Been hyposalinity treating for a while now

[3rdimension]

I had it down to 1.008 for 1 week. introduced 3 new fish. Some I'm sure came with hidden ich on the inside of their gills not noticeable when purchased. I slowly acclimated them in lower salinity. They all have been doing fine, eating fine. Kept the salinity at 1.008 for 1 more week. then I started to slowly build up the salinity again over 1 week only reaching 1.010 because I started noticing a few ich spots on the fish's fins, eyes and skin appearing. I guess I didn't leave it at lower salinity long enough.

So I brought it back down to 1.008 again over 1 week period. ich is slowly disappearing again. All fish have been eating fine, no signs of any worms, they're pooping fine too. haha! All the fish have managed to keep their coloration just fine, the water quality is perfect. 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate, ph level between 8.0 and 8.2 temperature is between 75-79 degrees. I'm not sure what phosphate or kh level is although I'm buffering the r.o. replacement water with ph kh buffer treatment before introducing it in the aquarium.

The only fish that has a bit of coloration loss in some spots of it are my majestic angelfish. It's eating, pooping, looks healthy all around, just has lost some of it's vibrant colors. I've been feeding them variety of mysis, brine, algae, clam, shrimp. I'm wondering if it's faded colors has anything to do with less salts and minerals in the water? Any thoughts?

not sure if this poor guy is dealing with ich or what? it's been scratching on decorative rocks on it's head area. it's also darting while trying to shake off vigorously occasionally what ever it has

Here's a video of him when I first got him and doing very well still.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gl-ZPsWE1eA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[snorvich]

You need to keep hyposalinity at 1.008/1.009 as measured by a calibrated refractometer for longer. Visible symptoms of ich are irrelevant, it is the invisible stages of the life cycle that you are treating.

 

[3rdimension]

figured that much. but what about the faded colors on the Majestic Angel? It's eating and swimming around and getting rid of it's waste just fine. giving them well rounded diets too.

 

[snorvich]

Hyposalinity - Using a refractometer, hold salinity at 11ppt to 12ppt until 4 weeks after the last spot was seen. (Best to use salinity, but if you use specific gravity, that equates to roughly 1.008 to 1.009 sp. gr. units). Raise salinity slowly and observe fish for 4 more weeks. It is difficult to control pH and water quality during treatment, however this is the least stressful treatment for the fish.

However, I am more concerned with the "fading colors" of the majestic angel. Please describe that a bit more. Also, what is his behavior? Is he reclusive?

 

[3rdimension]

Majestic Angelfish are by nature a bit reclusive and shy in character. Even when he was vibrant he was a lot more shy and reclusive than he is now. He has become more bold and brave about coming up to eat with the rest of the fish in the past few weeks. He still is, but gets spooked easier than the other fish. natural behavior for them. he will defend his territory somewhat sometimes natural angelfish behavior. I'm wondering if it needs a higher protein diet? doesn't clam mysis and brine come with high protein? it's recieving plenty of vitamin c through brine, mysis and algae. they all love blood worms. haven't fed them those in about a week, although they do fine without blood worms. not all it's colors are faded, just near the top near it's head and near the bottom of it. the rest remains vibrant.

 

[snorvich]

Majestic Angelfish are by nature a bit reclusive and shy in character.

Yes, I know, I have kept them. I am worried about velvet. PE mysis or any mysis is high in protein so that is not an issue.

Even when he was vibrant he was a lot more shy and reclusive than he is now. He has become more bold and brave about coming up to eat with the rest of the fish in the past few weeks. He still is, but gets spooked easier than the other fish. natural behavior for them. he will defend his territory somewhat sometimes natural angelfish behavior. I'm wondering if it needs a higher protein diet? doesn't clam mysis and brine come with high protein? it's recieving plenty of vitamin c through brine, mysis and algae. they all love blood worms. haven't fed them those in about a week, although they do fine without blood worms. not all it's colors are faded, just near the top near it's head and near the bottom of it. the rest remains vibrant.

 

[3rdimension]

Not sure what velvet looks like. I could take pictures and post comparison of what he looked like when I first got him compared to now.

 

[3rdimension]

not sure if this poor guy is dealing with ich or what? it's been scratching on decorative rocks on it's head area. it's also darting while trying to shake off vigorously occasionally what ever it has

Here's a video of him when I first got him and doing very well still.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gl-ZPsWE1eA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[snorvich]

My eyesight is no longer good enough to tell from pictures. Shaking/twitching is often a sign of flukes. A golden sheen is symptomatic of velvet. Symptoms of oodinium are most similar to Brooklynella, Oodinium organisms primarily attack the gills first. At the onset of this infestation fish often scrape up against objects in the aquarium, lethargy sets in, and rapid respiration develops, which is the result of excess mucus in the gills due to the invasion of the parasites. This is typically noticed as fish staying at the surface of the water, or remaining in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium such as near overflows or powerheads. This behavior is the most definitive.

As the disease progresses outwards from the gills, the cysts then become visible on the fins and body. Although these cysts may appear as tiny white dots the size of a grain of salt, like the first sign of Saltwater Ich (cryptocaryon irritans) or White Spot Disease, what sets Oodinium apart from other parasites is that at this point the fish have the appearance of being coated with what looks like a whitish or tan to golden colored, velvet-like film, thus the name Velvet Disease. That is why I was concerned about "loss of coloration".

In the advanced stage of the disease the production of gill and body mucus increases, the fish becomes listless, refuses to eat, and it's not unusual for a secondary infection to develop. For fish that reach this end stage of the disease, it's typically too late. They usually do not respond to treatment, and most often will die.

 

[3rdimension]

Thanks I'll keep an eye on him. So far sounds somewhat like beginning stages possibly. The faded color around his head could be from scraping. Doesn't appear slimy coat, golden at all. Just faded in the areas it's been scraping. Hoping hypo salinity can take care of parasites.

 

[snorvich]

Thanks I'll keep an eye on him. So far sounds somewhat like beginning stages possibly. The faded color around his head could be from scraping. Doesn't appear slimy coat, golden at all. Just faded in the areas it's been scraping. Hoping hypo salinity can take care of parasites.

Hypo will work with cryptocaryon irritans but not with flukes, velvet, or brook.

 

[3rdimension]

figured as much. The Angel fish is looking better since I've had the salinity back down for a couple days. coloration is coming back a little, less scratching, less irritable behavior, although still some. Still eating well and healthy looking digestion.

 

[3rdimension]

Update: I think crypto and or velvet something is in their gills since they've been breathing harder, darting, scratching and shaking their heads vigorously again for the past week and it's been in hypo for about a week now. They were doing well for a while. Since hypo doesn't treat everything, I decided to pick up a bottle of Voogle to help boost their natural immune system, as it claims it does. I hope so. I hate to see my fish stress and struggle like this and I may lose one of my butterfly's tonight since I went too long without any chemical treatments and hoping hypo would eventually kill what they've been struggling with. In the mean time, I'm going to start slowly raising the salinity again and start using other treatments that won't suppress appetites, and won't kill the biological bacteria. Any suggestions for a Just fish tank? I don't have inverts.

 

[snorvich]

What is in your tank? Live Rock? Coral? Substrate? What is the SG? How did you measure it?

 

[3rdimension]

Sand, fake reef, I use a hydrometer since that's all I can afford right now. I assure you, the salinity was right around 1.008, even a tad below on that marker just to be sure it was at r'008 or below. Ammonia and nitrite and nitrate are still perfect and ph is where it needs to be consistent.

 

[snorvich]

Sand, fake reef, I use a hydrometer since that's all I can afford right now. I assure you, the salinity was right around 1.008, even a tad below on that marker just to be sure it was at r'008 or below. Ammonia and nitrite and nitrate are still perfect and ph is where it needs to be consistent.

I do not recommend trying hypo with a hydrometer. The odds are stacked against you.

 

[3rdimension]

That's all I've got for now. will there be a big difference in a fish's survival if it's between 1.008 and 1.006? I heard someone mentioned in another topic that he had his between those parameters.

 

[snorvich]

That's all I've got for now. will there be a big difference in a fish's survival if it's between 1.008 and 1.006?

Yes, dead fish.

I heard someone mentioned in another topic that he had his between those parameters.

That person would be a good source for further advice.