Help: New Butterfly with Ich. FML.

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by Judy Waytiuk

sadly, my powder blue succumbed... your butterfly may also. I have come to the conclusion that the experts are right: there is no magic bullet for marine ich other than removing all the fish from the display tank, leaving it fishless for at least two months (or more), and treating all the fish in a QT tank during that time with copper meds.
i just hope i do not see a single speck of ich on any of the other fish! so far, the powder blue was the onyl fish in the tank to show ANY sign!

I don't think he will. He been battling it for at least 4 weeks now and is still fat, health and full of energy. As long as he keeps eating I think he'll be fine. I'm just feeling bad because he looks like he's gonna go crazy with the itching.

Originally Posted by The Grizz

Something is stressing it out big time but it does not sound like it could be another fish. How are your water parameters & temp? Do your lights come on all at once, hard start? Or do they gradually come on? Just thinking outside the box as it seems like something is some what shocking him.

Would stray voltage case him to stress?

I keep the water params spot on because of my SPS, so I doubt that's the issue. I have been overfeeding the butterfly to help him through this, which does pollute the water more, so I've been doing a 25% water change weekly.

SG: 1.026
Amm: 0 ppm
pH: ~8.4
Nit/Phos: 0 ppm
Alk: 9 dKH
Calc: 420 ppm

Temp: 79 F

I have a grounding probe for stray voltages.

My only thought was the change in tank size. He came from another reefer that had a 125G system with lots of fish. Maybe the downsize in digs and few friends might be bothering him?

[The Grizz]

This is definitely a curious situation, I am out of ideas.

[ScubaSteve]

You and me both, big guy. There are times when it seems totally relaxed (ie. when he's playing with me or when he's not covered with ich) or he seems really twitchy and irritated and swims up and down the glass (when he's covered with ich). I have no idea...

Like I said, my only guess is then change in tank size...

[The Grizz]

Have you tried to add a cleaner wrasse? I added on a few months back and just recently got a Scribbled Rabbit that had a little ick. Once he was into my tank te ick got worse but within a day mt cleaner had it all cleaned up.