Best way to deal with white spot in my situation?

[mmorriso]

This is quite a common request, here is an uncommon suggestion:

Buy an oversized UV unit, such as those from Pentair / Emperor Aquatics.

This will not (likely) rid your tank of ich, but it can reduce the population to the point that it is easily manageable.

I have had ich, as I don’t quarantine corals, and I ended up catching all my fish and quarantining / treating them in a set of 4 ft tanks. It was extremely stressful for me and I imagine it was a lot more stressful for my fish. During my fallow period, I bought and installed a 55W UV steriliser.

I have not had any issues with ich, despite continuing to not quarantine my corals, so I assume the parasite is still within my tank, but manageable due to feeding good food, creating a stress free environment within the tank and the steriliser.

 

[Tamberav]

Don’t put the new tank near the old tank either.

I would QT and treat all fish as it is probably velvet.

If you plan to not QT future fish you will likely run into this scenario again in the new tank and have an even bigger amount of fish to treat.

 

[1Clown]

I've gone out an bought a plastic tub, unfortunately the angel did not survive the night as expected. I should have my quarantine set up running by tomorrow in the garage.

In the future I plan to quarantine fish but don't have the ability to do so for snails, corals, clams and shrimps so is it a waste to even quarantine fish if you aren't quarantining absolutely everything?

 

[mmorriso]

Quarantining can have many benefits, beyond just the prevention of disease. It can allow your fish to acclimate to tank life, get used to eating the food you supply and allows you to observe for any issues and treat as required. I quarantine all new fish, but don’t proactively medicate, even though I’m sure there is ich in my tank.

My quarantine tank is just another tank in my garage that I’ve had running just as long as my display, only no corals and rock, but plenty of decor and algae.

Unless you’re going to quarantine everything wet that enters your tank, which is beyond me, you need to treat your tank like ich is present. Don’t overstock, don’t choose incompatible species, feed well and provide plenty of caves for sleeping / retreating. Buy a large UV unit and ich is entirely manageable.

 

[mmorriso]

Your new tub is going to struggle to process ammonia in the first instance, so be mindful of that.

Velvet is more susceptible to UV, that is, less exposure to UV is required to sterilise. I know a reefer that has curtailed a velvet outbreak by borrowing an oversized (120W) steriliser and pumping their tank water through it.

 

[1Clown]

Your new tub is going to struggle to process ammonia in the first instance, so be mindful of that.

Velvet is more susceptible to UV, that is, less exposure to UV is required to sterilise. I know a reefer that has curtailed a velvet outbreak by borrowing an oversized (120W) steriliser and pumping their tank water through it.

Why don't you medicate all fish if you quarantine them? I've got a bunch of bio balls I'll add to the tub when setting it up and I've ordered some Microbacter 7 too. I'm going to get a 80w UV and hook it up to the display whilst my fish are in quarantine.

 

[mmorriso]

Why don't you medicate all fish if you quarantine them? I've got a bunch of bio balls I'll add to the tub when setting it up and I've ordered some Microbacter 7 too. I'm going to get a 80w UV and hook it up to the display whilst my fish are in quarantine.

Some medications, like copper, can be just as harmful to certain species as the malady you might be trying to treat. Especially as you're ramping up the dose, in a small volume of water where it's easy to overdose or in the absence of a accurate test kit. A contrived example, but copper will kill a flame angelfish much more effectively than anything you're trying to treat with it.

I'm not advising not to use copper as required, I do too, it's just that many have a tendency to see it like paracetamol whereas it is in fact a poison, just more poisonous to inverts than fish. I use it sparingly, as even if it treats the parasite, it will have inflicted damage on the fish, including their immune system.

I don't proactively medicate, but in many cases I will supply something like prazi in food, as it's pretty difficult to know if a fish has intestinal worms or not.

It seems like you're on the right track!

 

[1Clown]

I ended up setting up a quarantine tank with a plastic box, giant air stone and a Tunze filter. I lost 2 fish in the display and 7 in the QT tank, only survivor as of today is a tiny yellow coral goby which seemed unaffected by the parasite in the display and also in the qt. I used Seachem's Cupramine and dosed as per instructions and tested copper today and it was spot on. No signs of ammonia in the QT according to the Seachem ammonia alert.

I lost:

1 Platnium Clown
1 Frostbite Clown
2 Bangaii Caridnals
1 Yellow Tang
1 Blue Tang
1 Juvenille Emperor Angel
1 Purple Fire Fish
1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse

I feel like this is a sign for me to pack in the hobby, everything seems like it's pointing me in the direction to leave and this may just have been the final nail in the coffin.

 

[mmorriso]

Hi mate,

I'm sorry to hear about your loss and that you're feeling dispirited with regards to the hobby. Take a few days to clear year head, I know how heart-breaking it can be to lose your fish to illness.

When I lost a some of my fish to ich, going through a very similar situation to yourself, I was very down as well. I ultimately re-did my scape in the aftermath of pulling all my fish out and that sustained my interest in the hobby in quite a grim time insofar as my interest in reefing went.

I hope you're feeling better soon, whether that's with a renewed interest in the hobby or moving on to something that doesn't occasionally leave you devastated.

All the best!

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Sorry man. Take some time to think. We have protocols for QT for this reason to avoid mass loss. You could restart and never deal with this again but I know it’s hard after losing the whole tank. My heart goes out to you