Ich in tank

[maheenio]

Hello everyone, just wanted to confirm if this is Ich, or something else.

Started the tank (55g) about a month ago. Currently stocked with
Lemon peel angel
Clownfish pair
Blue damsel
Six lined wrasse
Yellow prawn goby

Currently feeding a mixed diet with nori, pellets, mysis shrimp.

Tank parameters are clear. Ammonia at 0, nitrite at 0 and nitrate levels around 20.

I do not have any inverts, or corals. I wanted to ask if hyposalinity would be the best approach as I do not currently have a QT tank. Super nervous about it.

Are any of these fish highly sensitive to ICH or hyposalinity?

Should I manage the ICH instead of fully eradicating it?

All fish are highly active, eating well & not hiding.

 

[maheenio]

Hello everyone, just wanted to confirm if this is Ich, or something else.

Started the tank (55g) about a month ago. Currently stocked with
Lemon peel angel
Clownfish pair
Blue damsel
Six lined wrasse
Yellow prawn goby

Currently feeding a mixed diet with nori, pellets, mysis shrimp.

Tank parameters are clear. Ammonia at 0, nitrite at 0 and nitrate levels around 20.

I do not have any inverts, or corals. I wanted to ask if hyposalinity would be the best approach as I do not currently have a QT tank. Super nervous about it.

Are any of these fish highly sensitive to ICH or hyposalinity?

Should I manage the ICH instead of fully eradicating it?

All fish are highly active, eating well & not hiding.

 

[KrisReef]

Looks to be ich.

 

[maheenio]

Looks to be ich.

Yes, I thought so. First month with a saltwater tank and already dealing with ICH sadly. It’s on me for not quarantining new fish. Thank you.

 

[maheenio]

Looks to be ich.

Do you think the best approach would be running hyposalinity? Still researching how to run it, or would it be better to manage it for now and eventually set up a QT tank?

I’m just afraid that the fish would get more stressed out and likely pass from treatment like hypo than me letting them fight it on their own.

 

[vetteguy53081]

While it may be ich, will need still pics to confirm as videos are short and a lot of movement with fish. Fins suggest such but need to see rest of fish clarly

 

[KrisReef]

Do you think the best approach would be running hyposalinity? Still researching how to run it, or would it be better to manage it for now and eventually set up a QT tank?

I’m just afraid that the fish would get more stressed out and likely pass from treatment like hypo than me letting them fight it on their own.

I routinely don't give specific course of treatment advice for active fish issues on this forum. Sorry. That is not my forte.

 

[maheenio]

While it may be ich, will need still pics to confirm as videos are short and a lot of movement with fish. Fins suggest such but need to see rest of fish clarly

Here’s another set of videos. It’s a bit difficult to catch her staying still. Thank you for helping.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here’s another set of videos. It’s a bit difficult to catch her staying still. Thank you for helping.

Can you provide a couple of Still pictures. Fish is moving a lot and the shimmer from light not helping

 

[winxp_man]

If you have an iPhone try slowmotion video. I don’t know much about other phones. I know that iPhone now do slowmotion in HD.


Edit:

Can confirm IPhone does 2k at 120 frames or HD (I think 1080) at 240 frames.

 

[KrisReef]

The latter video, the fish looks spot free. Ich will fall off a fish, during it's life cycle. How much time between the first video and the last one?

 

[maheenio]

Here’s another set of videos. It’s a bit difficult to catch her staying still. Thank you for helping.

Can you provide a couple of Still pictures. Fish is moving a lot and the shimmer from light not helping

Sorry about that! Here’s another video, more still in this one but will take some pics if this doesn’t help.

From what I can see, there’s definitely spots that weren’t there when I got her. It’s hard to see in the video and I can only see it when she’s directly under the light. She’s the only one displaying the specks. My damsel a while ago was also displaying those same specks but I thought that it was sand as there was only a couple of dots. They disappeared the same day. I think it is ich. Just not sure what to do about it. Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sorry about that! Here’s another video, more still in this one but will take some pics if this doesn’t help.

From what I can see, there’s definitely spots that weren’t there when I got her. It’s hard to see in the video and I can only see it when she’s directly under the light. She’s the only one displaying the specks. My damsel a while ago was also displaying those same specks but I thought that it was sand as there was only a couple of dots. They disappeared the same day. I think it is ich. Just not sure what to do about it. Thank you

I can see labored breathing but once again, No videos.... Need StiLL pics/ PHOTOS, NOT VIDEO

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Do you think the best approach would be running hyposalinity? Still researching how to run it, or would it be better to manage it for now and eventually set up a QT tank?

I’m just afraid that the fish would get more stressed out and likely pass from treatment like hypo than me letting them fight it on their own.

Looks like a light to moderate case of ich on the angel. I doubt you would be able to manage it at that level. Hyposalinity is a good option if you have NO invertebrates or corals.

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[maheenio]

Sorry about that! Here’s another video, more still in this one but will take some pics if this doesn’t help.

From what I can see, there’s definitely spots that weren’t there when I got her. It’s hard to see in the video and I can only see it when she’s directly under the light. She’s the only one displaying the specks. My damsel a while ago was also displaying those same specks but I thought that it was sand as there was only a couple of dots. They disappeared the same day. I think it is ich. Just not sure what to do about it. Thank you

I can see labored breathing but once again, No videos.... Need StiLL pics/ PHOTOS, NOT VIDEO

Difficult to take pics of the angel as she keeps going to her cave to hide or won’t stop moving.

Can see it on my clown as well, managed to get some pics the best I could.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Difficult to take pics of the angel as she keeps going to her cave to hide or won’t stop moving.

Can see it on my clown as well, managed to get some pics the best I could.

Thank you. Presence of early stage ich is apparent.
You will need to place fish in Quarantine tank and treat with Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25 for a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored with a Hanna Brand copper test kit- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone. All other fish in with it should also be removed as they have also been exposed to the parasites and placed in quarantine tank.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off. Inverts and coral can remain in the display (not treatment) tank during fallow period.

 

[maheenio]

Do you think the best approach would be running hyposalinity? Still researching how to run it, or would it be better to manage it for now and eventually set up a QT tank?

I’m just afraid that the fish would get more stressed out and likely pass from treatment like hypo than me letting them fight it on their own.

Looks like a light to moderate case of ich on the angel. I doubt you would be able to manage it at that level. Hyposalinity is a good option if you have NO invertebrates or corals.

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you! I think I will just do the hypo. I have a BRS refractometer, not sure if that is accurate enough? I’ve also ordered a pH test kit a few days before but it won’t arrive until the 15th.

Do you think I can began the process now or should I wait and test baseline pH and see how it fluctuates?

Would I need to take the copper out of my canister filter or is that not necessary? Read some sources online that said I should but not sure.

I’m just very nervous as it’s my first saltwater tank and I did know about ICH before, just dealing with it is so much scarier.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you! I think I will just do the hypo. I have a BRS refractometer, not sure if that is accurate enough? I’ve also ordered a pH test kit a few days before but it won’t arrive until the 15th.

Do you think I can began the process now or should I wait and test baseline pH and see how it fluctuates?

Would I need to take the copper out of my canister filter or is that not necessary? Read some sources online that said I should but not sure.

I’m just very nervous as it’s my first saltwater tank and I did know about ICH before, just dealing with it is so much scarier.

Dont wait for infestation and Hyposalinity is not for all fish especially smaller ones

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you! I think I will just do the hypo. I have a BRS refractometer, not sure if that is accurate enough? I’ve also ordered a pH test kit a few days before but it won’t arrive until the 15th.

Do you think I can began the process now or should I wait and test baseline pH and see how it fluctuates?

Would I need to take the copper out of my canister filter or is that not necessary? Read some sources online that said I should but not sure.

I’m just very nervous as it’s my first saltwater tank and I did know about ICH before, just dealing with it is so much scarier.

I like to use two devices to confirm an accurate salinity when doing hyposalinity.

You don’t need to remove filter carbon when running hyposalinity, only do that with some medications.

I would begin the process now, it is only going to get worse if you delay things.

 

[maheenio]

Thank you! I think I will just do the hypo. I have a BRS refractometer, not sure if that is accurate enough? I’ve also ordered a pH test kit a few days before but it won’t arrive until the 15th.

Do you think I can began the process now or should I wait and test baseline pH and see how it fluctuates?

Would I need to take the copper out of my canister filter or is that not necessary? Read some sources online that said I should but not sure.

I’m just very nervous as it’s my first saltwater tank and I did know about ICH before, just dealing with it is so much scarier.

I like to use two devices to confirm an accurate salinity when doing hyposalinity.

You don’t need to remove filter carbon when running hyposalinity, only do that with some medications.

I would begin the process now, it is only going to get worse if you delay things.

Already started the process! Unfortunately I do not have 2 different devices for measuring, but I recalibrate every single time just in case & check a couple of times after 60 mins of the water circulating.

Currently I’m at 20 ppt.

Kind of going slow. I started July 13th, around 5pm.

I just do not want to go quickly & shock them. I do not notice the spots & all of the fish are doing well.

I figured out where the ich came from. In the beginning, it was the clownfish I had purchased, sadly from Petco. Went in & asked them how they handled the ich if they ever had it and they told me Ich is in every tank and they use this artemiss herbal medication & lower the salinity for 10 days. Lady said fish are born with ich in their immune system and it will always arise when fish are stressed, which I know is not true. Will always quarantine from now on.

Is it ok if I take more than 48hrs to reach 12ppt? I will probably reach it tomorrow.

Thank you.