What disease did the snowflake bring to the party?

[tamtam]

Hello all,
Long time lurker first time poster... what disease did the snowflake bring to the party?

Yesterday I visited a local fish store that is only open on Saturdays and have been looking to add two small (less than 1 1/2") clowns for awhile before purchasing a larger tank (fall of 2017).

Picked up a tiny 3/4" Black Occelaris and a 1" Snowflake.
The snow flake had been in store for two months where as the Black Occelaris just came in that week.

The Snow flake looked somewhat thin (but we were assured s/he is fine and they fed some mysis. Little snowflake went after the food and looked pretty healthy otherwise.

Now we get to acclimation we do the whole temp and water acclimation thing for 2 hours. I notice the snowflake has some string stuff on its fins and chalk it up to something (maybe from corals) in the tank water. After acclimating both are placed into the tank and take right to looking for food and all is well.

Next morning the Black Occelaris has white spots as seen in the photos. Still everyone seems happy and eating well. Of course being new reefers with a small tank we did not quarantine and really trusted this very well recommended LFS (whan whan whaa)...


TLDR: new clown, new disease, new reefer Same old story.


Parameters:
Ph 7.8 (low) night reading
Nitrates 10 ppm
Ammonia, nitrites, phosphates all 0
Temp 78f
Calcium 400 ppm
Alkalinity 196 ppm

Equipment:
Fluval Evo V (5)
Current USA loop IC 18"-24"
Current USA loop eFlux 660
Hydor Pico Evo 160
Hydor Theo 50w heater

Livestock
1 Yasha Hashi Goby
1 Candy Pistol Shrimp
1 Hermit Crab - Blue legged
1 Hermit Crab - Scarlet
12 Nassarius
1 Trochus Banded
1 Emerald Crab
1 Black Occelaris Clown (new)
1 Snowflake (new)

Corals:
Duncan
Frogspawn
Zoanthid
Zoanthid - Rasta
Acan - Red Can (bleached)
Blastomussa - Red/Green (reviving)
Ricordai Yuma (melted)

 

[heathlindner25]

The first picture looks like ich, second picture also looks like ich and it is extremely emaciated.

 

[tamtam]

The first picture looks like ich, second picture also looks like ich and it is extremely emaciated.

That is what I feared to hear. These are only my 2nd and 3rd Saltwater (see) fish. Is it a foregone conclusion that the Yasha will get it next and my only option is to purchase, prepare and run a Quarantine Tank w/copper for the next couple of months while the Display tank runs sans fins (no fish)?

 

[JUNBUG361]

That sucks

 

[Sk8r]

Frankly, I wouldn't use copper on a weakened fish. Far better to use TTM (outlined in the stickies). This relies on the need ich has to leave a fish and swim to the sandbed, then re-emerge to re-attack. Changing tanks and filters catches the blighters. And doesn't stress the fish the way copper does.

 

[tamtam]

Treatments like Polyplabs medic are a non-starter? Seems the general consensus is from those who have not tried it is... don't.

 

[tamtam]

Little black occy didn't make it :-(
Snowflake is still alive and returned to the lfs to provide better treatment.
Yasha seems fine and will start eating some dr. G's this evening.

 

[AK707]

unless you are absolutely in love with that goby i would return him as well, the thing is now your tank will always have ich unless you remove all fish and don't add anything wet to the tank for 73-90 days (depending on who you ask)
after your 73-90 days is up you need to qt all fish before adding them to main tank or you will eventually run into this problem again.
very few if any fish stores qt fish, they simply cant do it and turn profits at the same time. All they do is mask any illnesses with low salinity and low levels of copper.