My brand new yellow tail damsel I brought home yesterday seems to have ich. Tiny white dots cover it's body and I saw it rub against a rock. I don't have another tank to put him in. He's eating fine and swimming fine. Will he get my other fish sick(green Chromis)? And my cleaning crew( shrimp hermits etc.)?
Does he have ich?
- Thread starter lmack7
- Start date
Deinonych
New member
Sounds like it could be ich. All of your fish have been exposed at this point. If you want to eliminate the parasite, you will need to remove all fish and treat in a dedicated hospital tank. You will also need to leave your DT fallow (fishless) for a minimum of 9 weeks. Your CUC will not be affected by the parasite.
Mrscribbled
Team RC
+1
Just curious what the other fish are and tank size?
Just curious what the other fish are and tank size?
20 gallon with 1 yellow tail damsel, 1 green blue chromis, 1 peppermint shrimp(aptasia problems), 1 emarald crab (bubble algae), 3 snails, 2 scarlet hermits
So even if I remove the damsel and take him back I'll still need to treat the tank?
Mrscribbled
Team RC
No treatment will kill the parasite without killing the shrimp. Take both fish back to the store. Leave your tank "fishless" 10 weeks. In the meantime get a small 5 gallon set up as quarantine, bare bottom, no lr, sponge filter (established) and aquire new fish. You'll be able to enjoy the fish in QT and easily medicate copper, prazi pro to ensure they are disease free. If timed right you'll be able to add the healthy fish into the ich free display once the 10 week fallow is done.
Can I just keep them both in the tank and see if he can fight it off? I read that it's possible.
Mrscribbled
Team RC
You can if you want, if you plan on adding any small valuable fish down the road I would suggest erradicating it. Even if the fish recover doesn't mean the ich is gone. It will all ways be around as long as fish are a host. There are stickies above that explain the life cycle.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
A QT/HT is a vital piece of equipment, not just something nice to have. Try Craigslist. Sometimes ich will disappear for a while; but it comes back, usually at the worst time. You'll see the ich disappear, but that's part of the parasites life cycle. I'd read the 1st posts of snorvich's ich stickies above---vital info for anyone in this hobby.
I preformed a freshwater dip on both of my fish. Everything went well, I matched up the ph and temperature and they are back in the tank and eating. Is there still a good nance they can get ich?
Mrscribbled
Team RC
I don't think you understand the life cycle of ich. You really should read the stickies above.
First; fresh water baths do nothing for ich, the parasite is embeded too deep.
Second; there are cysts in your tank that will be rupturing with hundreds of hungry new parasites looking for blood. The cycle will continue until fish are removed and the cycle is broke. Effective ich treatments only work at killing the free swimming stage, and will also kill inverts. This is why a QT is so important.
First; fresh water baths do nothing for ich, the parasite is embeded too deep.
Second; there are cysts in your tank that will be rupturing with hundreds of hungry new parasites looking for blood. The cycle will continue until fish are removed and the cycle is broke. Effective ich treatments only work at killing the free swimming stage, and will also kill inverts. This is why a QT is so important.
Obviously, that's why I started this thread
Mrscribbled
Team RC
That's why MrTuskfish and myself suggested reading the stickies.
I have no idea what stickies are haha. I'm brand new to the website
gone fishin
New member
Very top of the forum are the stickies. All your questions will be answered there.
