Help id this...

[kagetaro99]

Ive had my firefish and royal gramma in my display tank for about 3 weeks and a couple days ago the royal gramma had 1 or 2 small white spots on his while the firefish was clear. Over the next few days, both fish got the spots. Now today, (over night), the gramma is clear of spots and firefish has noticeably less spots on him. The spots almost look like small pimples and both fish are swimming and eating just fine. Could be truly be ich or is it something else?

 

[kagetaro99]

Now from the time that I posted this and I just looked at the fish again... The spots on the firefish, which were very noticeable are basically nonexistent. What does everyone recommend or think?

 

[Rea17]

It sounds like ich to me... velvet can look similar but is much more virulent and detrimental to the fish. Ich goes through a life cycle where it will form the cyst on the flesh of the fish and look like the "white spot." After feeding for a few days it will fall off into the rock/sand and multiply, then burst and find a fish host again. Sometimes fish can fight it off on their own, but if it gets bad I would prepare to medicate in a hospital tank.

 

[kagetaro99]

Thats what I was also thinking but like I said the spots on the firefish have been/were there for less and 20 hrs. Thats why Im confused on what it actually is. I was thinking ich because of what I have read and learned from my last tank. but didnt know because of the time length.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Spots coming & going is typical of ich. There isn't much of a timeline for when they do and this isn't really an indicator of ich progression. If you saw ich, the tank has it and it needs to be treated. BTW, the whitespot isn't the actual parasite, its buried under the skin or in the gills.