Ich— is it too late for these fish?

[SimplyVibing]

2 days ago I noticed that two fish in my display tank began to contract Ich, probably stress related as I just added a new butterflyfish that had otherwise been healthy for 6 months in my LFS. I separated them in a 5 gallon bucket (heated w/ an air stone) and treated with marine Ich-X (full dose) and kordon rapid-cure Ich treatment (50% dose) daily, with 50% daily water change. I treated the display tank with the same medicines at 25% of the recommended levels— no Ich with the remaining display fish and the corals did okay.

The fish in the bucket, a yellow long-nose butterflyfish and a 2.5” ocellaris clown, are extremely stressed. The clown has been swimming laps as fast as he can for days, and the butterflyfish has been resting on the bottom of the tank and swimming upside down. Neither fish is eating.

Is there anything else I can do? I love these fish

 

[Big G]

Sorry for your problems with your beautiful fish. Ich often resides primarily within the gills. The parasites are suffocating your fish. This link has the most effective methods for treating Ich. You'll have to decide if your fish are strong enough for the treatment:

Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)

Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) What You Need To Know: * Mild fish parasite which is often managed by using a UV Sterilizer, Ozone, Diatom Filter, Oxydator, herbal remedies, enhanced nutrition, etc. etc. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Hyposalinity, Chloroquine, Copper or...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[SimplyVibing]

Sorry for your problems with your beautiful fish. Ich often resides primarily within the gills. The parasites are suffocating your fish. This link has the most effective methods for treating Ich. You'll have to decide if your fish are strong enough for the treatment:

Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)

Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) What You Need To Know: * Mild fish parasite which is often managed by using a UV Sterilizer, Ozone, Diatom Filter, Oxydator, herbal remedies, enhanced nutrition, etc. etc. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Hyposalinity, Chloroquine, Copper or...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you for the link. I’ll have to try

 

[LAReefer4Life]

I am thinking it could be velvet based how quickly the fish declined. Also have you been testing ammonia levels? The water quality quickly declines in 5 gallons. Both Ich and velvet can both be eradicated with copper or CP.

Here some information on velvet.

Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Chloroquine phosphate or Copper. A 5...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[SimplyVibing]

I am thinking it could be velvet based how quickly the fish declined. Also have you been testing ammonia levels? The water quality quickly declines in 5 gallons. Both Ich and velvet can both be eradicated with copper or CP.

Here some information on velvet.

Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Chloroquine phosphate or Copper. A 5...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you for the link! I do think it’s Ich, because the spots on the fish were larger and less numerous than with velvet. I did not test the water in the 5 gal bucket as I have been doing 50% water changes daily and removing uneaten food. Tonight they were placed in completely new water.

I’ll definitely read some more in the link you gave me. Thank you.

 

[Manny Tavan]

If I were you I would get a 20 or 40 gallon breeder tank from petco with hang on back filter and treat the fish with a therapeutic level of cupramine. Put garlic in their favorite frozen food and then hope for the best

 

[SimplyVibing]

If I were you I would get a 20 or 40 gallon breeder tank from petco with hang on back filter and treat the fish with a therapeutic level of cupramine. Put garlic in their favorite frozen food and then hope for the best

I’m currently unemployed and a full time college student. But! Maybe this is something my marine biology club can help with! I will try my best...

 

[Manny Tavan]

Then try to find someone who can treat those fish for you

 

[Hijinks_78]

I always thought the Kordon ich med was melachrite green, which is copper related, which I assumed was also no good for corals and inverts. You were able to use it with no ill effects? If it was ich the rest of the fish will probably be fine, but if it was velvet and you start having issues in your dt you need to get them out and medicated quickly,

 

[SimplyVibing]

I always thought the Kordon ich med was melachrite green, which is copper related, which I assumed was also no good for corals and inverts. You were able to use it with no ill effects? If it was ich the rest of the fish will probably be fine, but if it was velvet and you start having issues in your dt you need to get them out and medicated quickly,

Ich for sure. In regards to the medication, Ich X had absolutely NO effect on any of my corals. This includes a hammer, clove polyps, GSP, Duncan, cephastrea, lephastrea, RBTA, pulsing xenia, and gorgonian. Additionally, dosing the Ich X, kordon, and also some melafix saved my older ocellaris, mandarin, and Valentino puffer I believe.
Kordon at a 40% dose had little to no effect on any corals. Kordon at a 80% dose however, did make my gorgonian and RBTA unhappy. The gorgonian completely retraced and the RBTA went from softball size to shriveled and a bit larger than a half dollar. A little over a cup of carbon and a 20% water change and they’re happy again.

 

[Big G]

If I were you I would get a 20 or 40 gallon breeder tank from petco with hang on back filter and treat the fish with a therapeutic level of cupramine. Put garlic in their favorite frozen food and then hope for the best

Not a good idea to treat butterflies with an Ionic copper like cupramine. Butterflies in general do not do well with any type of copper, but will do a bit better with a "chelated" copper like Copper Power, Coppersafe. Here's a link to a great source on which is the best method to treat for Ich, Velvet, etc.:

Fish and Treatment Guidelines (with chart)

Fish and Treatment Guidelines (with chart) The following chart is a quick reference guide on what QT protocol should be used according to which type of fish you are running through QT. It will give you an idea of which methods are generally safest with certain species but is not meant to be...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Manny Tavan]

I’ve treated many of the fish listed as a “3” with cupramine with no issues. Unless they are listed as a 4 or 5, I don’t think you need to shy away from the cupramine (and I have bottle of copperpower too)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Velvet is my suspect. Any clearer pics ?

 

[SimplyVibing]

Velvet is my suspect. Any clearer pics ?

Not velvet. Some of this guys spots cleared up, but I think it’s in his gills still. Extremely listless. I thought he was dead until I saw his gills fluttering

 

[Hijinks_78]

Not velvet. Some of this guys spots cleared up, but I think it’s in his gills still. Extremely listless. I thought he was dead until I saw his gills fluttering

What makes you certain it is not velvet?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

What are you using to treat now? As mentioned several times you need to administer with copper, specifically with cupramine for both ich and velvet.

 

[SimplyVibing]

What are you using to treat now? As mentioned several times you need to administer with copper, specifically with cupramine for both ich and velvet.

I actually was able to acquire chloroquine phosphate from a local friend, so I’m treating with that now. The fish are doing good, no longer have spots, and are eating well. Leaving the DT fallow for 76 days currently. I couldn’t go with copper as half of my fish are copper sensitive.
Also, the long nose butterfly I posted about earlier developed U. Marinum, I believe it was brought from the pet store, which would explain why he was susceptible to Ich in the first place. Currently, the remaining fish are doing great.

 

[SimplyVibing]

What makes you certain it is not velvet?

Hi, thanks for the reply. The spots on the fish were larger and there were far fewer than if they had velvet. Also, the infected fish recovered quickly with CP and other than the butterflyfish (who I later learned had u. Marinum before catching Ich) survived unscathed.
Ich is also less infectious than velvet I believe, which may have been why only 2/5 fish in the tank caught it. All of the fish are in QT with chloroquine phosphate and are doing awesome atm.

 

[Twìsted~Coral]

2 days ago I noticed that two fish in my display tank began to contract Ich, probably stress related as I just added a new butterflyfish that had otherwise been healthy for 6 months in my LFS. I separated them in a 5 gallon bucket (heated w/ an air stone) and treated with marine Ich-X (full dose) and kordon rapid-cure Ich treatment (50% dose) daily, with 50% daily water change. I treated the display tank with the same medicines at 25% of the recommended levels— no Ich with the remaining display fish and the corals did okay.

The fish in the bucket, a yellow long-nose butterflyfish and a 2.5” ocellaris clown, are extremely stressed. The clown has been swimming laps as fast as he can for days, and the butterflyfish has been resting on the bottom of the tank and swimming upside down. Neither fish is eating.

Is there anything else I can do? I love these fish

Looks fine to me

 

[SimplyVibing]

Definitely agree with him on this one! Have you tried adding Garlic Powder and Ginger Powder into the tank? It’ll increase his appetite!

Looks fine to me

Ngl to y’all he was definitely not fine lol. He died yesterday— he definitely had Ich (the pic is from when the parasites dropped off to get in the water and reinfect), and then caught U. Marinum. The distributor that he came from and the fish store I bought he from are culling all of their chromis, butterflyfish, and anthias, because that’s 100% where it came from. I absolutely appreciate y’alls input tho!!