Sick coral beauty...could be ick

MikeP · #1 08-23-2006, 04:07 AM

I think my coral beauty has ick. I'm not sure cause this is my first sick marine fish. From what I've seen in the past in my fresh water tank it looks like ick. He has several tiny white spots scattered over his body and fins. What can I do to treat him? It would be difficult for me to set up a hospital tank. What can I do without removing him? Other (invert) tankmates include a few snails, a couple hermits and a CBS. Also I don't know if this matters but there is also a pulsing xenia, some ricordia and some green star polyps in there as well. Is there a specific medicine I can buy? or could I buy one of those parasite eating fish?

Thanks for any help.

Skimmer Juice · #2 08-23-2006, 04:09 AM

With out a QT tank you cant do much.Use garlic gaurd and hope for the best.I would find a qt and treat him it is your only way to get rid of it.

i have crabs · #3 08-23-2006, 04:20 AM

i agree get someone with a qt or get a qt tank and start the cupramine
http://www.seachem.com/products/prod...Cupramine.html
i might have a 20g with a filter and heater but no light i could let go fairly cheep if that might help

MikeP · #4 08-23-2006, 04:36 AM

I have a 10g somewhere and a aquaclear mini but no heater. Is a standard qt tank just water, filter and heater? What do I use for filter media?

i have crabs · #5 08-23-2006, 02:13 PM

take a sponge or some filterfloss from your established tank to speed up the cycle,let it run for a few days or a week and you should be ok to put the fish in. are thier any other fish in the tank with the coral beauty right now? if thier is they will need treatment also if you want to get rid of the ich compleatly.

Joe Reefer · #6 08-23-2006, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeP

I have a 10g somewhere and a aquaclear mini but no heater. Is a standard qt tank just water, filter and heater? What do I use for filter media?

Here is a good article on qt's: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

MikeP · #7 08-23-2006, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i have crabs

are thier any other fish in the tank with the coral beauty right now? if thier is they will need treatment also if you want to get rid of the ich compleatly.

Yes there are other fish as well. 2 clowns, 2 pseudochromis, and a blue damsel. Is it possible to treat the whole tank with the inverts in there? In my fresh water tank I have got rid of ich by turning up the heat and adding aquarium salt. Is there a similar remedy for marine tanks?

howdy20012002 · #8 08-23-2006, 05:13 PM

u will most likely kill your inverts with the copper treatment (the pepper treatment won't really work in my experience)
Either pull the fish and treat in a QT or take the chance.
Ich can live up to a month in a tank without hosts...after that they will die off.
the only way really to get rid of it out of the tank is to leave it barren without hosts (ie fish) for at least a month or up to 6 weeks.
turning the heat up will only speed up the cycle..not get rid of the ich.
I would suggest looking at the conditions of the tank itself as well.
Generally healthy fish don't get ich. Your tank may be stressing out your fish and leaving it less resilient to disease.
Ich in itself generally isn't a huge issue..tangs are notorious for getting it.
it only becomes a big issue when it starts to conflict with breathing.
cleaner wrasses and cleaner shrimp may help but aren't a cure either.
the best way to deal with ich is to make sure that your fish are healthy
Some people say garlic will help fight ich. However, most of the reading I have suggests that all garlic does is help encourage the fish to eat more, therefore making it healthier and more able to fight the disease.
Hope this helps
Good luck
Neal

Moogled · #9 08-23-2006, 09:33 PM

Mike, FYI, what you are seeing might NOT be Ich.

If you have a skimmer that produces alot of bubbles, they stick to fish that swim around. A way to tell the difference is to take a look at your Coral Beauty. Do the white dots seem to be embedded into the epidermis or are they stuck on the outside?

Lights sometimes play with our eyes and make the air bubbles on the fish look white. If you have a sandbed, this could also be the case. Fish sometimes pick up grains of sand as well.

Take a look again for a better diagnosis.

Best of luck,

Marco

danny zubot · #10 08-23-2006, 10:51 PM

Another solution that takes a longer period of time but is more thoroug IMO is hyposalinity treatment. Either way you will need a Q-tank to achieve the cure.