Is this Ich?

Spyderturbo007

Spyderturbo007

New member
I bought a Tomini Tang last night at the LFS. I checked him before purchase and didn't see any signs if infection. One I got him in the QT I saw 3 spots on him. They almost look like tiny pimples or something.

I don't see how I missed them in the store because I examined him in the plastic container before she bagged him up.

This is about the best picture I could get. You can see one spot near his tail on a smaller on straight up from that one near his fin at the top.


Possible Ich? by spyderturbo007, on Flickr
 
Are these any better? The fish is afraid of the camera so when I put it up to the glass he swims away. It's also tough because, to be honest, the iPhone camera isn't the greatest.


















 
I don't think that's Ich. It almost looks like cuts/scrapes or even a coral sting. If it's protruding, it could be Lympho or even something bacterial. I wouldn't worry too much about it for now. Wait & see if it gets worse or just goes away on it's own.
 
I've noticed on my Tomini that the smooth brown body shows marks more than other fish. This doesn't look like Ich to me, but you should certainly keep him under close observation. If it is something more serious, you'll see more signs during a six week qt.
 
They look like zits actually and are raised. The odd thing is that I examined him pretty closely in the store and didn't see any marks. I noticed these once I got him home and put him in the QT.
 
Spyderturbo007 said:
They look like zits actually and are raised. The odd thing is that I examined him pretty closely in the store and didn't see any marks. I noticed these once I got him home and put him in the QT.
Click to expand...

This isn't going to help identify it, but this is like the 3rd or 4th thread I can remember reading about something like this. Read from Post #51 onward:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2085503&page=3

Also, check out this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1568912&highlight=pimple

Also, look here and do a search for "isopod":

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/disease.html
 
It looks a lot like the marks in the first picture of your second link b0bab0ey.

From reading the first link you posted, it might be lymphocystis. From what I see, it looks like it's viral and incurable? What do I do now? I don't want to infect my tank and don't want to kill the fish.
 
It looks a lot like the marks in the first picture of your second link b0bab0ey.

From reading the first link you posted, it might be lymphocystis. From what I see, it looks like it's viral, chronic and incurable? What do I do now? I don't want to infect my tank and don't want to kill the fish.
 
I agree with the folks above, its to big to be ich. Ich is about the size of a grain of salt. I'd Google 'marine ich' and become familiar with it. If it is lymphocystis, don't sweat it much. Lympho is not contagious or dangerous. It usually clears up with a good diet & vitamins, pristine water, and time. The stress of capture is thought to contribute to lympho and just settling in helps it disappear too.
 
MrTuskfish said:
I agree with the folks above, its to big to be ich. Ich is about the size of a grain of salt. I'd Google 'marine ich' and become familiar with it. If it is lymphocystis, don't sweat it much. Lympho is not contagious or dangerous. It usually clears up with a good diet & vitamins, pristine water, and time. The stress of capture is thought to contribute to lympho and just settling in helps it disappear too.
Click to expand...

+1 Most Tangs I've Qt'd have displayed symptoms of Lympho, to one degree or another. The symptoms usually disappear before the Qt period is up, never to be seen again once they are finally in the DT. Lympho is the herpes of the fish world. It's rampant, but most infected fish either show no symptoms or have these mysterious white spots which suddenly go away on their own after a month or two.

To the OP: I wouldn't sweat what you're seeing on your Tang at this point. But do keep us updated if it gets worse.
 
He is getting worse. This started with 3 larger pimple like things. Now you can see he's covered in dots. What can I do? He's eating well.

 
Now it looks like Ich. You have several options, but I wouldn't lose much more time. Copper (Cupramine) in QT would be my recommendation, but tank transfer and hyposalinity are two other options. Check out the stickies in the Disease Forum for details.
 
Will I need to remove the two rocks I have in there to use Copper? I'm planning on throwing them away anyway so it doesn't matter. I just use them so I don't have to cycle the tank. Is there a recommended brand or Copper?
 
Spyderturbo007 said:
Will I need to remove the two rocks I have in there to use Copper? I'm planning on throwing them away anyway so it doesn't matter. I just use them so I don't have to cycle the tank. Is there a recommended brand or Copper?
Click to expand...

I agree with EllieSuz, this now looks like Ich. And as she also suggested, Cupramine is the suggested brand of copper to use.

As far as the two rocks go, there's no easy answer. If you leave them, you will have difficulty maintaining your copper level because the rocks will absorb the copper. IME, this is more of a problem early on until the rock has absorbed all the copper it's going to. If you take them out, you will need to do WCs (and re-dose Cupramine accordingly) to control the ammonia.

If you take the rocks out before beginning treatment, don't put them back in your DT or you risk infecting other fish. I would probably rinse them thoroughly with tap and let them sun dry for a week before reusing them. If you leave them in, never use them again in the presence of corals/inverts due to copper leaching.
 
Will the fish be OK for a few days if I order the medication online and have it shipped? I don't think the LFS would have anything like that in stock. I could drive an hour each way if I need to though.
 
Personally, I wouldn't wait three or four days for a shipment if there were any other way to begin treatment immediately. Call around and see if you can find it close by. Another hurrah for quarantining! Just imagine how disastrous this could be if he was already in your display tank!
 
EllieSuz said:
Personally, I wouldn't wait three or four days for a shipment if there were any other way to begin treatment immediately. Call around and see if you can find it close by. Another hurrah for quarantining! Just imagine how disastrous this could be if he was already in your display tank!
Click to expand...

+1 I would make the drive if it were my fish.

If you can't find Cupramine, CopperSafe is another option. Most Petcos or Petsmarts will have one or the other.
 
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