Zebra Eel with ICH?

[chaseadam]

http://picasaweb.google.com/chasenadam/Fish?feat=directlink

I have a zebra eel named Maury which appears to have an increasing number of white spots where he should be dark. I am concerned this could be ICH. He has had this for a few weeks (I know I should have done something right away, shame on me).

under 20 for nitrates
pH is consistently between 8.3-8.4
salinity hovers around 1.022
temperature consistent 77-78 (chiller installed)
fish only with live rock 125G tank with 25G sump
15-20% water change every 1.5 weeks

He still has a good appetite and none of the white stuff appears to be around his head. He even at two whole shrimp last feeding. His diet is just shrimp, could this be malnutrition?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gwynhidwy]

To me, it looks more like scarring from abrasion rather than Crypt. Has it gotten worse since you've noticed it? Changed at all? How long have you had him? Are any other fish affected? What other animals are in the tank with him? How large is your tank?

You may want to vary his diet a bit more, or soak the shrimp in supplements as eating the same very limited diet can certainly cause problems, but I don't know that malnutrition is the likely cause.

 

[chaseadam]

125 gallon tank with the following:
procupine puffer
male bird wrasse
yellow fox face
orange stripe / diamond back goby (little guy)

I haven't seen my goby in a while (he is shy), but everyone else looks good.

The white spots do appear to be getting worse. I first notice them over a month ago. He has been in this tank for over a year, but it was moved in February. Maury is about 3' long.

I have also moved my liverock around (not for the past 4 weeks though). And have a few aptasia, but I imagine he is good at avoiding those. Could this be due to poorly arranged liverock?

 

[Gwynhidwy]

He could be scraping himself on rocks trying to squeeze through too small of a space, but eels are generally pretty good at doing that without injuring themselves. I don't think it would be from the aptasia. If it were ich, or most of the other parasitic infections, I would expect your other fish to be affected by now.

I don't have much experience with eels. I know they are generally pretty tough and somewhat resistant to many diseases, but they are not immune. Hopefully someone with more eel experience will chime in.

In the photos it looks as though it is confined to the back portion of his body, is that true? Is it spreading to more areas of his body or is he developing a greater number in the same area? Are the spots themselves getting larger in size or simply increasing in number? Do the spots appear raised or to have a texture?

 

[chaseadam]

The spots are confined to his mid-section. There appear to be more and larger as time as moved forward. I can't speak to the texture at the moment, but I don't recall there being any raised areas.

Of possible note: I had to remove a very sick lionfish due to malnutrition 3 months ago that likely had a compromised immune system.

My other fish are "bulletproof" according to LFS as they are mature adults and have been in the tank for a long time. I imagine they would have been compromised as well, but it is possible they may not be affected yet.

 

[badwrasse]

It doesn't like like ick to me either
I agree with Gwynhidwy that look like scarring or scrapes

 

[chaseadam]

Next water change I will re-arrange my live rock to give some larger openings. You have put my mind at rest about ICH, I was very concerned about that.

 

[irishrose302]

sorry so late on posting for you adam - I really think it is scarring. it really does not look like ICH. as suggested, keep fortifying his food with vitamins and try for a larger/looser arrangement of rock for him to glide through.

 

[chaseadam]

It appears to be getting worse, but many of the marks are lateral indicating that he is still scraping himself. I re-arranged the rocks, but I may not be doing a good job. There is space both behind and in front of the rocks with what seems like plenty of space between them. I will take a picture next time the lights are on. Please see the additional pictures of scarring I took yesterday.

Could he be intentionally scratching himself which could be hiding something else?

http://picasaweb.google.com/chasenadam/Fish?feat=directlink

 

[Gwynhidwy]

I agree that it looks to be getting worse, but it still looks like scarring to me. All of your other fish are still normal?

If you haven't already, I would try asking in Fish Only and Aggressive Tanks section here as there are a lot of knowledgeable eel owners that post there.

 

[chaseadam]

All other fish are normal. I will ask in FO forum.

 

[chaseadam]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1698308

 

[MacDime]

I dont think eels can get ich