Help please

[BeccaRose]

Please help, I have recently (3 months ago) set up a marine aquarium and the first few fish I added were 2 clowns.

I’ve been fresh water for many years and never had any disease issues. My clown is showing ALOT of white spots but is still eating and swimming as normal. Tank water has high nitrate at 15 but the rest of the parameters are ok.

I’m not sure it’s ich as it’s on the eyes but I need some help identifying properly and what steps I need to take to treat this. I don’t want to fall at the first hurdle but this is stressing me so much!

I have on hand, copper, H202, Ich Attack, Esha.

Can someone please advise on what I should do Thank you

 

[UMALUM]

It looks like velvet to me but @Jay Hemdal should know for sure. If I'm not mistaken in a pinch a fresh water bath can help till the proper medication can be acquired.

 

[BeccaRose]

It looks like velvet to me but @Jay Hemdal should know for sure. If I'm not mistaken in a pinch a fresh water bath can help till the proper medication can be acquired.

This fish has been like this for about a week as I initially thought it was ich so I added uv and ordered a huge amount of meds but they are coming from America . copper, h202 and ich ex I have now. I’m freaking out I don’t want to do the wrong thing.

 

[UMALUM]

Like I said back in the day we used fresh ro temp matched. If the fish is eating I would wait for the meds. Probably be a good idea to start working on an isolation system while your waiting on the meds to arrive if you haven't already.

 

[BeccaRose]

I’ve got a small tank set up and I have copper. I have metroplex, neoplex, Paraguard on there way. Are these ok? I can’t find formalin anywhere. I will do a fw dip tonight. Thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’ve got a small tank set up and I have copper. I have metroplex, neoplex, Paraguard on there way. Are these ok? I can’t find formalin anywhere. I will do a fw dip tonight. Thanks

What type of copper do you have? The picture is a bit out of focus, but the large size of the spots means that it isn't velvet, more likely ich. Either way, coppersafe or copper power would be the best treatment - but all fish would need to be treated.

The one thing that bothers me is that the clown in the background doesn't seem to have ANY spots. With ich, it will spread to all fish in the tank - so this might NOT be ich, or it may just have not have enough time to infect them yet.

Can you post a video of the tank with the fish, zooming in on the infected one, as well as the others? I may not be able to view it until tomorrow morning though....

 

[BeccaRose]

What type of copper do you have? The picture is a bit out of focus, but the large size of the spots means that it isn't velvet, more likely ich. Either way, coppersafe or copper power would be the best treatment - but all fish would need to be treated.

The one thing that bothers me is that the clown in the background doesn't seem to have ANY spots. With ich, it will spread to all fish in the tank - so this might NOT be ich, or it may just have not have enough time to infect them yet.

Can you post a video of the tank with the fish, zooming in on the infected one, as well as the others? I may not be able to view it until tomorrow morning though....

 

[Uncle99]

I don’t see any ick on the hawk at all.

 

[BeccaRose]

What type of copper do you have? The picture is a bit out of focus, but the large size of the spots means that it isn't velvet, more likely ich. Either way, coppersafe or copper power would be the best treatment - but all fish would need to be treated.

The one thing that bothers me is that the clown in the background doesn't seem to have ANY spots. With ich, it will spread to all fish in the tank - so this might NOT be ich, or it may just have not have enough time to infect them yet.

Can you post a video of the tank with the fish, zooming in on the infected one, as well as the others? I may not be able to view it until tomorrow morning though....

Do you have email as it won’t upload the videos, this has been about a week or so and the only other fish a little off is my dragonet but still eating and out and about all day. My hawk and fire fish and male clown are fine. That’s the only fish in there and it’s a 200ltr. I will keep trying to add videos here. Thanks so much for your reply

 

[BeccaRose]

I don’t see any ick on the hawk at all.

Nothing on hawk and nothing on fire fish. Dragonet is a little pale but still eating and moving about looking for pods all day. Currently asleep though so looks pale now.

 

[BeccaRose]

These are the best pics I can get as the lights have been off and their staying down behind rocks

 

[BeccaRose]

Hopefully this one works

 

[UMALUM]

We might have lost Jay for the night but what I can say is if it's velvet than a fresh water bath could bring some relief. On the other hand if it's ich I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think it will do anything for the ich and will just be an added stressor. I'm sorry I wish I could give you a positive ID.

 

[BeccaRose]

Thanks for your replies it’s really appreciated. I’m worried he’s going to say brook as it had crossed my mind but the qt tank is ready and waiting in hope I get a id. I’m going to see if I can find formalin somewhere tomorrow as well. I’ve found someone with metroplex in uk so should be sending me some for Tuesday hopefully. I’m trying to stay as positive as possible but my adhd is off the scale lol what I can confirm is Marine is way more stressful than fresh water! I also LOVE these fish and feel so bad this has happened.

We might have lost Jay for the night but what I can say is if it's velvet than a fresh water bath could bring some relief. On the other hand if it's ich I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think it will do anything for the ich and will just be an added stressor. I'm sorry I wish I could give you a positive ID.

 

[UMALUM]

Thanks for your replies it’s really appreciated. I’m worried he’s going to say brook as it had crossed my mind but the qt tank is ready and waiting in hope I get a id. I’m going to see if I can find formalin somewhere tomorrow as well. I’ve found someone with metroplex in uk so should be sending me some for Tuesday hopefully. I’m trying to stay as positive as possible but my adhd is off the scale lol what I can confirm is Marine is way more stressful than fresh water! I also LOVE these fish and feel so bad this has happened.

Your welcome, if it helps I had a clown come down with brook when I started this build and it looked nothing like yours. Yes the hobby can be heavy on the heart at times. I learned along time ago to not get attached to my fish and coral. It makes the hobby a little easier. Good luck with her!

 

[BeccaRose]

Your welcome, if it helps I had a clown come down with brook when I started this build and it looked nothing like yours. Yes the hobby can be heavy on the heart at times. I learned along time ago to not get attached to my fish and coral. It makes the hobby a little easier. Good luck with her!

Thank you so much

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is no doubt ich and all fish are exposed and should be treated accordingly. Using coppersafe, treat at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off and with occupants exposed, they too should go into quarantine
A quarantine tank can be as simple as a tank from a second hand store, rubbermaid type tub or a starter kit from Walmart which most of the needed essentials.

 

[BeccaRose]

This is no doubt ich and all fish are exposed and should be treated accordingly. Using coppersafe, treat at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off and with occupants exposed, they too should go into quarantine
A quarantine tank can be as simple as a tank from a second hand store, rubbermaid type tub or a starter kit from Walmart which most of the needed essentials.

Hi, thanks for reply. What can I do with my dragonet? I no they can’t be treated with copper and also need a constant supply of pods that will also not survive the copper. I have everything else set up and ready to go with copper power. Do I need to slowly raise the copper or shall I just do half dose to start? Sorry for the million questions also sorry it’s so late but I’ve been sat up thinking about this lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, thanks for reply. What can I do with my dragonet? I no they can’t be treated with copper and also need a constant supply of pods that will also not survive the copper. I have everything else set up and ready to go with copper power. Do I need to slowly raise the copper or shall I just do half dose to start? Sorry for the million questions also sorry it’s so late but I’ve been sat up thinking about this lol

That is correct and I would recommend General cure or better yet - Chloroquine phosphate

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Do you have email as it won’t upload the videos, this has been about a week or so and the only other fish a little off is my dragonet but still eating and out and about all day. My hawk and fire fish and male clown are fine. That’s the only fish in there and it’s a 200ltr. I will keep trying to add videos here. Thanks so much for your reply

I watched the videos - it sure LOOKS like a severe case of ich, but I cannot reconcile the other fish not having ANY spots. What about trying a modified treatment: move this clownfish into a QT and treat with coppersafe. If any other fish start showing spots, move them in also.....that way, if it turns out not to be ich, and is just localized to this one fish, you won't have exposed the mandarin to any harsh treatment.