http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:29:51 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52532-my-blenny-sick.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:58:51 GMT I had my blenny for 4 weeks now. He was doing fine until 1 week ago when he started changing his color. He was a dark purple color blenny and now he is turning white and scary. Also, he is biting his tail. He eats great and he poops fine. He eats brine shrimp and mysis shrimp. We added some algae sheets but he hasn't touched them. He has two caves and the other fish in the tank don't bother him. The water parameters are good and he is in a 45 gallons tank. What is the change in color? Is he sick? ]]> todatuya http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52532-my-blenny-sick.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52525-what-do-after-copper-treatment.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:19:39 GMT Hello, i am new to Reef Sanctuary. First off i would like to thank Big Al for directing me to the new thread. Ok here's a little about my tank, i currently have a 55 gallon fowlr tank with a gold stripe maroon, royal gramma, coral beauty, bullet goby, foxface, coral cat and six green chromis. Inverts include, 2 skunk cleaners, 2 emerald crabs, 4 turbo snails and 15 blue legged hermit crabs. About a month ago my tank came down with marine ich. Since then i have qt all the fish a 30 gallon long. I treated with copper for 2 weeks and the fish seem ich free with no flashing or scratching. However, the qt tank has no filter and just a few pieces of freshwater rock. I don't think there was any bio filtration to begin with. I would like to stop doing so many water changes to keep the ammonia down. How can i get my bio filter to start up so i can reduce water changes. right now, i have the DT tank fallow. ]]> NitrousXpress http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52525-what-do-after-copper-treatment.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52528-ichy-situation.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:43:06 GMT Hello to all. My DT came down with a case of ich. Now i've done a lot of reading and i moved all of my fish to a 30 gallon qt. In there i have treated with copper for about 2 weeks now. All the fish seem to be ich free. I am now lowering the levels of copper with water changes. The DT is fallow for 2 weeks. However, the bio filtration in my qt is dead and how can i restart it? Right now i have amquel and doing water changes to keep ammonia down and to keep the qt from cycling again. thanks. ]]> NitrousXpress http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52528-ichy-situation.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52488-copper-medication-curing-white-spot-parasite.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:34:12 GMT Hello everyone, I am newbie here. Can someone please tell me which manufacturer of copper medication that can cure white spot parasite of my clownfish permanently? Thanks in advance Alexiy Hello everyone,

I am newbie here.

Can someone please tell me which manufacturer of copper medication that can cure white spot parasite of my clownfish permanently?

Thanks in advance

Alexiy ]]> you all http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52488-copper-medication-curing-white-spot-parasite.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52403-fish-coming-down-something.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:48:23 GMT *Symptoms:* My male clown came down with cloudiness/glassiness in both eyes about a week ago. My female clown came down with it in her left eye only, about 2 days ago. She also has a much brighter white dot on the eye as well. They both twitch but i cant tell if its mating twitching or parasite. My potters angle is twitching slightly and hiding in shady spots in the tank. The angle has also lost some of its color and is looking very pale. No eye cloudiness on this fish. The 3 fish are eating well still. The tank glass appears to have small white pinhead organisms crawling around. They are too difficult to recognize but they do move around. they also appear to be in the water column. *Possible Causes:* Ive had my hands in the tank periodically over the past week or so re-aquascaping and adding about an inch to the sand bed. Ive been doing a couple water changes 3 or so per week while i was doing this. I recently added a ATO system to the tank and have noticed that the water in the reservoir bucket is stagnant and i notice a slimy surface to the walls of the bucket. Not sure if this is a cause, but i put some carbon in there just in case? *Solution:* ? thats where YOU come in lol. Ive been soaking their food in garlic hoping that will help them fight whatever it is off. Hopefully there is an IN TANK treatment for whatever this is because it will be Extremely dificult to catch these fish. I however understand if i do have to take them out to treat whatever this is and will do my best to get them out, i dont have a qt tank set up though. *My tank and fish history:* The female clown and Angle are 1.5 years old and have never come down with anything since ive had them with exception to their first month in the tank with ich. The male is a new addition 6 months old and hasnt showed any signs of anything since hes been in the tank. Tank 34gal solana. 250wt de mh, current usa leds. full reef, mostly soft corals, LPS, and an LTA. Params are all in check. the only thing that might of spiked during the water changes was a high ph and possible 2 degree temp difference Symptoms:
My male clown came down with cloudiness/glassiness in both eyes about a week ago. My female clown came down with it in her left eye only, about 2 days ago. She also has a much brighter white dot on the eye as well. They both twitch but i cant tell if its mating twitching or parasite.

My potters angle is twitching slightly and hiding in shady spots in the tank. The angle has also lost some of its color and is looking very pale. No eye cloudiness on this fish.

The 3 fish are eating well still.

The tank glass appears to have small white pinhead organisms crawling around. They are too difficult to recognize but they do move around. they also appear to be in the water column.

Possible Causes:
Ive had my hands in the tank periodically over the past week or so re-aquascaping and adding about an inch to the sand bed. Ive been doing a couple water changes 3 or so per week while i was doing this.
I recently added a ATO system to the tank and have noticed that the water in the reservoir bucket is stagnant and i notice a slimy surface to the walls of the bucket. Not sure if this is a cause, but i put some carbon in there just in case?

Solution:
? thats where YOU come in lol.
Ive been soaking their food in garlic hoping that will help them fight whatever it is off.
Hopefully there is an IN TANK treatment for whatever this is because it will be Extremely dificult to catch these fish. I however understand if i do have to take them out to treat whatever this is and will do my best to get them out, i dont have a qt tank set up though.

My tank and fish history:
The female clown and Angle are 1.5 years old and have never come down with anything since ive had them with exception to their first month in the tank with ich.
The male is a new addition 6 months old and hasnt showed any signs of anything since hes been in the tank.

Tank 34gal solana. 250wt de mh, current usa leds.
full reef, mostly soft corals, LPS, and an LTA.
Params are all in check. the only thing that might of spiked during the water changes was a high ph and possible 2 degree temp difference ]]> Slickcg33 http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52403-fish-coming-down-something.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52368-new-butterflies-need-experienced-opinion.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:01:17 GMT Hello Everyone.....

I know I haven't been on here in what seems like forever, but I'm hoping that I can get some help.

Two days ago, I recieved an Auriga & Saddleback Butterfly (via online store)
So...they arrived looking great (no "spots" nicks or anything like that - they are 4in each, you can tell that they were well cared for - not underweight - vibrant color, etc. )

Although they are swimming (not sluggish what so ever)and eating great, I've noticed that they've had a "twitch" (not flutter) ever since I acclimatedd them into the tank. I CAN NOT SEE any typical ich or parasite spots but after two days- im convinced its "something" and not them just getting adjusted (probably just in early stages because they just shipped) I observe the Auriga having random twitchess throughout the day and I've seen the Saddleback "flash" his face off the rocks twice.......

I'm trying to get an opinion - think it's classic early signs of ich - possibly a parasite - or general paranoia?

Also (I might need to know this now and possibly down the road) can anyone tell me any medications that they have used to SUCCESSFULLY treat a Butterfly for an ich infestation? What about bacteria/parasites?

In case anyone's curious - I'm in my 4th year of "saltwater"

A million thanks in advance ]]> jglas26 http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52368-new-butterflies-need-experienced-opinion.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52342-safe-antibiotic-use-hyposalinity.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:19:44 GMT My fish are in Hypo, and doing wonderful. however i do notice some small tan spots on my yellow tang, which could be infection? any idea's how to cure this? and safe for hyposalinity conditions as well. thank you. ]]> grtdaddy http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52342-safe-antibiotic-use-hyposalinity.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52236-curing-fish-marine-ich.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:25:03 GMT

Curing Fish of Marine Ich

Intro


There are several posts and threads in this Forum which describes the disease, choices for the cure, and the process to cure marine fishes of Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans). It seems like a lot to read and it can get confusing. So here’s a short procedure to follow that refers to those posts that have all the details you’ll need.

I'm writing this in blunt, easy to read English (I hope). It may sound 'stern' but I am being blunt, short, to the point AND I'm sure what it is you need to do. :)


Diagnosis


Before you start, you want to be as sure as you can be that you are dealing with Marine Ich. If you’re experienced, you probably know and can skip this part. If you are new to the hobby or have never come across this parasite before, you’ll want to search the Internet for photos of fish that are displaying this parasite.

Unfortunately, most of those photos you will find are of fishes with an advanced case of the disease, having many dozens to hundreds of spots. At the outset, your fish may only have a couple to a few. But those photos should give you an idea of what to look for. Marine Ich has many stages in its life cycle. The one we humans can see with our unaided eye is when the parasite is ready to leave the fish. The spot is white and about the size of a grain of salt or sugar. It can be found on fin or body of the fish. When severely infecting the gills (the parasite isn't seen, but. . .), the fish will flash (scratch) and/or breath rapidly (more than 100 swallows per minute).

So do the diagnostic step first.


Know Thy Enemy


I don’t care if you’re experienced or not, you must sort out the myths from the facts about this parasite. READ this: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ths-facts.html. The better you know and understand what it is you’re dealing with, the better you will be at the cure and stopping future infections.

This part includes understanding that not only the fish you see with spots have been infected, but ALL THE FISH in the display system are infected and must be cured at the same time.


Decision on Cure


You need to decide on the cure. There are two basic ones guaranteed to cure your fish: a copper treatment or a hyposalinity treatment. DON’T ask which one to use. Either works. Decide on which one you are most comfortable doing. Read about each cure so you can understand what each requires you to do. Choose the one you can handle best. In order to decide, read these two posts:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-problems.html
and
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...t-process.html



No Shortcuts


Buy the things you need to do the cure. The quarantine tank(s), the medication and the test kit (for copper), the refractometer (for hyposalinity), etc. DON’T come up with your own procedure. The procedure has worked for more than the 40 years it’s been used. Don’t try to improve upon it or take any shortcuts.



Start The Quarantine Tank(s) (QT)


Read about setting a QT up and do it. In this case it is technically a 'hospital tank' but the tank is setup the same as a QT. If you have a lot of fish to treat, then you can choose a large QT or multiple smaller QTs. Your decision again. To begin with, you can use display tank water in the QT. Both it and the fish are ‘infected’ so it doesn’t matter. AFTER that though, all water changes will be done with new salt water. Read this: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...step-step.html



Starting Out


Move all fish (those with and those without spots) to a quarantine tank and begin their cure. (NOTE: During the move DON'T do any freshwater dip unless the infection is REALLY bad -- hundreds of spots and/or the fish isn't eating because it's breathing so fast; and/or the fish flashes every minute. If you read up on the enemy you'll know that a fresh water dip NEVER cures fish of Marine Ich -- BUT it can help a little in extreme cases.) If you need help in how to catch your fish, keep in mind two things: These fishes (unless tank bred) were caught by people in a whole ocean or sea (and all you need to do is catch them in a small box) and; you're smarter than a fish (I hope :smack: ). In addition this thread gives you some ideas on how to go about doing this: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-aquarium.html

Leave the display tank go fishless for 8 weeks. Some people don’t seem to understand what this means. This means you can leave every other living thing in the display system, except fish. Please don’t ask if it’s okay to leave ....?... in the tank. If it isn’t a fish, then it’s okay to leave it in the display system! Leave snails, crabs, coral, mobile and non-mobile invertebrates, shrimp, pods, live rock, etc. and remove all fish. Because other life forms are still in the DT, keep everything running and perform water changes, maintenance, etc. as usual. You will need to add food for the life left in there and to keep the biological filter running. Do not add pellet or flake food during this time.

Some people want to take this opportunity to put into the display system additional clean up crew, corals, invertebrates of any kind, etc. It’s okay to do this, but the 8-week clock begins AFTER the last addition. Keep in mind this is only for Marine Ich. If you don’t routinely quarantine new marine life forms, you might be bringing any other kinds of fish diseases into the aquarium. BUT, with the 8-week fishless time, there won’t be any Marine Ich alive.

Sometimes it’s just better to tell the hobbyist DON’T add anything to the display system during this time. This is good advice.



The Quarantine Tank


NO BIO FILTER GOING? If the QT doesn’t have an active and working biological filter, you can still do either cure. You will need to start a biological filter going (see post on setting up the QT) and you will do water changes every time you detect ammonia and/or nitrites in the water. You will need to buy ammonia and nitrite test kits (not test strips) and test the water two or three times a day. Four if you feed often. You will need to remove all excess food and fish wastes. This you can do by siphon or by one of those sand cleaning pumps (manual) to pick up and filter out the debris.

NOTE: Even if you have an active and operating biological filter, still check the water for ammonia and nitrites. The fish might just be polluting too much and the filter has to catch up. So even with a biological filter running, CHECK the water daily for ammonia and nitrite and make a large water change if either or both are detected.

When you detect ammonia and/or nitrite you’ll need to do a large (over 80%) water change with new water. Since this will be a large water change, this post tells you the proper way of doing this: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...rine-fish.html

You will need to control the water quality very well in the QT so the fish don’t ‘know’ any reduction in water quality during their cure. One part of that is pH. If you chose the hyposalinity treatment, it is easiest on the fish, but hardest on the hobbyist as is stated in that post. Controlling the pH will be a challenge since the water is so ‘thin’ that the chemicals/salts aren’t there to stabilize the pH.

Many recommend feeding the fish less during the cure so the water won’t be as polluted. I don’t go along with this approach. The fish needs good nutrition during this time – better than ever – not going on a diet or a reduction of food. The hobbyist has to compensate by doing more work on keeping the water quality high. Keep feeding the fish the best foods with vitamin and fat supplements in it. See this for nutritional info: Fish Health through Proper Nutrition

All this extra effort of making large water changes when ammonia and/or nitrites are there could be reduced if the hobbyist had a biological filter running in the display system or display sump as suggested in the quarantine linked post. The active biological filter would be ready to go into a QT with display tank water and everything moves forward faster. But not having a biological filter is NO REASON to not start the treatment.

NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. . .Some hobbyist don't understand this part about the QT. Since there is no skimmer and no carbon running, the water still gets polluted even when no ammonia or nitrites are detected. Because of this, even if the biological filter is running properly and no ammonia and no nitrites are detected, the hobbyist must still make a large water change every two or three days (depending on how many fish you are treating) to keep down high concentrations of organics, nitrates, and other pollutants. DO THIS.

VERIFY the Fish are Cured


Don’t mess up now! After the treatment (either one you choose), hold the fish in the QT for no less than 4 more weeks in normal salt water to SEE if the fish are cured. If any sign of Marine Ich shows itself first be sure you have the correct diagnosis. If it is Marine Ich, do not despair – the procedure was contaminated somewhere along the line. Fortunately the fish aren’t back in the display so you can perform another (more careful) treatment.



The End Game


Fish are verified to be cured (see above). Display system has been fishless for no less than 8 weeks. Time for the cured fish to go home. If there were many fish, put one fish back in weekly until all are in. If the fish are small (under 1") put more in at one time. If fish are large, put in one at a time in two week intervals.

You’re Done

Don’t let it happen again. Use the quarantine process to prevent Marine Ich from getting into your display system.

:thumbup:
]]> leebca http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52236-curing-fish-marine-ich.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52214-possible-white-spot.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:16:44 GMT I have an angel fish that I have had for a week and today I have noticed a tiny white spots on one side and it looks like it has them on the pectoral fins but we think these may just be markings. Before I rip my tank apart to try and get it out (very shy fish) is there advice anyone could give? I have an angel fish that I have had for a week and today I have noticed a tiny white spots on one side and it looks like it has them on the pectoral fins but we think these may just be markings.

Before I rip my tank apart to try and get it out (very shy fish) is there advice anyone could give? ]]> thomshap http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52214-possible-white-spot.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52192-sick-yellow-tang.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:23:14 GMT I have a yellow tang that has been losing his color and has laboured breathing. He doesn't look like he has ich. Any suggestions? ]]> oscar http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52192-sick-yellow-tang.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52163-can-anybody-id-ailment.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:59:24 GMT Here is my sick Bluespot Jawfish Image: http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae19/TenUhC/022.jpg Image: http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae19/TenUhC/031.jpg And here is my sick Mandarin Image: http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae19/TenUhC/028.jpg Image: http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae19/TenUhC/029.jpg Please keep in mind these 2 fish have shown these symptoms about a week to a week and a half after I got them home and it has gotten slowly but progressively worse over a period of 3 weeks. These fish are voracious eaters and show no other signs of distress other than the spots, which move and disappear and reappear in a matter of hours. Except for the BSJF whose spots are more permanent now. Here is my sick Bluespot Jawfish





And here is my sick Mandarin





Please keep in mind these 2 fish have shown these symptoms about a week to a week and a half after I got them home and it has gotten slowly but progressively worse over a period of 3 weeks. These fish are voracious eaters and show no other signs of distress other than the spots, which move and disappear and reappear in a matter of hours. Except for the BSJF whose spots are more permanent now. ]]> TenUhC http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52163-can-anybody-id-ailment.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52160-should-i-drain-my-water-remove-sand.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:52:06 GMT im still getting small amounts if ammonia, i was considering removing the sand i have the water ready to go. and im still seeing white spots on my hippo and a couple on my kole after about 5 days in hypo is this normal? i dont want to lose them. im still getting small amounts if ammonia, i was considering removing the sand i have the water ready to go. and im still seeing white spots on my hippo and a couple on my kole after about 5 days in hypo is this normal? i dont want to lose them. ]]> grtdaddy http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52160-should-i-drain-my-water-remove-sand.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52132-chromis-only-disease.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:27:54 GMT a couple weeks ago i added 2 new blue green chromis about a week or so later, my one chromis (which i have had since my tank started) kicked the bucket. he was swimming along the bottom of the tank, all the time and just started twitching. well today i noticed my other 2 swimming along the bottom, neither of them were breathing heavy or anything. went out for a couple hours, and came back to 1 twitching, and swimming in a corkscrew fasion. the other now breathing heavy, and wide eyed. it just showed up in the past 3 hours, my clowns, and fire fish are all eating like mad, and show 0 signs of any stress or anything whatsoever. is it possible my chromis brought something in with them? like only chromis affecting? a couple weeks ago i added 2 new blue green chromis

about a week or so later, my one chromis (which i have had since my tank started) kicked the bucket.

he was swimming along the bottom of the tank, all the time and just started twitching.

well today i noticed my other 2 swimming along the bottom, neither of them were breathing heavy or anything.

went out for a couple hours, and came back to 1 twitching, and swimming in a corkscrew fasion. the other now breathing heavy, and wide eyed.

it just showed up in the past 3 hours,



my clowns, and fire fish are all eating like mad, and show 0 signs of any stress or anything whatsoever.

is it possible my chromis brought something in with them? like only chromis affecting? ]]> burntricer http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52132-chromis-only-disease.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52125-help-adding-fish.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:22:01 GMT ok i need to know what plp think as far as what fish i can add i have a 29gal bio qube doing great an a 55 gal that has been up for about 8 months, now the 55 is the trouble i have a mated pair of clowns a cleaner wrase an a foxface also a dimond goby(new) i just lost my atl blue tang to ich an my bi color blenny,i also had a midis that was killed a scops tang that was mean as hell i realy liked my atl blue but he only lasted about 4 weeks then got ich i got him an the blenny out an put them in a hospital tank but it didnt work ... water changes an tank is great just haveing trouble with fish:( ok i need to know what plp think as far as what fish i can add i have a 29gal bio qube doing great an a 55 gal that has been up for about 8 months, now the 55 is the trouble i have a mated pair of clowns a cleaner wrase an a foxface also a dimond goby(new) i just lost my atl blue tang to ich an my bi color blenny,i also had a midis that was killed a scops tang that was mean as hell i realy liked my atl blue but he only lasted about 4 weeks then got ich i got him an the blenny out an put them in a hospital tank but it didnt work ... water changes an tank is great just haveing trouble with fish:( ]]> madmartin http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52125-help-adding-fish.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52043-all-fish-hypo-but-mandarin.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:42:02 GMT will my tank with the mandarin break the ich cycle? all other fish are in QT and currently at 1.009 measured with a refractometer calibrated to 35 using pinpoint calibration fluid. i am a little scared that the ich will remain in my 125 due to the mandarin, but i have been told it will be fine. any thoughts here? will my tank with the mandarin break the ich cycle? all other fish are in QT and currently at 1.009 measured with a refractometer calibrated to 35 using pinpoint calibration fluid. i am a little scared that the ich will remain in my 125 due to the mandarin, but i have been told it will be fine. any thoughts here? ]]> grtdaddy http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52043-all-fish-hypo-but-mandarin.html