jun 10, 2023

So someone suggested it’s possibly velvet. @Jay Hemdal What do you think? Ugh I hate playing fish doctor I don’t want to play fish doctor. The universe is against me with Hewbie and him and his tank have given a giant headache but I love the little dude so much.

KrisReef · Jun 11, 2023

Fresh clams, fresh chopped seafood, lots of water changes, and don't forget to cup him in your hand and tell him you expect him to live and he will have a tank soon.

AydenLincoln · Jun 11, 2023

KrisReef said:
Fresh clams, fresh chopped seafood, lots of water changes, and don't forget to cup him in your hand and tell him you expect him to live and he will have a tank soon.

I know I love the little buddy so much! Hang in there. He is still alive and he swam to the top of the tank which is good. His personality hasn’t really been affected.

Jay Hemdal · Jun 11, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
So someone suggested it’s possibly velvet. @Jay Hemdal What do you think? Ugh I hate playing fish doctor I don’t want to play fish doctor. The universe is against me with Hewbie and him and his tank have given a giant headache but I love the little dude so much.

Velvet would cause rapid breathing, not spots.

Have you considered hyposalinity? There is a post in the sticky section of the fish disease forum about it. I’m on my phone while camping and can’t link it for you….

Jay

AydenLincoln · Jun 11, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Velvet would cause rapid breathing, not spots.

Have you considered hyposalinity? There is a post in the sticky section of the fish disease forum about it. I’m on my phone while camping and can’t link it for you….

Jay

I gave him a methylene blue dip bath instead and started cooper. I know the dip probably won’t help significantly but just in case.

Jay Hemdal · Jun 11, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
I gave him a methylene blue dip bath instead and started cooper. I know the dip probably won’t help significantly but just in case.

Yeah - MB dips are useless against marine ich. Some people still "prescribe" these dips, but they simply do not have any effect on the ich trophonts.

Jay

AydenLincoln · Jun 11, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Yeah - MB dips are useless against marine ich. Some people still "prescribe" these dips, but they simply do not have any effect on the ich trophonts.

Jay

Happy to report his spots are gone and his home got moved so I will continue treatment.

Jay Hemdal · Jun 11, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
Happy to report his spots are gone and his home got moved so I will continue treatment.

Don’t forget that in the early stages of ich, the trophonts are all on the same time schedule and they will tend to drop off all at once. Then, the tomonts that form will release theronts at the same time, so the spots tend to return in unison…..eventually the parasites are not as closely in sync, and the spots will pop up all of the time.
In some cases, you can employ ich management or TTM techniques during this interlude and keep the trophonts from returning.

Jay

AydenLincoln · Jun 11, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Don’t forget that in the early stages of ich, the trophonts are all on the same time schedule and they will tend to drop off all at once. Then, the tomonts that form will release theronts at the same time, so the spots tend to return in unison…..eventually the parasites are not as closely in sync, and the spots will pop up all of the time.
In some cases, you can employ ich management or TTM techniques during this interlude and keep the trophonts from returning.

Jay

Yup but thankfully he looks good. I’m just happy he’s feeling better since I love the little buddy so much. I think I’m going to crank the heat all the way up in the tank and add them back in 2-3 weeks. So I don’t have to fallow it for the full 6-8 weeks. I can do this right and cranking up the heat should kill off any parasites? The other thing I could do which I don’t want to but I could is put everything in freshwater and let it soak. But that is going to effectively kill all my beneficial bacteria and the parasites. The tank got moved so it’s just a matter of filling it up now.

Jay Hemdal · Jun 11, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
Yup but thankfully he looks good. I’m just happy he’s feeling better since I love the little buddy so much. I think I’m going to crank the heat all the way up in the tank and add them back in 2-3 weeks. So I don’t have to fallow it for the full 6-8 weeks. I can do this right and cranking up the heat should kill off any parasites? The other thing I could do which I don’t want to but I could is put everything in freshwater and let it soak. But that is going to effectively kill all my beneficial bacteria and the parasites. The tank got moved so it’s just a matter of filling it up now.

Heating up the water speeds up the life cycle of marine ich, but heat doesn’t kill it like it dies with FW ich….unless you go really high, 86 f. is ich’s optimal temperature….

Jay