Never had ich before. I was stupid and didn't put this fish in QT but it's the only one in my tank. Got it two days ago and not a spot on it. I did have some sand and stuff stirred up in the tank earlier today. Just noticed this on him, wasn't there yesterday. He doesn't seem labored in breathing and he is eating normally. Notice it's even on the clear parts of his fins. Could this be just stuff stuck to him, or does it look like something different. If ich I will go get another tank and move him to it and treat. From now on everything goes through QT...I just didn't have one set up and bought him without thinking.
yes it looks like ich. at this point it is already in your system so your choices now are to remove all the fish and qt them or leave them in there and boost their dirts and let them heal on their own. option one is the best way but also the toughest since you do not have a qt tank set up or cycled. i will post more when i wake up lol
Most of the spots are gone this morning. I'm beginning to think it was just crap I stirred up when I moved a rock that settled on him. He is the only fish in the tank so we are gonna see how things go.
Jason That is ich, stirring the tank, stuff doesn't stick to the fishes. I would wait and see what happens today and tomorrow. He being the only fish in the tank can show signs one day and not so much the next as the cyst go through there free swimming stages as they only have one fish to host on and there isn't that many cyst yet. If he stays looking pretty good and the ich seems to be less and less each day, then I would do nothing. But if it comes back you well have to treat right away. Since your tank is new I would treat in a QT. If you put copper in your present tank being new it well probably kill the bio load in the substrate. Get atleast a 20 gal for stability and set up as barebottom for now and that means you well have to do regular water changes to keep amon. levels under control and replenish the copper to keep the levels where needed. I would use only coppersafe by Mardell and a API copper test kit. Another option is to use hypo by dropping the salinity in the DT. It would have to be done over 3 or 4 days down to atleast 1.009 and some say 1.008 and has to stay there for 4 weeks. You well need a very good and CALIBRATED to a salinity solution refractometer, not to distilled or RO water. You do need to get a QT up and running though for the future and hang a aqua clear box filter on the back along with some cheap decorations for freashwater and a heater. I like to put just a very scattered say 1/4" layer of substrate in the bottom [not sand] just to make the fish feel more at home. You well have to let the tank cycle just like the display tank and get some age to it before using copper though in it, as it well kill the bioload. I would not get anymore fish until you have this done.
Thanks John, I appreciate the input. That's what I'm gonna do. Seems almost all the sport are gone this morning and i don't plan on getting any more fish till I get a QT set up and cycled.
Yes, I have been feeding flake and I have been feeding mysis soaked in garlic gaurd. He is eating good
He still has spots on him but he is not struggling to breath, he eats pretty good and he is very active. Maybe things will keep going for the good.
Jason he should be clearing up by now. How are your water parims. Ammon., nitrites, steady temp., water surface tension ruffling to exhaust gasses???
