Fish Diagnosis

[wardworld]

A possible Ich question:
Got a blue tang, kept in a QT for a week...he looked fine (other than he hides ALL the time).
Put him my display tank, and my yellow tang began bullying him - not relentlessly, but enough. After about 23 hours (at least not a full day anyhow), I noticed white, salt-like dots on the blue tang. I caught him and put him back in the QT.
Since then, did a water change on my display and no evidence of any disease in that tank.
Meanwhile, back in the QT: the tang still hides, but the spots are gone...
My question: could that be ich? Can it appear that fast after NOT being evident for a week in the QT?

 

[hexedagain]

It could be stressed induced from being picked on. JMO.

 

[wardworld]

That's what I'm thinking, Shane...I've also been told that everything that looks like ich, is not ich...any other opinions....

 

[waterfaller1]

Just because you don't see ich on him now does'nt mean it is'nt there. It could be part of it's life cycle, which is to leave the fish . It often comes back even worse on the second round if the fish is still stressed. Have you tried hyposalinity?

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html

 

[wardworld]

Been doing research on that...strongly considering it...I was just curious as to why it would not be there for over a week and then show up in 24 hours and then be "gone" in less than 48 - but then again, I've no experience with ich either...

 

[flfirefighter13]

yeah one week is not long enough qt to break the lifecycle of ich ,especially in a species known to have issues with ich. try hypo like waterfaller said and hopefully it will work out, .

 

[Swirlygig]

I need some help also...My butterfly who I have had for 1.5yrs now since my tank started is acting strange. He aims for food but MISSES ...It is almost like he isn't right in the head as he swims around. No external visual symptoms...Could this be an internal parasite? I feed frozen mysis and brine with additives...I am stumped...any ideas would be great!...

 

[Swirlygig]

Also there are no other signs in my other fish of this behavior and I have not added anything in about a month...

 

[mflamb]

I'll go with Carole with the hyposalinity, plus I add increased temperature for Ich.

 

[Me No Nemo]

Yes, hyposalinity or copper treatment in quarantine are the only two methods. I'd do hypo as that is the least stressful. GL, hope all works out.

 

[wardworld]

The article referred to mentions making sure the ph is maintained. I checked and w/ a salinity at 1.22 (which I will gradually lower), the ph is registering at 8.0...is there a quick way to raise it? I don't have any buffer currently...

 

[chrisstie]

8.0 i think should be fine. 7.8-8.2 (with no fast swings) is pretty acceptable as far as i know?

 

[waterfaller1]

Correct, you just don't want any big drops. When I QT'd & did hypo on a puffer, I kept the alk part of my A & B handy, and added a little if I needed. I also airated the water I was going to use before changing the water out for at least a day with a powerhead.
On the butterfly, how do his eyes look? How big is he & what kind? Do you know all of your parameters? Any other fish that could be bullying him? Any triggers?

 

[AquaMan815]

my blue tang is bullied by my yellow as well. he has spots on him, but no little white spots, he looks as if hes scratched him self on the rocks. i know hes stressed at least some from the yellow tang

usually they are pretty good though

 

[Swirlygig]

On the butterfly, how do his eyes look? His eyes look fine . How big is he & what kind? He is about 3inches, copperband butterfly . Do you know all of your parameters? what checks out fine Any other fish that could be bullying him? Any triggers?He is in with a cleaner wrasse, maroon clown and a firefish goby. Noone has every bothered him. It is more like he is having a aiming issue, knows what he wants but can't line up his sight and misses by a few centimeters when he tries to eat...so strange!