Foxface….is this ick?

[TonyCagg]

Just sitting here looking at my tank and notice my Foxface has something going on.

I fed the tank this morning and this fish 100% did not have a mark or spot on him.

It is acting completely normal, eating, swimming as always.

It’s a super active fish which comes up to the glass everytime someone approaches the tank and I would have noticed this before as it’s honestly my favorite fish and will eat almost from your hand if you let him.

Not sure how something like this can pop up in just a few hours, but I can assure you he did not have it at 10am and it’s not even 3pm now.

Take a look and let me know your thoughts?

 

[TonyCagg]

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Just sitting here looking at my tank and notice my Foxface has something going on.

I fed the tank this morning and this fish 100% did not have a mark or spot on him.

It is acting completely normal, eating, swimming as always.

It’s a super active fish which comes up to the glass everytime someone approaches the tank and I would have noticed this before as it’s honestly my favorite fish and will eat almost from your hand if you let him.

Not sure how something like this can pop up in just a few hours, but I can assure you he did not have it at 10am and it’s not even 3pm now.

Take a look and let me know your thoughts?

It could be sand, or mucus plugs, but ich can certainly crop up that fast.

Can you please repost under white lights, and maybe include a video? The blue lights make it impossible to diagnose.

Jay

 

[TonyCagg]

View attachment 20260421_144645_7A4EE252-4682-485D-89E2-783789CDBBB7.mov

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Well, that’s not sand or detritus. It’s either ich or mucus plugs. Often, mucus plugs are mixed with ich. It’s still too blue to see much on my phone. If you see spots on any of the fins, then it is more likely to be ich.

How long have you had this fish? When was the last fish added to this tank?

 

[W31Olds]

looks like Ich to me mixed in with some Mucus Cones because of it. Ich indications are also on the Tail Fin and you don't usually see cones there.

 

[TonyCagg]

Have had the fish for about a year.

Last fish I added was about 3 months ago, and I quarantined that fish before adding it.

 

[W31Olds]

How about Inverts or corals? They can bring it also.

 

[W31Olds]

One additional thing is it you have a new Fish in QT, Ich can transfer that way through proximity and common gear.

 

[TonyCagg]

One additional thing is it you have a new Fish in QT, Ich can transfer that way through proximity and common gear.

QT tank is on another floor of the house, and has all its own gear

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Have had the fish for about a year.

Last fish I added was about 3 months ago, and I quarantined that fish before adding it.

If it’s ich, the typical progression will be all/most of the spots will drop off, but then a few days later, they’ll return, and usually start showing up here and there on other fish. Eventually the parasite’s life cycle gets more out of sync and the fish will have spots all the time and in increasing numbers. You’ll want to treat before it reaches that point.

 

[chthao]

my mag fox face has survived 3 ich outbreaks in the last couple years, my most hardiest fish i've ever kept. GL!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks to be skin irritation causing mucus plugs
See if dots increase in number tomorrow

 

[TonyCagg]

Looks to be skin irritation causing mucus plugs
See if dots increase in number tomorrow

This fish sleeps in the same rock every night for the past 6+ months.
A BTA took up residence in the same rock crevice a couple of days ago.
Wonder if that could have caused an irritation?

 

[vetteguy53081]

This fish sleeps in the same rock every night for the past 6+ months.
A BTA took up residence in the same rock crevice a couple of days ago.
Wonder if that could have caused an irritation?

It can cause irritation from stinging and water quality issue can also cause irritation

 

[TonyCagg]

This fish sleeps in the same rock every night for the past 6+ months.
A BTA took up residence in the same rock crevice a couple of days ago.
Wonder if that could have caused an irritation?

It can cause irritation from stinging and water quality issue can also cause irritation

Parameters have been steady for weeks.

Also running carbon and UV.

 

[W31Olds]

If Stung by your BTA, I would expect Mucus Cones and irritation to be localized. Your Foxface has them evenly distributed. Foxfaces are slimy fish so Mucus Cones may be more pronounced. Not likely this is a Water Quality issue. I would observe all your other Fish very closely as you may notice a spot or two.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Parameters have been steady for weeks.

Also running carbon and UV.

Nitrate is up there a little. Dont let it get over 20 otherwise water looks good. With no other fish having this and foxface was in proximity with anemone, its a suspect cause

 

[TonyCagg]

If Stung by your BTA, I would expect Mucus Cones and irritation to be localized. Your Foxface has them evenly distributed. Foxfaces are slimy fish so Mucus Cones may be more pronounced. Not likely this is a Water Quality issue. I would observe all your other Fish very closely as you may notice a spot or two.

Will continue to monitor all of the fish, obviously, but as of now not a speck on any of them.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Will continue to monitor all of the fish, obviously, but as of now not a speck on any of them.

With the life cycle, if it is ich, the spots will typically return in 3 to 5 days....but in a few cases, it will go into remission for weeks/months and then if the fish are stressed, will become an acute infection again.