Can itch and other diseases be in a system but not visible?

[Sharp]

Hi everyone. I setup my 180 gallon tank nearly 2 years ago, it was my first time keeping any sort of fish. Needless to say I made a lot of mistakes, probably the worst of which is not quarantining any of my fish. I had some issues in the first couple of months with whitespot and some other chromis only disease. At the time I did not have a quarantine tank and so treated with a supposedly reef safe remedy, since then I have not seen any signs of itch, the chromis passed.

I have not introduced anything wet for the past 12 months and have tried to have as stable and healthy tank as possible. So I guess I am wondering, since I have not quarantined so many fish in the past is there probably itch and flukes and other diseases on all of my fish? I have had a couple near tank crashes, because of skimmer and doser issues, not once did my fish show any signs of these diseases flaring up.

I have 2 acanthurus tangs (orange shoulder and powderblue), who based on my readings probably should have itch all over them if it is in my system. The only signs of possible disease is the Orangeshoulder tang looks to be breathing faster than the other fish, and occasionally comes to the surface to get air, but it has been in here for 18 months and is the biggest and hungriest fish of all. I guess that could be flukes, but wouldn't it have killed my tang in all this time?

I use natural seawater for waterchanges and feed alot 4-5 times a day, which I am beginning to think maybe gives them more immunity to these diseases?

I have just purchased 2 tangs, 2 wrasse and an orange spotted filefish, and a regal angelfish, which I am planning on QTing using 2 seperate tanks, because of a mess up with my LFS they all came in at once and I am expecting to pick them up tomorrow on the day after, several weeks earlier than anticipated, I am quickly trying to sort everything out. I am wondering whether treating them with copper and other meds is pointless if there is disease already in my system? I dont want to nuke their immune system just to put them into a tank where they might catch it again but have nothing to fight it off with.

I am going to do a 30 or more day observation at the very least, as I want to make sure they are all eating and are fat and healthy before putting them into a well established aquarium. Thoughts would be very welcome.

Thanks!

Fergus

 

[Reefahholic]

Absolutely. A lot of these parasites and protozoan go undetected and slide right into your reef.

Definitely Quarantine and treat any symptoms you see pop up.

Post in the disease forum if something pops up for help with treatment options.

 

[fachatga]

If you search terms like Ich management you’ll see tons of tanks do have ich but often it’s a stress event that will cause a breakout since the fish they are healthy and thriving can just fight off the amount that might try to attack them easily until something happens

 

[Reefahholic]

I’m fixing to buy a batch of fish. What I typically do first is a FW or H2O2 dip to knock down any initial build up on the fish. Then I prophylactically run them all through copper (CopperPower) [Depending on Species] and bring that up to a therapeutic level. At the same time I’m doing TTM to knock any numbers down inside the small tank, and this also helps prevent ammonia buildup because I normally use a 10/G QT. After about 10 days and 3 transfers (every 72 hours) I’ll stop the Copper and run either Praziquantel alone or API General Cure which contains two medications (Praziquantel and Metronidazole). I like to run API GC because I can treat the gut as well. I like to get the fish eating food soaked in the medication for about 2-3 weeks. You’d be shocked at what will enter your tank through a fishes gut. After that, I stop all medication and do a 100% water change and watch the fish closely for several days making sure they are ready to go. Usually they do pretty well after this, but I have had things pop up that needed to be eradicated which is why you always observe until you’re confident they’re clean.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

germs and bacterias are all over us all the time, but we only get sick when we get stressed or don't take care of ourselves properly, its the same with all living things. Thats what I beleive, and thats why I try to keep my fish as happy as possible. There are several stories of tanks getting ick, even if no fish are introduced for several months. IMO, ick and other diseases are usually caused by poor fishkeeping.

 

[austibella]

These parasites look for a host the encyst between the layers of the host, it breeds when mature it leaves the fish in very large numbers looking for more fish it has 48 hours to find one and the cycle starts all over again. Incubation time can be 72 hours, in your water on sand rocks, then it will find another host so the cycle never ends till there are no fish even then its in the water for 72 hrs then has 48 hours to find a host or it fina dies. Get ich medication fast.