Ich or flukes? I can’t tell

[emain879]

This has been going on for a week or two I can’t tell if it’s ich or flukes or something else. It’s hard to get good pictures.

nitrate is 7.2
Phos 0.07
Salinity 1.025
Ph 8.0

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic, best wishes...

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eating, breathing rate, the more info the better.

 

[emain879]

They’re eating a lot as usual, and breathing is normal

 

[emain879]

I’ll try to get better video or pictures, he’s very active

 

[fishguy242]

experts will be along shortly.

 

[Sharkbait19]

One way to tell is to do a 5 minute freshwater dip. It will provide temporary relief to the fish and flukes will be visible in the dip.
That looks more like flukes to me.

 

[MnFish1]

Unfortunately - can't see the video. I would say Ich - more history as @fishguy242 said would be helpful. i.e. what have you did to QT, etc. How new are the fish.

 

[LeftyReefer]

They definitely have some issues going on!

the bumps all are elongated with a monogenean look to them.... skin flukes would be a guess.

While waiting for answers by the experts, are you able to relocate them into a QT tank for treatment?

Treating in a QT tank will be your best bet.
I'm guessing they are going to need both prazi and copper treatments.

maybe try a freshwater dip and see if anything comes off. If yes, I'd start prazi treatment on them ASAP and then follow up with copper if necessary. Will probably take a couple treatments of prazi to be effective.

Its a good sign that they are all still eating and breathing well.

@Jay Hemdal

 

[emain879]

One way to tell is to do a 5 minute freshwater dip. It will provide temporary relief to the fish and flukes will be visible in the dip.
That looks more like flukes to me.

I can’t catch them, that’s the problem

 

[emain879]

They definitely have some issues going on!

the bumps all are elongated with a monogenean look to them.... skin flukes would be a guess.

While waiting for answers by the experts, are you able to relocate them into a QT tank for treatment?

Treating in a QT tank will be your best bet.
I'm guessing they are going to need both prazi and copper treatments.

maybe try a freshwater dip and see if anything comes off. If yes, I'd start prazi treatment on them ASAP and then follow up with copper if necessary. Will probably take a couple treatments of prazi to be effective.

Its a good sign that they are all still eating and breathing well.

I can’t catch them, that’s the issue. I started a prazi treatment in my tank yesterday

 

[emain879]

Unfortunately - can't see the video. I would say Ich - more history as @fishguy242 said would be helpful. i.e. what have you did to QT, etc. How new are the fish.

The powder brown has been in the tank since November

 

[Sharkbait19]

Unfortunately, there is no reef safe way to treat for ich, so if it does wind up being ich you will have to qt.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Double post

 

[emain879]

Unfortunately, there is no reef safe way to treat for ich, so if it does wind up being ich you will have to qt.

Yes I know, if it’s ich then I’ll have to figure something out

 

[vetteguy53081]

These are mucus spores associated with parasite. Not sure if fish was exposed to copper but will need to be placed in quarantine and treated with copper power. If none, coppersafe at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 at 80 degrees for a FULL 30 day period. The display tank is likely infected and will have to be fishless (fallow) for 45-60 days to allow absence of hosts so that they die off in their life cycle
Additionally monitor quarantine tank for ammonia and increase aeration with use of airstone

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes I know, if it’s ich then I’ll have to figure something out

A quarantine tank can be as simple as a starter kit at Walmart which has the necessary essentials to get started

 

[MnFish1]

The powder brown has been in the tank since November

Another issue - is did you add anything new, any stresses to the fish, how long have the spots been there - are other fish affected? Did you QT any of your fish before adding to the tank?

Here is a nice article on Monogeans - including treatment options.

Monogenean Parasites of Fish

This article by Peggy Reed, Ruth Francis-Floyd, Ruth Ellen Klinger, and Denise Petty, from the University of Florida, looks at monogenean parasites of fish. Monogeneans are a class of parasitic flatwo…

thefishsite.com

 

[emain879]

More pics

 

[Jay Hemdal]

More pics

Here is what I’m seeing; mucus plugs and ich. The larger, elongate spots are mucus plugs being extruded from the fish’s skin. However, I see smaller spots on some fish, especially on their fins where mucus plugs don’t develop. Flukes won’t show as worms, they are small and/or clear. Flukes are seen by the damage they do. These fish could well have flukes, just that the white spots aren’t a symptom.
So - what to do? The tank doesn’t seem to have a lot of coral in it - can you move out the invertebrates and treat the whole tank with hyposalinity? The other option would be to move the fish out and treat with copper. The third option would be to finish the second prazi treatment in 8 days and hope I’m wrong in seeing ich here….
Jay

 

[Reeferbadness]

Ich is treatable and livable unless you go the full monty and get all fish out of your tank for 72 days - really a terrible option IMHO. I treated mine with MetroPlex ( you add it to their food) and added a UV sterilizer. While never fully eradicated, 90% of fish survived and are thriving. New fish may get a small bout but then i just repeat treatment with MetroPlex.