Why did you take them out of their original tank in the first place?
Did you add any wet items like rocks, corals, shrimp,...?
Did these bumps appear all at once or did it become more gradually?
Did they go away and came back in larger numbers or did it just spread?
Which fish are affected (even if only mildly)?
- Fish were removed to break down the 220 after a massive unchecked red planaria infestation. All were in the same 55 for 3 months until the purple started bullying the yellow. The yellow had a large gash in his side and was breathing very rapidly. The yellow was removed and put in a 29 to recover. He made a good recovery and was eating well again, so went into the 220 first after it finished cycling where he was fine for a week or so with the smaller fish (cardinals, dottyback, etc).
- Added two cleaner shrimp from my frag tank which has two clowns happily laying eggs for a year into the 220. -Snails and hermits came in from both the former 55 gal and the frag tank. No new additions from any source outside hat I've had for more than 6 months.
- Formation was literally a matter of hours. No sign at all the night before, normal breathing, normal skin color. Lights out at 2200 and all was fine. 1400 the next day my 10 yo daughter calls me freaking out about them. I was blown away when I got home two hours later and took the first pics.
- Last night, pulled both Sailfin and Purple and set up emergency 29 gal (no tang police please...I'm not that dumb) with a massive airstone, fresh salt water, and amoxocillan hoping for bacterial. Purple went in hurting, swimming on his side gasping. Sailfin was uncomfortable, but breathing normal.
- Woke up this morning, purple was dead (removed immediately) and sailfin no change.
- Home this afternoon, sailfin breathing heavier and in the 220 the Orchid Dottyback was snail food and the three cardinals showing some blotchiness on fins. 220 fallowed approx 1800, two cleaner shrimp, conch, hermits, and nassarius remaining.
- 3 cardinals and sailfin crammed in a 29 dosed with amoxicillan, not feeling that was the best treatment.
Maybe always there and stress with the yellow brought it out?
I'd probably pull them and start treating. Start with Cupramine.
Would have leaned towards stress as well until dottyback bought the farm and cardinals presenting.
Unless you know for sure it's Ich, copper is the worst you can do as it is an immunosuppressant and may open the door to all kinds of secondary complications. Also it's use against velvet is highly questionable and it is completely useless against Brooklynella and Uronema.
My advice would be Chloroquine Phosphate (NLS Ick-Shield Powder - Amazon has it).
If it is any of the protozoan parasites (Cryptocaryon, Amyloodinium, Brooklynella, Uronema) you should see improvement within a few days.
On top it also has some anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties and is therefore the best shot if you don't know precisely what's going on.
In any case you should treat in a hospital tank.
Placing an order now, thanks. Hope they make it that long.
Def looks like ICH to me.
Thinking if it was velvet they would be dead already.
Are they still eating ?
Is there any visible stress still in the tank ?
I know you can use Medic in the DT, but dont know how good the product is and if it helps or not.
good luck it looks like a bad case.
Nothing left in the DT now. All fish crammed in a 29 while the yellow sits back and laughs at them in his 55. Rearranging tanks to do combined Tank transfer with medication.
I have had all these fish over 3 years. I've killed/saved/let down my fair share of fish, but can't for the life of me figure this one out.
I did bring in a bunch of new fish two weeks ago, but all were in separate tanks, down in the cellar, no possible way at all so much as even a net was used. I treat un-QT fish like radioactive contamination and I'm trained to work with that. NOTHING gets reused or intermingled.
Any other thoughts appreciated.
