I bought a Royal Gramma this past Saturday. Never had any experience with marine ich although I've read tons on it's life cycle and symptoms. I think he is digging in his cave and getting sand stuck to him but I wanted some help from more experienced hobbyists.
Quick run down. I observed the fish before I bought him. No increased breathing. No rubbing or flashing. Fins looked good. no white spots on him. When the girl at the store goes to catch him, he hid under the rock in the tank with sand around it. I get him home and acclimated and noticed he has white spots on the top of his head. I look at him the next day and all of these spots in question are gone. Today I look at him this morning and notice he is covered in white spots but only on one side. Still no flashing, increased breathing, loss of appetite, no darting at all.
My questions are:
1. how obvious is ich in different lighting? The fish store didn't have the fish under the best of lighting, so could I have missed it if the lighting was terrible? The lighting was basically a little brighter than a blue moon led.
2. I couldn't find anything in my research about marine ich. But, do the white spots show up quickly after infection of the fish or do they appear near the end when the parasite is ready to fall off?
I don't have a QT, but I'm in the process of getting one now though.
Thanks in advance
Quick run down. I observed the fish before I bought him. No increased breathing. No rubbing or flashing. Fins looked good. no white spots on him. When the girl at the store goes to catch him, he hid under the rock in the tank with sand around it. I get him home and acclimated and noticed he has white spots on the top of his head. I look at him the next day and all of these spots in question are gone. Today I look at him this morning and notice he is covered in white spots but only on one side. Still no flashing, increased breathing, loss of appetite, no darting at all.
My questions are:
1. how obvious is ich in different lighting? The fish store didn't have the fish under the best of lighting, so could I have missed it if the lighting was terrible? The lighting was basically a little brighter than a blue moon led.
2. I couldn't find anything in my research about marine ich. But, do the white spots show up quickly after infection of the fish or do they appear near the end when the parasite is ready to fall off?
I don't have a QT, but I'm in the process of getting one now though.
Thanks in advance