Is this Ich or sand?

[CDage79]

2 days ago my firefish was flashing on the sand, video attached, he only did it a few times and that’s it. The next day (yesterday) he was speckled and I thought Ich immediately, but this morning he is speckle free. Which seems to be too quick for the Ich cycle. He’s been eating and swimming fine. No odd behaviour.
I was already to yank him and QT and leave fallow for a few months but now I’m scratching my head.

Background: this is a new 15gal tank started Jan 13th, cycle is aided with Dr Tim’s one and done, Carib sea live sand and life rock.
Sal: 1.024
Ph: 8.1
NH3: 0.5
NO2: 1
NO3: 20
He’s been in the tank since Jan 16 and is the only fish. I did not quarantine because I thought well there’s no one to infect. Hindsight is umm duh to me lol. Other inhabitants are hermits, bumblebee snails, Halloween urchin, tiny Kenya tree, tiny toadstool leather, tiny photosynthetic purple gorgonian and a small piece of dragon breath macro algae.

 

[vetteguy53081]

2 days ago my firefish was flashing on the sand, video attached, he only did it a few times and that’s it. The next day (yesterday) he was speckled and I thought Ich immediately, but this morning he is speckle free. Which seems to be too quick for the Ich cycle. He’s been eating and swimming fine. No odd behaviour.
I was already to yank him and QT and leave fallow for a few months but now I’m scratching my head.

Background: this is a new 15gal tank started Jan 13th, cycle is aided with Dr Tim’s one and done, Carib sea live sand and life rock.
Sal: 1.024
Ph: 8.1
NH3: 0.5
NO2: 1
NO3: 20
He’s been in the tank since Jan 16 and is the only fish. I did not quarantine because I thought well there’s no one to infect. Hindsight is umm duh to me lol. Other inhabitants are hermits, bumblebee snails, Halloween urchin, tiny Kenya tree, tiny toadstool leather, tiny photosynthetic purple gorgonian and a small piece of dragon breath macro algae.

This positively is ich.
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.
A quarantine tank can be as simple as a tank from a second hand store, a Rubbermaid type tub or a starter kit from Walmart which most of the needed essentials.

 

[CDage79]

Ok thanks. That was the plan but was hoping I was over reacting. Luckily I only have 1 fish lol

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ok thanks. That was the plan but was hoping I was over reacting. Luckily I only have 1 fish lol

Yes, 100% that's ich (the spots on the fins are diagnostic). You may have trouble buying copper in Canada, so there is another option, hyposalinity: (this also cannot be done with invertebrates present, and the fallow advice still stands).

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hyposalinity.880546/