firefish has ich...copper treatment???

[FrostedShells20]

Seems like my firefish has ich. Just a few white dots here and there but it's in my display with a yasha goby and a pygmy hawk. I have a quarantine tank set up for the move. How do I get them out of my display and what's a recommended treatment?

[seabass]

8 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

How do I get them out of my display

I usually have to remove the rocks in order to catch my fish.

 

 

8 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

what's a recommended treatment?

• https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/quarantine.2/
• https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/marine-ich.11/

[mcarroll]

13 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

Seems like my firefish has ich. Just a few white dots here and there but it's in my display with a yasha goby and a pygmy hawk.

Sure it's not bits of sand from being asleep in a burrow?

 

How is his behavior?

 

How is his appetite?

 

Pic?

 

13 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

I have a quarantine tank set up for the move. How do I get them out of my display and what's a recommended treatment?

QT is generally for BEFORE the fish goes into the display.  It's often more stress than benefit to try and catch a fish to move it into QT after the fact.

 

BUT HANG ON

 

Right now you're only describing what sounds like dirt on mucus.  Not any of the other signs of "ich" though...so far at least.  

 

You don't get "ich" without getting some of these other signs.

 

SO DON'T PANIC.  🙂 

 

If he's eating and you have more evidence that it's "ich" (ie behaviors or microscope photos, etc), there's a good chance he'll overcome the "ich" on his own, as long as the tank (including the other fish) is fairly healthy otherwise.

 

Either way (ie not eating), if you choose to treat him, treating him in the display is probably a better option.  Depending on your setup and what supplies you have available: a UV filter, a micron filter, and/or a reef safe "chemical" treatment such as Kick Ich.

 

IF it's actually a parasite, this approach (vs remove to QT) lets you avoid increasing stress on the fish.  It also "treats" all the fish at once.  Good considering they all have been exposed now.  

 

Above all, the approach kills and/or removes infectious agents from the water AND helps the fish's mucus response.

 

IMO only choose to remove to QT if the fish is heavily struggling in the display.  You didn't mention anything like this, so hopefully the fish is still in good condition.

 

Catching the fish and medicating it (ie copper) are both VERY stressful.  This is your last resort option.  Do everything possible to minimize stress on the fish if you go this route.  For the QT tank that means:  a little live rock, a few fake plants – a good, basic fish setup in general.  Avoid using the stereotypical quarantine/hospital tank.  (This, along with whatever treatment you choose.)

 

Last, if the fish's behavior is healthy, then even if it IS "ich" then doing nothing can still be the best option.

[FrostedShells20]

11 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Sure it's not bits of sand from being asleep in a burrow?

 

How is his behavior?

 

How is his appetite?

 

Pic?

 

QT is generally for BEFORE the fish goes into the display.  It's often more stress than benefit to try and catch a fish to move it into QT after the fact.

 

BUT HANG ON

 

Right now you're only describing what sounds like dirt on mucus.  Not any of the other signs of "ich" though...so far at least.  

 

You don't get "ich" without getting some of these other signs.

 

SO DON'T PANIC.  🙂 

 

If he's eating and you have more evidence that it's "ich" (ie behaviors or microscope photos, etc), there's a good chance he'll overcome the "ich" on his own, as long as the tank (including the other fish) is fairly healthy otherwise.

 

Either way (ie not eating), if you choose to treat him, treating him in the display is probably a better option.  Depending on your setup and what supplies you have available: a UV filter, a micron filter, and/or a reef safe "chemical" treatment such as Kick Ich.

 

IF it's actually a parasite, this approach (vs remove to QT) lets you avoid increasing stress on the fish.  It also "treats" all the fish at once.  Good considering they all have been exposed now.  

 

Above all, the approach kills and/or removes infectious agents from the water AND helps the fish's mucus response.

 

IMO only choose to remove to QT if the fish is heavily struggling in the display.  You didn't mention anything like this, so hopefully the fish is still in good condition.

 

Catching the fish and medicating it (ie copper) are both VERY stressful.  This is your last resort option.  Do everything possible to minimize stress on the fish if you go this route.  For the QT tank that means:  a little live rock, a few fake plants – a good, basic fish setup in general.  Avoid using the stereotypical quarantine/hospital tank.  (This, along with whatever treatment you choose.)

 

Last, if the fish's behavior is healthy, then even if it IS "ich" then doing nothing can still be the best option.

As of rn still very active and eats like crazy. other fish are completely fine. but its like maybe 5 spots total and they haven't gone away for the past few days. I'm curious about Kick Ich...I assume its rough on inverts? I've heard some reef safe ich treatments kill of shrimps and anemones etc.

[mcarroll]

10 minutes ago, FrostedShells20 said:

As of rn still very active and eats like crazy. other fish are completely fine. but its like maybe 5 spots total and they haven't gone away for the past few days. I'm curious about Kick Ich...I assume its rough on inverts? I've heard some reef safe ich treatments kill of shrimps and anemones etc.

Read the label to be sure.  "Reef safe" usually means reef safe though.

 

What are they eating?  Anything frozen?  If they are eating (and eating well) I personally wouldn't be too worried.

 

Check out a UV filter (oversized, or run at the lower speed setting) or the Marineland Polishing filters (aka Magnum filter)...or both.  A reef safe chemical treatment isn't going to accomplish a lot all by itself.  UV/micron filtering will do the "heavy lifting".....the chem is just an assist to the fish.  Both together is an excellent combination.  (Rally and KickIch have been around forever for a good reason, BTW.   Follow their directions if you go that route.  Nice link.)

[FrostedShells20]

49 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Read the label to be sure.  "Reef safe" usually means reef safe though.

 

What are they eating?  Anything frozen?  If they are eating (and eating well) I personally wouldn't be too worried.

 

Check out a UV filter (oversized, or run at the lower speed setting) or the Marineland Polishing filters (aka Magnum filter)...or both.  A reef safe chemical treatment isn't going to accomplish a lot all by itself.  UV/micron filtering will do the "heavy lifting".....the chem is just an assist to the fish.  Both together is an excellent combination.  (Rally and KickIch have been around forever for a good reason, BTW.   Follow their directions if you go that route.  Nice link.)

eating lots of mysis...might do a selco soak just to get some more nutrients in. it eats till a full stomach every feed. also don't uv sterilizers mess up beneficial bacteria?

[mcarroll]

11 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

eating lots of mysis...might do a selco soak just to get some more nutrients in.

Fresh mysis is good enough.   If you run out, switch up to another good one if you can, such as Reef Plankton or similar.  (It's OK to stay with Mysis if that's what's available.)

 

Selco is great for things like flake or pellets that lack good fats.  (Also, dry food will soak it up.  It will run off the frozen food as soon as it hits the tank.  May as well just dose the tank with Silicon at that rate.)

 

11 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

it eats till a full stomach every feed.

This is a very good sign that he'll kick this on his own.  Continue to observe carefully, especially for changes in behavior.  (These changes indicate in increase in the presence of parasites, whether you can see them or not.)

 

You should only see him the same OR BETTER at every observation you make.

 

11 hours ago, FrostedShells20 said:

also don't uv sterilizers mess up beneficial bacteria?

Thankfully they do way more than that – otherwise no MDK for the parasites! 😉 

 

A) They only work on free-swimming critters that can get into the filter.  So no benthic microbes will be affected (much).  Mostly there will be no effect on the tank overall.

 

B) You're only using it for the period of time that parasites are a worry – probably 6 months or less.  (The bulb is usually good for 6-12 months and will then need to be replaced anyway.)  Your reef will be "free" after that....more or less after you're done adding fish and the fish are all stable.

 

A few other thoughts...

 

In case it helps you decide, I will say that needing to recycle the UV bulbs (due to mercury) is a slight bother and environmental concern.  But micron filters will need to have the filter element periodically (as needed) cleaned out....so there's also a slight bother with them too.  BUT a micron filter gets better and better at filtering as the filter media clogs all the way to 0 gph.  So as long as there is flow, it's still working.  BTW, a micron filtration is also known as a "diatom filtration".   When you run in "diatom mode" you take special care to pre-clog the filter with specially processed diatom powder so that maximum filtration (<1µ) is in effect immediately upon deployment – no waiting.   A "fresh" diatom filter filters at around 25µ....still good for most parasites.....but again it gets better the longer it works/the more it clogs.  Both filters together make a very powerful combo.

 

IMO you could get one or both, but hold off on using them until it appears there is a need.  If you had both and wanted to start filtering anyway, I'd start with the micron filter since it doesn't get "used up" like a UV bulb will.