Is it ich, or isn't it?

[percula99]

I have a Powder Blue Tang which was in QT for five weeks. I kept him in there for a week with no medication. I then added cupramine at 0.5 for three weeks. I did a major water change lowering the cupramine to 0.35 for another week. He was clean the whole time so I put him my DT.

About ten days later I noticed one spot on him that looked like the beginnings of ich. The next day he had two spots. The third day there were a few more. I was getting concerned. The following day he was clean again. Not a spot on him anywhere.

For the next week he was fine, then I noticed another spot on him. The following day a few more. The third day he was clean again.

This is not the way ich manifests itself. It usually stays for a period of time, disappears, and when it come back it does so with a vengeance. He should have looked like he was salt shakered. Anybody have any ideas as to what this may be. Sorry, I am a lousy photographer and if I took a picture it would be blurry and you couldn't see much anyway.

I am not certain what to do as I have a Blue Angel in QT and he is nearing the point to move him to the DT, probably by this Sunday.

 

[lagatbezan]

were there any fish in the DT before you added the PT? also maybe its sand particles? (trying to be optimistic).

 

[MrTuskfish]

Sounds like ich, but can't tell for sure without a pic. Google "marine ich", include images. You'll see mostly fish in advance stages, but just compare the spots.

 

[percula99]

were there any fish in the DT before you added the PT? also maybe its sand particles? (trying to be optimistic).

The PB went in with a few chromis. I added a Flame Angel a few days later. I hoped it was sand particles at first but how can you be absolutely sure?

 

[percula99]

Sounds like ich, but can't tell for sure without a pic. Google "marine ich", include images. You'll see mostly fish in advance stages, but just compare the spots.

I know what ich looks like, and it did look like it. But as I said it is not acting like ich. Ich does not disappear in two days. When it comes back it is usually more aggressive and is worst the next time around. Only the PB is showing these symptoms.

 

[reef80]

Watch it closely...but some of my tangs will get ick from
ime to time...but they go away on own...

 

[DrPat]

I know what ich looks like, and it did look like it. But as I said it is not acting like ich. Ich does not disappear in two days. When it comes back it is usually more aggressive and is worst the next time around. Only the PB is showing these symptoms.

This has happened to me too in the past. It IS MOST LIKELY ICK , THE PB has some resistance to it. Increase nutrition with rich foods , pe mysis hikari blood worms,nori and cyclopeeze flakes . I also dose the dt with kents garlic extreme 1 drop /gallon 2x /day and vitc same wayfor two weeks or so [no presciption] .change your uv bulb if its a year old and slow the water passing through it so it can kill any free swimmers that might pass through it.Not much you can do until it out breaks ,and it may never .My CLEANING SHRIMP WOULD WORK ON THE FISH AND YANK on their skin.even though some literature will report that cs dont eat ick. my have maybe they like garlic ick.[lol] Ive treated my reef with polylabs medic for the same reason and it gave good control when the water temps got hot one summer.http://www.marinedepot.com/Polyp_La...e_Medications-Polyp_Lab-PP2111-FIMEPS-vi.html read my review

 

[percula99]

It probably is ich and I just don't want to face it. I had ich last year and lost several fish. I QT'd all my fish with Cupramine and let my tank run fallow (no fish) for two months. Once I put my fish back in the DT I was pretty confident I had eradicated the ich. So I have bought a few more fish and QT'd them and voila, I have ich again. Powder Blues are the Typhoid Mary of the fish world.

I soak all my food in Garlic Guard and Selcon, but I do not have a UV sterilizer. I have a Blue Angel in my QT and was planning on releasing her in my reef Sunday. I don't know if I should do it and see if the PB freaks on her. The added stress could be enough to make the ich take off which would mean having to QT all the fish again and run fallow for yet another two months or do I just bite the bullet and QT now.

 

[percula99]

I decided to try the Polyp Lab Medic. The PB had just a few spots on him the first day but after extensive reading a lot of people were saying to try it a double the dose. Polyp Lab even recommends it, so I decided to start that way. I dosed the entire bottle at double the dosage during ten days of treatment, and the last day the PB exploded with at least 20 spots. So I have to try QTing the whole population again. My inverts seem fine but my 11 inch acro is closing up and so is my large leather umbrella that my clowns host in.