I clipped off 2 Ich spots on my copperband

kevensquint · Dec 4, 2020

You may say hmm, interesting. Or what an idiot. I'm indifferent. I just wanted to share in case it could be of interest or help to someone. So I had to take a copperband from someone that was not able to get it to eat. My quarenteen tank is not ready for fish. So I put the copperband in my mangrove tank alone. I got it to eat. A week later 2 Ich spots appeared, one on a pectoral fin and the other on a pelvic fin. The fish was easy to catch in this tank, so I placed him in a bowl of tank water used my surgical glasses ( probably key to this endeavor, but also a $3000 gift from a friend). And with small nail clippers, clipped the spots clean off. No damage to the fish. Dipped the fish in a new clean tank water bowl and put it back in the mangrove tank. This was about 2 weeks ago. No harm done, no new spots . Maybe he will come down with it again. But I bought him some more time worst case. I think over the years in this hobby. I had been too passive, hopefull things will fix themselves. This showed me more can sometimes be done. Whether it works out great or not so great. Trying things can be good for learning if not more.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 4, 2020

Technically, that *could* work, but in real world cases, I would think that the spots you removed either weren't Cryptocaryon trophonts, or there will already be some tomonts that then produce theronts that can return to re-infect the fish?

Given that the fish was a CBB, I wonder if the spots you saw were incipient Lymphocystis? if you put them under a microscope to confirm the ID, then this could be a cool experiment!

Jay