Not posted here in a while.
Will start by telling you a bit about my system, it's a 200 gallon reef, been set up almost a year, all the params are in order and the system is very healthy.
Livestock:
2 yellow watchman gobies
2 cleaner gobies
1 citrini clown goby
3 firefish
9 blue chromis
1 foxface lo
1 blue tang
2 clowns
1 melanarus wrasse
2 bangaii cardinals
1 lawnmower blenny
1 Midas blenny
So for the past 3 months I've noticed little white spots develop on my blue tang, they are located on the upper half of the body and just in front of the tail fin. I always think I've got ich, I then plan the destruction of the tank and the transfer of all the fish to a treatment tank and the next morning the white spots are gone from the blue tang.
* There's no flashing or scratching
* white spots only appear on the blue tang and only on one side, and only around 4-6 spots each time.
* no loss of appetite from any fish and especially not the blue tang.
* no fatalities in the system to date.
So I have a few questions that maybe someone can help me with. I'm almost certain it's Ich, but I keep hoping I'm wrong.
1, why do the white spots only show for 24 hours? Isn't the life cycle when it's on the fish 36 hrs?
If ich:
2, is ich present in all the fish but only showing on the blue tang? Or are the other fish immune?
3, I am worried the stress of moving the fish could be more fatal than just leaving it be, but the potential for an ich bloom down the road is another worry, anyone have any advice on this one?
4, if the other fish on the list above are less susceptible or have immunity to ich, could an alternative be to wait until the next time white spots show on the blue tang, then remove the blue tang place in the QT, treat with copper and hold her for 12 weeks. This would be leaving no more viable hosts in the DT for Ich and should break the life cycle and eradicate ich from the DT, then reintroduce the blue tang?
However, if the blue tang is removed will ich just find a new host?
What do you think guys?
Will start by telling you a bit about my system, it's a 200 gallon reef, been set up almost a year, all the params are in order and the system is very healthy.
Livestock:
2 yellow watchman gobies
2 cleaner gobies
1 citrini clown goby
3 firefish
9 blue chromis
1 foxface lo
1 blue tang
2 clowns
1 melanarus wrasse
2 bangaii cardinals
1 lawnmower blenny
1 Midas blenny
So for the past 3 months I've noticed little white spots develop on my blue tang, they are located on the upper half of the body and just in front of the tail fin. I always think I've got ich, I then plan the destruction of the tank and the transfer of all the fish to a treatment tank and the next morning the white spots are gone from the blue tang.
* There's no flashing or scratching
* white spots only appear on the blue tang and only on one side, and only around 4-6 spots each time.
* no loss of appetite from any fish and especially not the blue tang.
* no fatalities in the system to date.
So I have a few questions that maybe someone can help me with. I'm almost certain it's Ich, but I keep hoping I'm wrong.
1, why do the white spots only show for 24 hours? Isn't the life cycle when it's on the fish 36 hrs?
If ich:
2, is ich present in all the fish but only showing on the blue tang? Or are the other fish immune?
3, I am worried the stress of moving the fish could be more fatal than just leaving it be, but the potential for an ich bloom down the road is another worry, anyone have any advice on this one?
4, if the other fish on the list above are less susceptible or have immunity to ich, could an alternative be to wait until the next time white spots show on the blue tang, then remove the blue tang place in the QT, treat with copper and hold her for 12 weeks. This would be leaving no more viable hosts in the DT for Ich and should break the life cycle and eradicate ich from the DT, then reintroduce the blue tang?
However, if the blue tang is removed will ich just find a new host?
What do you think guys?
