Could this be ich? (no pictures)

[aufan1]

I have had a tang for a week and a half now and noticed a spec on a pectoral fin that I thought was ich the day after we got it. I have elected to try the tank swap method to rid it of ich only because I have not had any luck with hypo and copper in the past. Here it is a week and a half later and three tank swaps and this spec is still on the fin. Could this be ich or maybe a damaged fin? I thought the parasite would have fallen off by now. I tried to get a picture and got some really good shots of the fish but nothing that showed the spot. It just won't show up in a picture. My wife came home last night and tried with her camera and again, got some good shots of the fish but that spot just won't show up in a picture.

 

[TerryB]

One spot that hasn't spread sounds more like lymphocystis to me. How large is the spot? Is it perfectly round or irregular in shape? If someone doesn't have good luck treating ich with hyposalinity it is usually because:

1. Didn't use an accurate refractometer to measure the salinity. Plastic hydrometers are usually too inaccurate.

2. Measured the Specific Gravity rather than the salinity.

3. Didn't use the correct salinity. I suggest 14ppt (notice NOT Specific Gravity).

4. Didn't check the pH daily and add a buffer as needed.

5. Didn't have a cycled treatment tank so ammonia became a problem.

6.Didn't treat long enough

7. Mis-identified the problem and the fish didn't actually have Cryptocaryon irritans (Ich).

8. Had more than one pathogen attacking the fish such as ich and Amyloodinium or ich and a bacterial infection at the same time (very common).

Terry B

 

[aufan1]

Jonathon and I have PM’d about my failure with hypo in the past and come to the conclusion that it was definitely option 4 with a possibility of 7. Never thought about number 8... I'll look at the spot when I get home at lunch to determine if it's round or irregular.