Is this ich??

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi im new to this hobby and I was doing my morning checks and I saw some white spots on my midnight angel. I've heard that its probably ich but idk. If it is ich what is the best way to treat it. I was planning on setting up a qt tank for him when I get home from work. These where the best photos I could get. There is like 3-4 spots on his head and 2 spots on his fins
1000008441.jpg

1000008445.jpg
 

lapin

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
11,672
Reaction score
18,286
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
the pictures are 2 blue to tell much. But it sounds like ich or another parasite. If it’s your only fish then it will need to go thru qt. If you have others they will need to go thru qt also.
Then you will need to leave your tank fallow for a long time until the parasite runs its course.
From another thread:
This is unfortunate and reason many of us encourage quarantining of ALL new fish even if they were purchased as Quarantined specimens. Bow you have the inconvenience of having to remove all fish within this tank and place them in a separate housing for treatment for a Full 30 days and using copperssafe or Copper Power at 2.25 ppm monitoring the copper level with recommended Hanna Brand test kit.
Skip the Metroplex which should be used Precisely by weight and will be slow to act on what you have is now, an outbreak.
Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
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 and with occupants exposed, they too should go into quarantine
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
108,092
Reaction score
242,658
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
17   0   0
Hi im new to this hobby and I was doing my morning checks and I saw some white spots on my midnight angel. I've heard that its probably ich but idk. If it is ich what is the best way to treat it. I was planning on setting up a qt tank for him when I get home from work. These where the best photos I could get. There is like 3-4 spots on his head and 2 spots on his fins
1000008441.jpg

1000008445.jpg
This is what we see below.
Please repost under bright white light intensity - No blue. I will not suggest anything which is purely a guess until clear pics are seen

1764955300970.png
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
the pictures are 2 blue to tell much. But it sounds like ich or another parasite. If it’s your only fish then it will need to go thru qt. If you have others they will need to go thru qt also.
Then you will need to leave your tank fallow for a long time until the parasite runs its course.
From another thread:
This is unfortunate and reason many of us encourage quarantining of ALL new fish even if they were purchased as Quarantined specimens. Bow you have the inconvenience of having to remove all fish within this tank and place them in a separate housing for treatment for a Full 30 days and using copperssafe or Copper Power at 2.25 ppm monitoring the copper level with recommended Hanna Brand test kit.
Skip the Metroplex which should be used Precisely by weight and will be slow to act on what you have is now, an outbreak.
Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
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 and with occupants exposed, they too should go into quarantine
Okay i will get different pics i but him in a qt tank just in case. Just so you know I know you didn't say it but I did qt all my fish for no less than 14 days. My tank has been up for 4 months now and I didn't get fish in my display for 2 months.
 

coralSLover

coralSLover
View Badges
Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Messages
35
Reaction score
23
Location
Monroe
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you can move the fish to QT. As soon as you can.

Proven treatments are copper (Cupramine/Copper Power) or tank transfer method (TTM)
Do not treat ich in the display tank
Keep the display fishless for 6–8 weeks if it is ich
Sometimes spots can temporarily fall off, so don’t assume it’s gone if they disappear. You’re doing the right thing by acting early — that makes a big difference with angels.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions as you set up the QT.
 
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you can move the fish to QT. As soon as you can.

Proven treatments are copper (Cupramine/Copper Power) or tank transfer method (TTM)
Do not treat ich in the display tank
Keep the display fishless for 6–8 weeks if it is ich
Sometimes spots can temporarily fall off, so don’t assume it’s gone if they disappear. You’re doing the right thing by acting early — that makes a big difference with angels.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions as you set up the QT.
I put it in a small 10 gallon right now because thats what I could set up quick but I do have a 20 gal that I can set up either tomorrow morning or later tonight
 
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you can move the fish to QT. As soon as you can.

Proven treatments are copper (Cupramine/Copper Power) or tank transfer method (TTM)
Do not treat ich in the display tank
Keep the display fishless for 6–8 weeks if it is ich
Sometimes spots can temporarily fall off, so don’t assume it’s gone if they disappear. You’re doing the right thing by acting early — that makes a big difference with angels.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions as you set up the QT.
I have a question i have him in qt right now but I cant get copper power till wensday and I got a hanna copper tester what should I do??
 

fish_collector

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 24, 2021
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
2,678
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a question i have him in qt right now but I cant get copper power till wensday and I got a hanna copper tester what should I do??
The tank transfer method works to eradicate ich from fish but you have to be dilligent about it. It works around the life cycle of ich and puts the fish into a new sterile environment every few days until no more are falling off, and the fish is in a tank that has no ich free swimmers looking for a host. It uses a lot of water but is a good method in lieu of copper, especially for fish that don't tolerate copper well.
 

Gone Reefin’

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 22, 2025
Messages
356
Reaction score
491
Location
Illinois
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No hypo love here? I exclusively use this method for qt and it has been very successful. 1.009 with a verified refractometer for 30 days if no symptoms, or 30 days past last spot if treating infected. My QT has substrate and rock so this works better for me than copper. Less testing also. I know it is reported to be harsh, but I have seen no ill effects yet. I take 48 hours to bring down from shipped salinity to 1.009, and 96 hours to bring back up to display tank salinity.
 
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The tank transfer method works to eradicate ich from fish but you have to be dilligent about it. It works around the life cycle of ich and puts the fish into a new sterile environment every few days until no more are falling off, and the fish is in a tank that has no ich free swimmers looking for a host. It uses a lot of water but is a good method in lieu of copper, especially for fish that don't tolerate copper well.
Okay so he should be fine in qt till wensday when I can start treating with copper??
 

LPS Bum

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
1,042
Reaction score
1,393
Location
Colorado
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No hypo love here? I exclusively use this method for qt and it has been very successful. 1.009 with a verified refractometer for 30 days if no symptoms, or 30 days past last spot if treating infected. My QT has substrate and rock so this works better for me than copper. Less testing also. I know it is reported to be harsh, but I have seen no ill effects yet. I take 48 hours to bring down from shipped salinity to 1.009, and 96 hours to bring back up to display tank salinity.
Hypo works well for Crypt and flukes. And I agree the rock and substrate creates a much healthier environment for your fish in QT. But unfortunately hypo is useless for Velvet and Brook.
 

fish_collector

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 24, 2021
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
2,678
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well you're 5 days out to get him into copper, and then you really need to ramp it up to 2.5 over several days, so it'll be next Friday before he's in a therapeutic level of copper. That's really far too long to wait if he has spots already. We really need to get a good look at him in bright white light though.

If he is not breathing hard and still eating, AND you've put him into isolation he may make it another week but that's not optimal. The copper won't kill the ich that's on him already but rather only kills free swimmers. If you moved him into a new sterile tank Today, on Monday, and again Wednesday, you may be able to get ahead of it. The TTM is a promising alternative when copper isn't available. When treating for ich you cannot have any substrate in the QT, bare bottom is best. When transferring into a new sterile tank, nothing can be shared.

It looks like Montello is rural Wisconsin? No Amazon in Montello? You can try hypo if there's nothing else.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No hypo love here? I exclusively use this method for qt and it has been very successful. 1.009 with a verified refractometer for 30 days if no symptoms, or 30 days past last spot if treating infected. My QT has substrate and rock so this works better for me than copper. Less testing also. I know it is reported to be harsh, but I have seen no ill effects yet. I take 48 hours to bring down from shipped salinity to 1.009, and 96 hours to bring back up to display tank salinity.
Never thought of that i have 2 qt tanks that are both bare bottom and have no live rock so it wouldn't matter if I did hypo or copper. I just never heard of hypo and I know a lot of people that use copper and it works well for them.
 
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well you're 5 days out to get him into copper, and then you really need to ramp it up to 2.5 over several days, so it'll be next Friday before he's in a therapeutic level of copper. That's really far too long to wait if he has spots already. We really need to get a good look at him in bright white light though.

If he is not breathing hard and still eating, AND you've put him into isolation he may make it another week but that's not optimal. The copper won't kill the ich that's on him already but rather only kills free swimmers. If you moved him into a new sterile tank Today, on Monday, and again Wednesday, you may be able to get ahead of it. The TTM is a promising alternative when copper isn't available. When treating for ich you cannot have any substrate in the QT, bare bottom is best. When transferring into a new sterile tank, nothing can be shared.

It looks like Montello is rural Wisconsin? No Amazon in Montello? You can try hypo if there's nothing else.
What is TTM i have him in a small 10 gal right now because thats all I had time for to put him in I also have 2 20 gals I can set up.
 
OP
OP
Z

zakdon

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2025
Messages
21
Reaction score
8
Location
Montello
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well you're 5 days out to get him into copper, and then you really need to ramp it up to 2.5 over several days, so it'll be next Friday before he's in a therapeutic level of copper. That's really far too long to wait if he has spots already. We really need to get a good look at him in bright white light though.

If he is not breathing hard and still eating, AND you've put him into isolation he may make it another week but that's not optimal. The copper won't kill the ich that's on him already but rather only kills free swimmers. If you moved him into a new sterile tank Today, on Monday, and again Wednesday, you may be able to get ahead of it. The TTM is a promising alternative when copper isn't available. When treating for ich you cannot have any substrate in the QT, bare bottom is best. When transferring into a new sterile tank, nothing can be shared.

It looks like Montello is rural Wisconsin? No Amazon in Montello? You can try hypo if there's nothing else.
I will send more pics when I get home because I can get him in better lights
 

Ziggy17

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 5, 2023
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
1,417
Location
Gotham
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How about you pump the brakes, get some pics under white light, let the fishmedics tell you what’s going on and how to proceed.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 34 26.6%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 45 35.2%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 28 21.9%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 11 8.6%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 10 7.8%
Back
Top