Is this ICH?

[pcbroch]

Hi all:

I need help identifying what's on my Gramma. It had a bunch of white spots earlier this week, that have for the most part disappeared since. I've read a lot about ICH, and am aware that if the white spots were indeed ICH, they will be back in force later. (And yes, I know it's my fault for not having quarantined the new fish... live and learn). My wrasse also had white spots.

I am getting ready to make a water change in my main tank, so if it is ICH, I'll move the fish to an hospital tank (started with the water change "waste" water) and treat them there. Hyposalinity seems the safest.

Can anyone help identify what is on its pectoral fins? It's a white spot, but much bigger than the other white spots it had on the rest of its body. This morning, some of it appears to have fallen off.

Sorry for the pic quality, I still haven't mastered this art!

 

[iwishtofish]

Welcome to Reef Central!

This particular forum is a little slower than some of the others (such as Reef Discussion), so don't be discouraged by low response just yet!

Hard to tell from the pictures, but what I see on the pectoral fins doesn't look consistent with the ich I've seen. Ich will either present itself visually on the skin as sugar-sized dots, or sometimes just in the gills (where you won't see it).

Perhaps a sort of fungus? Or tissue damage where the fish has rubbed itself against sand or rock?

It's really hard to get pictures of fish. They just won't be still. Does your camera have a macro mode setting?

 

[JHemdal]

I agree, this looks like an injury - there is a smaller lesion on the other pectoral fin. Royal Grammas are also prone to Lymphocystis, but this doesn't look like that disease.

Difficult to say if I would treat this fish with antibiotics, or just be focused on a relapse of the Cryptocaryon (Ick).

Jay

 

[pcbroch]

Thank you both for your replies.

@iwishtofish, Yes, my camera has a macro mode, and this is what I used to take my pictures. But the fish is so fast, I can't focus on it properly. The fish probably did rub against the rocks, it's always swimming through the various caves and holes I have in my rocks. It wasn't just a tear on the fins though, there really was something "lumpy" attached, which appears to have partially fallen of or ruptured.

@JHemdal: Darn your avatar... I just bought your book ;-b I think I'll just move the fish (along with its tank mates) to an hospital tank and attempt hyposalinity on them. At least 3 fish showed signs of ick (small white dots). The gramma is the only one with this additional "stuff" on its fins.

I agree that it appears different from the ich that covered the fish a few days ago. Maybe one is the cause to the other, who knows.

I guess I'll start the long hyposalinity journey tonight. Or would you recommend I wait for the second outbreak to be certain? The white spots have almost disappeared on the 3 fish that were affected.

Thanks for your time.