Help! Is it Ich or Marine Velvet???

[Guest Bemmer]

Well, I just get back from vacation and find that my two new Bluechin triggers have either Ich or Marine Velvet. Fortuantely, they are in a QT tank and have been since I brought them home from BRK last week. I noticed that the water temp had crept up to about 83-84F and the tank needed a cleaning (glass dirty). I have been also keeping them at a salinity of 1.016 to keep the parasites off them. Go figure.

 

Anyway, they have what appears to be a milky white dust on their scales and white spots. I thought it was ich at first but I thought with ich they only have the white spots. They do not appear to be scratching on the LR in the tank AND they are eating okay. They also do not appear to have labored breathing. Sean from F&F watched them for a couple of days while I was gone. He noticed it on them on Friday but also said they have been eating okay. I did a 5 gallon water change tonight. I plan to dose with either Ruby Red for Marine Velvet or Kick-Ich for Ich. Not sure what to do yet but need to do it fast.

 

I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

 

Rebecca

[n8dogggg]

Well, I just get back from vacation and find that my two new Bluechin triggers have either Ich or Marine Velvet. Fortuantely, they are in a QT tank and have been since I brought them home from BRK last week. I noticed that the water temp had crept up to about 83-84F and the tank needed a cleaning (glass dirty). I have been also keeping them at a salinity of 1.016 to keep the parasites off them. Go figure.

 

Anyway, they have what appears to be a milky white dust on their scales and white spots. I thought it was ich at first but I thought with ich they only have the white spots. They do not appear to be scratching on the LR in the tank AND they are eating okay. They also do not appear to have labored breathing. Sean from F&F watched them for a couple of days while I was gone. He noticed it on them on Friday but also said they have been eating okay. I did a 5 gallon water change tonight. I plan to dose with either Ruby Red for Marine Velvet or Kick-Ich for Ich. Not sure what to do yet but need to do it fast.

 

I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

 

Rebecca

 

When did you buy from BRK? My friend bought a Soho from them probably a week and a half ago. The Tangs in the tanks had the same spots on them as well. I asked if it was Ich and was told it was another kind of parasite that went away after a few days. Being as the Soho didn't have any spots showing on it at the time, he bought it anyways (was in the same water as a Tank w/ the spots). Because my friend's tank isn't quite cycled yet, we put the Soho in my tank. About 2 or 3 days later, the same white and powdery spots appeared on the Soho. Fortunately I believe it isn't ich because nothing else in my tank was infected, fortunately. So I fed it some garlic food, and it appears that about a week later, it has cleared up. Although now it appears that the Soho has black freckles. Was unable to catch the Soho to move to QT tank, so I took a risk. I honestly don't know what it is, but I don't think it is ich.

[johnnybv]

When did you buy from BRK? My friend bought a Soho from them probably a week and a half ago. The Tangs in the tanks had the same spots on them as well. I asked if it was Ich and was told it was another kind of parasite that went away after a few days. Being as the Soho didn't have any spots showing on it at the time, he bought it anyways (was in the same water as a Tank w/ the spots). Because my friend's tank isn't quite cycled yet, we put the Soho in my tank. About 2 or 3 days later, the same white and powdery spots appeared on the Soho. Fortunately I believe it isn't ich because nothing else in my tank was infected, fortunately. So I fed it some garlic food, and it appears that about a week later, it has cleared up. Although now it appears that the Soho has black freckles. Was unable to catch the Soho to move to QT tank, so I took a risk. I honestly don't know what it is, but I don't think it is ich.

I would have to agree, it is not ick. All of those fish have been through several copper treatments, and Ich just doesnt survive through copper. My copperband is the only one in my system that shows anysigns, and tends to appear more often than not when I receive copperbands. I would lean more towords velvet, If you would like to bring either of them back I would be happy to put them back into the treated system until they clear.

John

[Ne0eN]

Rebecca,

 

It sounds like your BT has Lymphocystis. Our BT, while in Q-tank, started showing the same exact symptoms. I wouldn't put the fish back in quarantine. What I've read, it's not contagious, and it's the environmental stress what's causing this infection. Just add garlic/vitamins to your food and let it heal by itself.

 

-- Rob

 

 

Well, I just get back from vacation and find that my two new Bluechin triggers have either Ich or Marine Velvet. Fortuantely, they are in a QT tank and have been since I brought them home from BRK last week. I noticed that the water temp had crept up to about 83-84F and the tank needed a cleaning (glass dirty). I have been also keeping them at a salinity of 1.016 to keep the parasites off them. Go figure.

 

Anyway, they have what appears to be a milky white dust on their scales and white spots. I thought it was ich at first but I thought with ich they only have the white spots. They do not appear to be scratching on the LR in the tank AND they are eating okay. They also do not appear to have labored breathing. Sean from F&F watched them for a couple of days while I was gone. He noticed it on them on Friday but also said they have been eating okay. I did a 5 gallon water change tonight. I plan to dose with either Ruby Red for Marine Velvet or Kick-Ich for Ich. Not sure what to do yet but need to do it fast.

 

I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

 

Rebecca

[n8dogggg]

I would have to agree, it is not ick. All of those fish have been through several copper treatments, and Ich just doesnt survive through copper. My copperband is the only one in my system that shows anysigns, and tends to appear more often than not when I receive copperbands. I would lean more towords velvet, If you would like to bring either of them back I would be happy to put them back into the treated system until they clear.

John

 

I have full confidence of those at BRK...they are always very helpful. If you don't feel confident, I'd take John up on his offer and bring them back. But going through what you are going through only a week ago, I'd wait it out w/ garlic.

[Guest Bemmer]

Sorry for not responding sooner. I appreciate all the comments.

 

John,

Thanks for the offer but no need to bring them back. They are in the QT tank at 1.015 salinity and I will just keep them in the QT tank for 4 to 6 weeks. I have started feeding them food soaked in garlic. Sean did the same thing. Glad to hear that it is not ich. I also dosed with Ruby Reef (not Ruby Red) for two days. I am dosing 3 oz in a 29 gal tank. No change as of yet but they are continuing to eat very well.

 

I also added the two cleaner gobies that I had in my other QT tank in hopes that they would eat the parasites off the triggers once they get used to the tank.

 

My remedies will be as follows:

* Keep salinity at 1.015

* Soak food in galic

* Dose with Ruby Reef for two more days

* Keep them in with the cleaner gobies for 4 to 6 weeks.

 

If anyone things I should do something else or alter my plans, please share your thoughts.

 

Glad to hear that this is not contagious.

Thanks

[flowerseller]

Sounds like Oodinium or maybe even Brooklynella.

Oodinium is treated with copper, Brooklynella with formalin.

 

If it was my fish, I would increase my oygenation even if it means adding airstones, raise my SG up to 1.022 and use a fresh water dip along with treatment before I'd keep them in lowered SG (hypo salinity) for long peroids.

I'd also make sure my UV was working 24/7 or put that on my immediate "to buy" list.

 

If you use your QT tank regularly, you might consider a water exchange cycle similar to this.

New aged seawater to main tank, main tank water to QT tank, QT water to drain. All in ratio.

This gives everybody a nice water exchange and is constantly acclimating the new fish to the main tank.

I've done this for about 16 years and it's worked very well.

 

If you suspect you have fungal issues, that's iodine treatment. Copper will not touch it.

 

A few days in copper does'nt cut it and will only mask the problem until the next cycle begins.

A true QT'd fish is one that has been unavailable for sale for minimum 2 but more like 3-4 weeks.

That's why you QT yourself again.

Just because the fish eats in the LSF is no gaurantee it will eat for you as you're begining the cycle all over once it leave the LFS and gets home.

 

Don't lay bets it's not contagious.

 

Good luck.

[traveller7]

I have been also keeping them at a salinity of 1.016 to keep the parasites off them. Go figure.

1.016 is not low enough to prevent "ich" or other parasites from reproducing. Only benefit of that level is a slight ease of osmotic pressure. If you wish to use hyposalinity successfully, try following this treatment regimen and it is well documented with success in the Marine Aquaculture community:

 

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-j...posalinity.html

 

If you decide not to use hypo, please do not jump back to full strength seawater levels too quickly. I top off evaporation daily with full strength SW very successfully.

 

It does not sound like lymph or brook to me. Lymph and Brook do not manifest in such a manner.

 

I would suspect Amyloodinium ocellatum or Cryptocaryon irritans( or a culprit of similar nature).

 

fwiw: What you describe is absolutely contagious and even Lymph is an opportunistic viral infection:

http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/clerk/Kurkjian/index.htm

 

fwiw2: Sure would like to find 1, just 1, statistically significant paper showing garlic and fish is beneficial. Marine aquaculture of food fish is a huge global business, if it was proven, they would be using it.