Ick?

[r_mcwaters3]

**Edit** photos and videos should be attached now

So Fred the fire fish has been in the tank since May 5th, zero issues until today.

To me it looks like ick, he is acting a bit slower than normal, but neither of the clownfish or Lawnmower blenny are showing spots. he came out and ate some pellet food for the pics and video then went back to his hide hole for the night. These are the best photos and videos I could get for tonight.

The spots are on his pectoral fins as well and almost glow as the tank has gotten blue towards the end of the day.

If it is Ick, is the best course of action to QT in a separate tank with copper, and let the tank sit for 80 days still?

 

[bluemon]

So Fred the fire fish has been in the tank since May 5th, zero issues until today.

To me it looks like ick, he is acting a bit slower than normal, but neither of the clownfish or Lawnmower blenny are showing spots.

If it is Ick, is the best corse of action to QT in a separate tank with copper, and let the tank sit for 80 days still?

we can't see any pictures of video, but a few pics and a video of the fish clearly in view in WHITE LIGHT will be best for proper ID.

 

[r_mcwaters3]

we can't see any pictures of video, but a few pics and a video of the fish clearly in view in WHITE LIGHT will be best for proper ID.

sorry they should be attached now I tried from the App but my phone was acting weird

 

[vetteguy53081]

**Edit** photos and videos should be attached now

So Fred the fire fish has been in the tank since May 5th, zero issues until today.

To me it looks like ick, he is acting a bit slower than normal, but neither of the clownfish or Lawnmower blenny are showing spots. he came out and ate some pellet food for the pics and video then went back to his hide hole for the night. These are the best photos and videos I could get for tonight.

The spots are on his pectoral fins as well and almost glow as the tank has gotten blue towards the end of the day.

If it is Ick, is the best course of action to QT in a separate tank with copper, and let the tank sit for 80 days still?

This can be ich and can also be grains of sand. This time tomorrow if you see more dots and locations on the fish- its ich. If gone, likely sand

 

[vetteguy53081]

**Edit** photos and videos should be attached now

So Fred the fire fish has been in the tank since May 5th, zero issues until today.

To me it looks like ick, he is acting a bit slower than normal, but neither of the clownfish or Lawnmower blenny are showing spots. he came out and ate some pellet food for the pics and video then went back to his hide hole for the night. These are the best photos and videos I could get for tonight.

The spots are on his pectoral fins as well and almost glow as the tank has gotten blue towards the end of the day.

If it is Ick, is the best course of action to QT in a separate tank with copper, and let the tank sit for 80 days still?

videos play just fine for me, and again, see if more dots tomorrow.

 

[MnFish1]

The blue light really makes it impossible - but - why do you think it's ich? To me the fish looks thin and a bit (not really bad) unhealthy). You can not decide whether its sand vs ich based on one day - one has to compare the spots in particular areas - with others - sand grains - though often commented on - are fairly rare

 

[r_mcwaters3]

I'm hoping so, his hole is right at the sand bed at night and while I don't think the sand id super super fine he sleeps almost on the sandbed

 

[r_mcwaters3]

The blue light really makes it impossible - but - why do you think it's ich? To me the fish looks thin and a bit (not really bad) unhealthy)

Yea I have a later light schedule so when I get home its blue light city. As to why I think its Ick I added the Lawnmower Blenny on 6/8/2025, The Blenny was in a copper QT tank at the store for about 2 weeks but I did not do a QT once I got him home since he was in QT from the store.

Blenny has no marks or spots, clowns have no marks or spots, just him which I think is weird as heck if its Ick since it spreads like crazy

 

[r_mcwaters3]

Ok, going to try this a again, Fred came out for some frozen brine with vitamins, here is better photos with whiter lights on

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok, going to try this a again, Fred came out for some frozen brine with vitamins, here is better photos with whiter lights on

There is a rainbow effect on the fish from the lighting. Again view tomorrow and see what has changed if any

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok, going to try this a again, Fred came out for some frozen brine with vitamins, here is better photos with whiter lights on

Some of these images show a probable ich infection. Trouble is, if it is that, then all of the fish are going to need to be treated. I did see the clowns rushing the fire fish in the video, so that is going to make treating them all in a small tank more difficult.

Watch the spots for now - if it is sand, the spots will drop off. Ich will also drop off, but will return, in greater numbers.

 

[MnFish1]

Some of these images show a probable ich infection. Trouble is, if it is that, then all of the fish are going to need to be treated. I did see the clowns rushing the fire fish in the video, so that is going to make treating them all in a small tank more difficult.

Watch the spots for now - if it is sand, the spots will drop off. Ich will also drop off, but will return, in greater numbers.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say - on the pectoral fins I see ich - however not an overwhelming amount. In my experience with sand grains - they tend to go quite quickly as the fish swims. I agree with my fish medic colleagues to observe - hopefully by this AM you have an answer. To the OP - I would consider setting up (or at least getting the materials) for a QT/hospital tank) - which is a good thing to have/do even if you don't need to immediately use it.

 

[r_mcwaters3]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say - on the pectoral fins I see ich - however not an overwhelming amount. In my experience with sand grains - they tend to go quite quickly as the fish swims. I agree with my fish medic colleagues to observe - hopefully by this AM you have an answer. To the OP - I would consider setting up (or at least getting the materials) for a QT/hospital tank) - which is a good thing to have/do even if you don't need to immediately use it.

So good and bad news:

Good news is I have a 10 gallon tank, HOB filter, extra salt, ext so I can use to QT the fish if I need to and to start copper treatment if it is indeed Ich.

Bad news is Fred is currently MIA, he is not in his normal hiding spot and not in the water column so he may be a causality. Something I observed today that has not been normal for the clownfish is aggression. They all were fine but the clowns are being was more territorial than normal.

NO flashing or rubbing on the rock or sand yet by the clown and the blenny seems fine. As soon as I fine either a body or Fred comes out of hiding Ill update.

 

[r_mcwaters3]

Found him, he was sitting at the bottom of the tank on the sand just hiding, he also looks like he has been beat up pretty hard from someone in the tank.

his breathing is rithmic now but he was not doing great. I picked him up by hand to put him in the small container for some closer photos and just to look him over. I used a small pipette and the raised whit spots did not blow off of him.

 

[bluemon]

Found him, he was sitting at the bottom of the tank on the sand just hiding, he also looks like he has been beat up pretty hard from someone in the tank.

his breathing is rithmic now but he was not doing great. I picked him up by hand to put him in the small container for some closer photos and just to look him over. I used a small pipette and the raised whit spots did not blow off of him.

Sorry about the fish, the pictures definitely confirm ich. Do you think you can get a barrier in that extra QT tank to separate him from the clownfish?

 

[r_mcwaters3]

Sorry about the fish, the pictures definitely confirm ich. Do you think you can get a barrier in that extra QT tank to separate him from the clownfish?

Yea I think i can put a piece of plexy glass in there to separate them for the time being. Worst case I can do a few 5 gallon buckets and separate them all into their own section for a bit until I can get a more permeant solution up and running.

 

[bluemon]

Yea I think i can put a piece of plexy glass in there to separate them for the time being. Worst case I can do a few 5 gallon buckets and separate them all into their own section for a bit until I can get a more permeant solution up and running.

I would try to avoid the bucket for QT as it is important to be able to observe the fish from the side.

I would get a plexi glass with some small holes drilled so they share the same water so you don't have to do double the work in testing/dosing copper.

Good luck! Hopefully the firefish makes it

 

[MnFish1]

So good and bad news:

Good news is I have a 10 gallon tank, HOB filter, extra salt, ext so I can use to QT the fish if I need to and to start copper treatment if it is indeed Ich.

Bad news is Fred is currently MIA, he is not in his normal hiding spot and not in the water column so he may be a causality. Something I observed today that has not been normal for the clownfish is aggression. They all were fine but the clowns are being was more territorial than normal.

NO flashing or rubbing on the rock or sand yet by the clown and the blenny seems fine. As soon as I fine either a body or Fred comes out of hiding Ill update.

I will say - its totally possible that the fish is hiding - they can hide - for days - however - caution is the best idea

 

[r_mcwaters3]

Small update, so I can track it later. Fire fish did not make it. Luckily, I had some friends with all the copper treatment chemicals and Nitro who were super nice and let me borrow their Hanna copper tester and Copper Power to get the fire fish into the tank.

Started with old tank water and some Nitrofurazone, so I could reduce the amount of time and stress to the fish before getting them some relief. I did all this around midnight last night. He did well for the night, but this morning, when I got up for work, he was gone. He was also by himself in the tank, but had major fin tears, and some of his side had already started to rot away. No copper was introduced yet to try and reduce some stress before I started copper, and because I had to go to bed.

Old ten-gallon, filter floss with a HOB filter just to move water and provide some turnover for O2

Next question for the group, do I go ahead and QT the clowns and the Blenny if they don't have any symptoms yet?

I cannot lose the clowns, and I have time since they aren't sick yet to really dial in the 10 gallon for long-term QT, but no spots, no flashing as of this morning. Same with the Blenny, he is just chilling, no major issues. I also got some Garlic and Selcon to hopefully keep them ahead of the curve for making sure they are healthy.

​

 

[bluemon]

Small update, so I can track it later. Fire fish did not make it. Luckily, I had some friends with all the copper treatment chemicals and Nitro who were super nice and let me borrow their Hanna copper tester and Copper Power to get the fire fish into the tank.

Started with old tank water and some Nitrofurazone, so I could reduce the amount of time and stress to the fish before getting them some relief. I did all this around midnight last night. He did well for the night, but this morning, when I got up for work, he was gone. He was also by himself in the tank, but had major fin tears, and some of his side had already started to rot away. No copper was introduced yet to try and reduce some stress before I started copper, and because I had to go to bed.

Old ten-gallon, filter floss with a HOB filter just to move water and provide some turnover for O2

Next question for the group, do I go ahead and QT the clowns and the Blenny if they don't have any symptoms yet?

I cannot lose the clowns, and I have time since they aren't sick yet to really dial in the 10 gallon for long-term QT, but no spots, no flashing as of this morning. Same with the Blenny, he is just chilling, no major issues. I also got some Garlic and Selcon to hopefully keep them ahead of the curve for making sure they are healthy.

​

I wouldn’t rely on the garlic much.

If it does anything, it’s more for getting fish to eat rather than any benefits to health