Uh Oh - I might have ich

[mushcat]

I'm setting up a new series of tanks. One is for fragging coral, the other is for a few non-reef safe fish that my daughter chooses. Both are 45 gallons. I have a 30 gallon sump.

I set these up 3 months ago and have been cycling since. I put in my cleanup crew - things seem fine. I went to my LFS and purchased a few starter fish.

One is a Salifin Tang. I'm guessing its been 3-4 weeks. Today I noticed 3-4 white spots on its tail fin, and a few white spots on the side fin. I cannot see any spots on the body of the fish, but from my reading - this doesn't mean much (probably).

Most everything seems to indicate ich; the timing, the appearance, etc. I don't have a QT tank currently set up, but I could have one set up in a few hours - and use some of my water in the 'bad' tank, changing it out over the next few days. Its just a thought I had.

I have a few small coral frags already in the system, and a Fiji Blue Devil in the tank with the frags. If I chemically treat the tank with the Salifin - it will by default go into the frag tank also.

Attached is a picture if anyone has opinions on whether its ich or not - I'd love any input. I'd also be open to any ideas on how to move forward (QT tank - or treat the main system).

 

[redfishbluefish]

First off, welcome to R2R!

I'm not the disease expert, so lets get them here.... @Humblefish , @melypr1985 , @4FordFamily

I am not aware of any in DT treatment that works....so a Hospital / QT tank is the way to go.

Once cured, please consider starting to look to re-home that sailfin....they get gigantic, and a 45 is way too small. I saw a full grown sailfin in a 450 gallon tank, and that tank looked too small.

 

[mushcat]

I understand my tank is way too small for this fish, I learned this after the fact. For better or worse, we decided to get it because the fish was fairly inexpensive (sale) and I wanted an indicator fish in the system. We had the hope of putting it in our 100 gallon after we were certain it was healthy.

Live and learn

 

[4FordFamily]

That looks like ich to me, and I would advise you either quarantine and treat with copper all of your fish,

Or watch the fish carefully for the short time you have it as it'll need rehomed in short order as they grow quickly, and practice "ich management". It may work for awhile, hopefully you don't get velvet or something more sinister.

Realistically if you're trading frags often and your systems share water you'll repeatedly introduce new parasites that come in on frags and rock-- maybe you go ich management route and see what happens. Not my preference, not the most ethical choice, but it may work. If it goes awry you have a qt as plan B.

You could also separate the tanks which would give you better options.

 

[melypr1985]

You could also separate the tanks which would give you better options.

This is an excellent option. I also agree that with frags coming in and out all the time, there will be many different parasites introduced that way over and over again... not to mention the different strains of each. I wouldnt keep fish in this system, or at least very hardy fish like wrasses, clowns ect.


Remove fish if you can separate the tank from the rest of the system and treat with copper in a QT. Leave the other tanks fishless for 76 days if you wish to rid it of ick as well.


Oh and Welcome to R2R!!

 

[Humblefish]

Could also be Lympho: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lymphocystis.257461/

If the white dots grow in size, it's probably just Lympho. If they disappear in 3-7 days, more likely to be ich.

 

[melypr1985]

Could also be Lympho: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lymphocystis.257461/

If the white dots grow in size, it's probably just Lympho. If they disappear in 3-7 days, more likely to be ich.

good point, good point. Watch for that ^^ for sure!