Possible Ick, what to do in this situation.

[Fitz19d]

So my mandarin had a little white spot on dorsal fin. Don't seem to see it now but noticed him sitting around more and no longer going for frozen or much seeing him eat at all. I'd have caught him yesterday and put him elsewhere already but with frag racks on the walls and a anemone basket hanging in tank waiting for the tank it was semi impossible without crushing lots of coral.

Noticed today my big maroon momma wasn't seeming to eat much. Had been hanging in a different corner of tank with the hubby and was acting a little different last few days. Hanging around different coral and at the time I thought maybe getting ready to do some egg laying or something.

No visible problems on her. Think the mandarin had ich and now her too? Rest of fish seem to be fine atm. Though this crazy overactive tang now that he's settled in kinda dominates the tank. Hasn't attacked the big maroon, but certainly was competing for a lot of the same food. This also a possible cause?

Assuming my new tank I get away with basically no cycle (not debating it just putting theory out), or assuming I don't. What options should I be pursuing?

Also was pulling some xenia grown over zoas in a couple places. Pretty much were already receeded to almost nothing. (Zoa's) But wondering if a bit of their juice floating about might also provoke that.

 

[ReefCheif]

Whats in your CUC?

My male mandarin form time to time would appear with white spots, more like wounds. I couldnt for the life of me figure out what was going on. Come to find out my serpant star was actually trying to catch him at night when they were sleeping. He was stinging the little dragonette with this barbs, this went on for about 2 weeks before I ifnally figured out what was going on. Serpant star was removed from the DT and put in fuge and the dragonette hasnt had any issues since. Just an idea.

I would however watch the maroon clown if she shows signs of ich Id say its probably safe to say. I would tell you how to cure it, but my method is looked down on, even though it works very well and has been tried and tested.

If your brave, raise your temp a bit, (I went as high as 84) and feed with garlic and nori. The high temp stops the reproductive cycle of the ich (I know someone is going to chime in and say thats incorrect, well you better do more research on your parasites, thats all I have to say) and the garlic and nori help beef up the immune system.

I dealt with a big ich battle in my 180 a little while ago (theres a thread here somewehre if you want to read it), this is ecactly how I cured it. At one point in time every fish except my wrasses had the ich, QT was not an option, nor was copper as it would kill me reef. Guess what? As of date I still have every fish and no sign of ich anywhere in my tank. Im very keen on this method, Ive read about it working in other tanks all over the world and Ive seen it work in person.

You can always QT them and use copper, just hope to god there no sign of ich left in the tank when you return them. The copper destroys their immune system and any infection or parasite when re introducing could very well kill the fish, IMO that is.

 

[SteveT]

Mandarins actually have a different type of "skin" than other fish that have traditional scales along with a slime coating that makes them very resistant to Ich. For this reason I would think it is very unlikely that you have an Ich outbreak in your tank if the mandarin is the only one with any visible spots. My mandarins will get little bits of sand stuck to their slime coating every once and a while, this would be my guess as to the white spot on the dorsal fin.

If the spot is right on the edge of the fin there is a chance it could be lymphocysts. which is just a fish virus that will rarely kill a fish and has no cure other than keeping the fish healthy. It's basically fish herpes

Mandarins are also notoriously picky eaters so I wouldn't necessarily associate him not eating with being sick.

Also the fact that you state you have a tang that appears healthy leads me to believe Ick is not the problem since the tang would most likely be affected first as they are more sensitive to the parasite than other fish.

If the main issue you are having is the fish not eating, I would suggest maybe getting some live food to mix in with the food you feeding, and also add garlic which stimulates feeding response

 

[FinsUp]

Mandarins actually have a different type of "skin" than other fish that have traditional scales along with a slime coating that makes them very resistant to Ich. For this reason I would think it is very unlikely that you have an Ich outbreak in your tank if the mandarin is the only one with any visible spots. My mandarins will get little bits of sand stuck to their slime coating every once and a while, this would be my guess as to the white spot on the dorsal fin.

If the spot is right on the edge of the fin there is a change it could be lymphocysts. which is just a fish virus that will rarely kill a fish and has no cure other than keeping the fish healthy. It's basically fish herpes

Mandarins are also notoriously picky eaters so I wouldn't necessarily associate him not eating with being sick.

Also the fact that you state you have a tang that appears healthy leads me to believe Ick is not the problem since the tang would most likely be affected first as they are more sensitive to the parasite than other fish.

If the main issue you are having is the fish not eating, I would suggest maybe getting some live food to mix in with the food you feeding, and also add garlic which stimulates feeding response

+1 If there's ich, usually the tangs will show it first. Clowns are damsels, and are usually hardier than we give them credit for. Mandarins are notorious for not eating. I'd soak their food in garlic, and add in with live brine or pods to get everyone fat and happy again.

 

[Fitz19d]

Just found it unusual that both aren't eating. Maroon today then it's been a few days on the mandarin.


My history with luck says everything dies/crashes right before I upgrade so I'm a little on edge. (Still got to figure out who to keep, my scoly/wellso or the flame angel. Love both. Angel was reefsafe otherwise till now.)

Some of my worry if it is the worst, not just the fish acting funny now, but how to deal with a whole tank which would be exposed.

 

[Fitz19d]

Anyone know of a live brine source up North or North Denver before I try to get these eggs I have a shot?

So far (just got home at 430) the big clown still doesn't seem to have an appetite. Again worrying as she used to be a big hog of an eater hanging at the surface when I'm feeding. Hanging around near the males area nuzzling and sticking close to the giant GSP matt.

If I do determine I've got disease (not ich?) running. I had some thought to running the 55g empty but for the fish. (And I guess some sacrificial live rock) and run copper or other meds? Tank/rock would then no longer be good for a reef tank I suppose but would seem closest to stress free option.



EDIT: Frozen worked today with some garlic (with olive oil on it from the jar), even mandarin ate a little though he had what looked like a long hair with like whitish slime or something on it. (Like a tube worms mucous tongue). Unfortunately my hairy shrooms really hated it and are kinda bloated and shriveled looking same time. Not dead, at least yet, just ****ed I think. Everything else seems to have reacted ok.

 

[deboy69]

Elite I think has brine shrimp

KCCO

 

[Cake_Boss]

Brine is super easy to hatch, be sure to decap them first

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD

 

[fishguy69]

We have the brine shrimp eggs at the store.

GWA

 

[aztecdreams]

Anyone know of a live brine source up North or North Denver before I try to get these eggs I have a shot?

So far (just got home at 430) the big clown still doesn't seem to have an appetite. Again worrying as she used to be a big hog of an eater hanging at the surface when I'm feeding. Hanging around near the males area nuzzling and sticking close to the giant GSP matt.

If I do determine I've got disease (not ich?) running. I had some thought to running the 55g empty but for the fish. (And I guess some sacrificial live rock) and run copper or other meds? Tank/rock would then no longer be good for a reef tank I suppose but would seem closest to stress free option.



EDIT: Frozen worked today with some garlic (with olive oil on it from the jar), even mandarin ate a little though he had what looked like a long hair with like whitish slime or something on it. (Like a tube worms mucous tongue). Unfortunately my hairy shrooms really hated it and are kinda bloated and shriveled looking same time. Not dead, at least yet, just ****ed I think. Everything else seems to have reacted ok.

The Fish Den on 44th n Sheridan usually has live brine

 

[Fitz19d]

Decap them? I've never done it though I have some soda bottles to try that trick w/ an air pump. (Or buy some 2 liters and dump them)