Single White Parasite

[Debbie64]

... on a flame hawkfish and a whiteish mottling/film on baby blue tang. Neither of these "conditions" look like ich to me, but as always, I could be wrong.

Both fish have been in QT since I got them on 12/13. This is day 24 of QT and day 15 of hypo treatment. 1.010. Water quality good. Both fish eating really well, not lethargic, the tang does tend to flash.

First, the details on the hawkfish: this little white what looks to be a parasite is on his left side. It's the only one. It's very difficult to get a good picture of it - I'm afraid it's just a blur and the best I can do:

The tang is about an inch and a half long. The condition I'm refering to doesn't show up no matter how much I tweak the contrast of the image. It's not fluffy or cottony. It doesn't look raised off the body and it doesn't look like salt, as I said, or ich. It only seems to be visible on the black palette marking. I would say it most closely resembles a scaling or flaking, but there are no flakes or scales coming off. Does that make sense? Could it just be a discoloration related to something other than disease or parasite?

I have some other medication I can use, but I'm hoping both of these things can be dealt with through the hypo and time in QT since medications really tend to mess with the pH. Otherwise, I have Praztastic, Paraside-D (25 mg), Formalin-3 and Marycyn 2. And copper. I'm about to do a 5 gallon water change - they're both in a 20 gal.

Any thoughts? I don't want to harm them more with needless medication, but I don't want them to get worse while I just wait for hypo to work.

 

[Hattie B]

Hi Debbie,

I really want to try and help you, I just don't know what it would be. My old tang every once in awhile had discoloration due to brusing by hitting a rock or something like that. I can't see anything wrong in the pic (like you mentioned b/c its hard to see).

You hawkfish too. ich that I have seen is much smaller then that. but the photo is also blurry.

I think its a good idea to deworm new fish, I believe pufferQueen is the one who told me something like 70% or greater fish have some sort of parasite.

 

[Debbie64]

Thanks, Hattie. I've got a couple of better pics. In the meantime, after the water change yesterday, the tang's mottling seems to be better and now that I've gotten a better pic, it's looking a little like the scant beginnings of HLLE. Maybe water quality wasn't as good as I thought. I'll do more frequent changes. They are both still ravenous and pudgy. The white spots on the hawkfish seemed to turn into two and this morning when I looked after feeding, they didn't seem to be there anymore. :hmm4: I see the marks of where they were, but not the actual spots. (Edited to say I took this pic before they dropped off. The marks are much less visible now.)

If after being at 1.010 for 15 days, would crypto enter the visible stage and then drop off the fish?

 

[Hattie B]

Hello,

Hum, those white spots fell off the hawk?

which could be a good indicator if it is ich that he has ich as it takes ~2 weeks for the parasite to detach from the fish

Copied from billsreef sticky;

"The total time from the mature parasite detatching from the fish and reinfection of the fish is about 2 weeks at normal tank temperatures. This is why "Ich" may appear to clear up but then comes back a a week or so later but a lot worse. "

so if the guy has ich hopefully the tomites are dying from the hypo and will not reinfect.

But only two spots on the whole fish?

Also with the HLLE, if you start adding more veggies and vitamins and keep up on te water quality (low to no detactable nitrates) that should help a lot. Good diet is the key to curing that.

=)

 

[Debbie64]

I'm doing that - and hopefully it'll all come out in the wash. They get spirulina soaked brine, mysis, frozen spirulina, (which the hawkfish is nuts for), nori and it's all soaked in garlic, beta glucan, vita chem and selcon. I think I was being lax in the water changes because I detected no ammonia and the pH was good. Live and learn. Fortunately, I haven't lost 57 fish. (!) (ref. to another thread)

Thanks again, Hattie.

 

[Hattie B]

lol.. kinda


that is a great diet.. With that he should be able to get better and live and happy and healthy life..

 

[Debbie64]

Just a quick follow-up. The tang definately has HLLE. Checked my nitrates and they were very high. My bad. My very very bad.

I'll be doing some water changes to get quality back where it should be and then keep an eye on the nitrates. Since their diet is good, a reversal of water quality should speed healing along - I hope - as well as the addition of Stress Coat.

The hawkfish is still another kettle of fish, pardon the pun, and I'm not certain what's going on there. I suppose it could be a different manifestation of HLLE and that's not a parasite I'm seeing but rather the poor thing's flesh. Think that could be?

Debbie

 

[Hattie B]

But its on his side. Probably have to watch it really close. Maybe it was an injury? and there was damage and your seeing the effects of healing?

Thats great (you know) that you found out the high nitrates. I think all to often people want a cure without a cause. cause it what needed as the cure can then be appropiate.

Once your nitrates are down, and he eating a lot he should be fine and happy.

Now that Hawk... The good thing he is eating and looks to be quite pudgy.

 

[Debbie64]

Yep - thanks for the encouraging help.

Debbie