TTM Day2: I think there's ich

[TheEngineer]

The lights just came up in my QT and two of my Vanderbilt chromis appear to have ich. It's been years since I've seen it so I want to be sure.

Assuming it is ich, do I continue TTM or do I now medicate? They didn't eat yesterday and I see the ammonia level is at 0.2 on my alert badge and confirmed with Red Sea tests. Heading to the LFS to get prime shortly. Anything else I should pick up?

Edit: I tossed some bioballs from my DT in the HOB to try and metabolize some of the ammonia. I've had them cooking for a while anticipating using them in the QT.

 

[Brew12]

The lights just came up in my QT and two of my Vanderbilt chromis appear to have ich. It's been years since I've seen it so I want to be sure.

Assuming it is ich, do I continue TTM or do I now medicate? They didn't eat yesterday and I see the ammonia level is at 0.2 on my alert badge and confirmed with Red Sea tests. Heading to the LFS to get prime shortly. Anything else I should pick up?

Edit: I tossed some bioballs from my DT in the HOB to try and metabolize some of the ammonia. I've had them cooking for a while anticipating using them in the QT.

If this is ich, the TTM will get rid of it. No need to medicate if you don't want to.

 

[melypr1985]

Those are fairly small to be ick. I lean more towards velvet, but it could be either. How many transfers have you done on him so far? Brew is right, if it's ick, TTM will take care of it.

 

[TheEngineer]

No transfers yet. This is day two in the first tank.

 

[TheEngineer]

Grabbed a couple of pictures which I hope are clearer.

 

[Brew12]

Great link to read if it is velvet
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/

In my opinion, if it gets rapidly worse I would assume velvet and treat with copper. That will take care of both ich and velvet. Velvet is very fast acting so if in doubt treat it like velvet and if it is ich, you are still covered.

 

[TheEngineer]

I have cupramine and a copper test kit. I can start it if you think it is velvet.

 

[Brew12]

I have cupramine and a copper test kit. I can start it if you think it is velvet.

Sorry, I'm just not as good at identifying these things as @melypr1985

The treatment for velvet is pretty harsh on a fish since you don't slowly raise copper levels. Unless you see more and more spots appearing (or they look more like splotches instead of distinct spots) I would wait for someone with more experience to help with the ID.

 

[TheEngineer]

Thanks. I just grabbed prime and I'm heading to another store which has live black worms to try and convince these guys to eat. (Apparently everyone is out of brine shrimp.) I'm heading home after that. If this has spread by then I'll assume velvet and start copper.

 

[Brew12]

Thanks. I just grabbed prime and I'm heading to another store which has live black worms to try and convince these guys to eat. (Apparently everyone is out of brine shrimp.) I'm heading home after that. If this has spread by then I'll assume velvet and start copper.

Sounds like a good plan. If you see this in time, it might be a good idea to pick up a general antibiotic just in case it is velvet. Otherwise you will probably want to pick some up after you get copper treatment started. It's pretty well laid out in the link I posted earlier.
Good luck!

 

[melypr1985]

Thanks. I just grabbed prime and I'm heading to another store which has live black worms to try and convince these guys to eat. (Apparently everyone is out of brine shrimp.) I'm heading home after that. If this has spread by then I'll assume velvet and start copper.

This would be a safe plan. From the pictures, it could be either, so it's best to be prepared.

 

[TheEngineer]

Ok... now there is photographic evidence of the spots. I just got home after going to three stores to get the supplies and the spots are almost all gone. Only one fish has them and there's like three. What the heck?

 

[Brew12]

Ok... now there is photographic evidence of the spots. I just got home after going to three stores to get the supplies and the spots are almost all gone. Only one fish has them and there's like three. What the heck?

Again, @melypr1985 is the expert but that really makes it sound like Ich to me. Keep a close eye on them and keep with the TTM method imo.

 

[melypr1985]

Let's review the time line here. You've had the fish for -now- three days. The spots were only present for 2 of those right? And now they are dropping off. Is that all correct? He's still eating, looking and acting normally?

 

[TheEngineer]

Slight correction: the fish arrived yesterday. They have been in my QT a little less than 36 hours. I think that's considered two "TTM days" (day of arrival and today with tomorrow being the first transfer). The spots showed up this morning and were gone this afternoon.

All 5 are swimming and acting normal or at least as normal as I have seen them in the short time having them. They're picky eaters but they all seem to be nipping at the foods when I put them in albeit not really eating them. Need to find live brine I think.

 

[TheEngineer]

I should say the spots showed up sometime between 7:30P yesterday when the lights went off and 8:30A today when the lights came on. The spots were mostly gone by 1:00P today.

 

[melypr1985]

I should say the spots showed up sometime between 7:30P yesterday when the lights went off and 8:30A today when the lights came on. The spots were mostly gone by 1:00P today.

That's too fast for ick, unless this is some new freak strain that moves that quickly. There's no sand in the tank to stick to them right?

 

[TheEngineer]

That's too fast for ick, unless this is some new freak strain that moves that quickly. There's no sand in the tank to stick to them right?

Nope, no sand.

 

[melypr1985]

Nope, no sand.

I think, to be safe, I would abandon TTM and go with Copper. Playing it safe, it the name of my game so that's my advice.

 

[jeffrey holloway]

The ick I was having problems with didn't stay on the fish long at all. gave up on ick management and went fallow and treated all fish in QT with copper. 68 days to go! lol