Ich or fluke? pls help

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Hello

Need help/opinion from the all the fish docs of RC...

Is this ich or fluke (or lympho)?

Got this red sea regal 3 wks ago. It is in a lps reef tank. Took all the corals /inverts out in preparation for the next phase which is what I need help with

It is eating well. Already had one prazipro tx last week, with improvement in symptoms and appetite. Some new small white spots appeared... they look like cysts almost..

I am trying to decide to do another prazi tx or go hypo or do nothing.

Thanks

Henry

Thanks allhttp://s.reefcentral.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif

 

[lagatbezan]

Are the spots at the same location all the time? or do they go away and return?
if its on the same spot the whole time and doesn't fall off or change location, its prob lympho which is what it looks like to me. if it is, it should go away on its own within a few months with good water parameters.

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Initially I thought it is lympho but the spots dissappeared and new smaller white specs appeared. Those white spots seemed to be getting slightly bigger

 

[b0bab0ey]

Just based on the pic, looks like lympho to me. Does it seem like a cotton like growth? I've seen lympho suddenly disappear and then come back as smaller.

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

It actually looks like there is a clear capsule around it! If you look carefully there is a growth on its lower lip. I(not myself but my fishes) had ich many years back it doesnt have the fine sugar granule appearance. I was wondering if ich has a different morph such as these spots?

 

[lagatbezan]

maybe do a fresh water dip and see if anything falls off?

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

I was thinking about doing that... I am very nervous about stressing the regal out.
I'll try to post better pix to see if anyone else has any suggestions

 

[MrTuskfish]

I was thinking about doing that... I am very nervous about stressing the regal out.
I'll try to post better pix to see if anyone else has any suggestions

IMO, "stress' is the most over-used word in the hobby. Any healthy, well-monitored fish can handle a dip.

Re: Your ich "morph " question. The white spots you see are not the actual parasite, its buried under the skin. The size & shape of the ich " white spots'' can vary widely. I've seen several cases of ich that begin at the edge of fins, like your pic, for some unknown reason. I wouldn't rule ich out at this point.
Apparently you didn't QT this fish---big mistake.

 

[jhentr]

I believe it's lympho. I have the exact signs on my emperor in QT right now. two spots on the edge of his tail fins and bottom fin. Three additional spots on his right fin. He's under 3 weeks of Cupramine/PraziPro and the spots are still in the exact same location. Never grew or dropped off.

I was even curious and did two FW dip on him to make sure it wasn't flukes to no avail. -the spots still stayed. Hopefully once I get him into a better enviroment (DT) that it'll go away.

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Thnks for all your input.

Mr tuskfish: I from this point on will qt all my fish... Jhentr: I am doing my second round of prazirpro just to be thorough. I will hold hypo for now.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I believe it's lympho. I have the exact signs on my emperor in QT right now. two spots on the edge of his tail fins and bottom fin. Three additional spots on his right fin. He's under 3 weeks of Cupramine/PraziPro and the spots are still in the exact same location. Never grew or dropped off.

I was even curious and did two FW dip on him to make sure it wasn't flukes to no avail. -the spots still stayed. Hopefully once I get him into a better enviroment (DT) that it'll go away.

I've removed small growths on fin edges with a tweezers more than once. I just don't think these spots are Lymphocystis, just my gut-feeling.

 

[cougaran]

i havent tried it but a LFS told me they use a credit card to gently scrape small growths.. My butterfly had a small growtrh similiar to yours and then disappeared, I believe my cleaner wrasse may have removed it... But continue to monitor fish. Have you rechecked your water quality?

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

I am seeing more growths large and small. Small ones look ich like. I am going to initiate hypo today.

Shouldn't there be some ich on the other fishes if this was ich? My 3 chromis, fire fish and pair of percent have no spots whatsoever.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I am seeing more growths large and small. Small ones look ich like. I am going to initiate hypo today.

Shouldn't there be some ich on the other fishes if this was ich? My 3 chromis, fire fish and pair of percent have no spots whatsoever.

Many healthy fish can resit ich; but its in your tank now and other fish will probably show it sooner or later. The " different size growths'' doesn't sound like ich, can you post a current pic?

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

More pix... Also I am not sure if its because I am currently doing prazi tx and the skimmer is off, but the regal looks a little more skittish. Still eating nls pellets

Thanks everyone who is looking and commenting.

 

[WingoLED]

Thnks for all your input.

Mr tuskfish: I from this point on will qt all my fish... Jhentr: I am doing my second round of prazirpro just to be thorough. I will hold hypo for now.

When you use prazipro, do you run into problems with shrimps or the like?

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

My two peppermints survived the first round. I took them out for the second round. Fanworms did ok. Corals (lps) survived it fine.

 

[cougaran]

If everyone else is fine, you might think about a fw bath or formalin bath.

 

[MrTuskfish]

These new pics could be a several things. maybe nothing serious, but possibly the start of a parasite infestation. If that's the case, dips won't cure it.....just watch it closely for now. I'm sure its not Lymphocystis. Looks like a classic case of ich starting to me.

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Thanks Mr Tuskfish/cougaran

My SG is now 1.014...

Do you know anyone who successfully took a sensitive/finicky fish like a regal angel all the way through hypo treatment. I am thinking 8-12 wks is a long time.

I am assuming that my water quality will drop cos the protein skimmer wont work that well in basically freshwater so I cant feed the fishes as much as they may need....who knows about biological filtration... it may crash and then what!

What is your opinion about quinine or chloroquine?