do i have ich??

[beeguiles]

I was watching my blue spotted jawfish a few nights ago and noticed he had a couple white specs on him. The next morning they were gone. A few more days passed and nothing. Last night they were back but more of them..and in the morning, they were gone! His pectoral fins are also torn up a bit. Idk why. All I have with him is two ocellaris clowns and a six line wrasse. A bunch of hermits, turbo snails, purple and Orange lobster and a short spine urchin. Nobody picks on him that I see. And I watch them alll the time. My question is, do I in fact have ich? I know you will ask and ill just admit it, no I don't have a qt. Tank. I know i should have. I was stupid but all I have available is a small ten gallon. I haven't added anything new in the tank for a few weeks. In fact the last thing I got was the jawfish and he was kept in a brand new setup my lfs that has been cycled and what not. Only thing in there was a couple hippo tangs and corals. Is there anything I can do for him without a qt tank? Ive been feeding him once a day, should I feed him more. He eats like a pig still. No flashing really. I saw him do it once but that's it. The other fish don't have any spots day or night..

 

[little_fish]

He could have it, it sounds like it. If he is eating, there is a very good chance that he will be able to beat it on his own. Just keep feeding him and try and feed high quality foods.

I would try and identify why he is getting stress, it sounds like its not bulling, but i would keep a close eye on the tank to try and see what is going on other wise.

 

[AmberSunrise]

I have thought a few times that my blenny had ich but it turns out its the dust and sand that sticks to her when she goes in her caves.

I would keep a watch on it but I wouldn't get to freaked out just yet he might be stressed from being moved from his home to the store then to your tank its hard on a fish but he should adjust and be ok.

 

[beeguiles]

Yea that's what I thought happened too with the sand bc I have pretty fine white sand and black sand. But idk how he got his fins ripped up. Maybe from his burrows. I will keep a close eye on him little fish. He seems like he still wants to jump out of the tank bc he goes up to the surface of the water looks around and then back down. He has burrows and shells and he eats a lot. I'll have to just keep watching and see what's stressing him. I know he hates any fish, snail. Hermit near his burrow. He gets so mad he picks up the hermits with his mouth and moves them away. It's so funny.

 

[beeguiles]

Update on the ich. The jawfish has yet more spots. He is still eating but is not as active. He scooped the sand out of The corner and has been laying there. I think ky six line has got it too. He has two spots on his tail. I am feeding them a variety of frozen foods so their immune systems stay strong. I'm not sure if there is anything else I can do. I can't do a qt tank right now plus I'd have to wait for it to cycle anyways. I've been watching the jawfish and I have no idea what could he stressing him out. Nothing is bothering him. My water parameters are great. Water is not too warm or cold. I just hope he makes it. He's my favorite and he was 100 bucks. :(

 

[beeguiles]

Another update on my jawfish...he is worse...he doesn't seem to be kicking the ich...my other fish are still healthy but the jawfish doesn't want to eat very much and is inactive. So I went to my lfs and found some kents rx-p. It says reef safe and safe for most inverts and my friend that works there has used it and had no problems in his reef tank. So I did the first dose yesterday. I only dosed half the amount just to be safe. I rlly didn't wanna put any meds in the tank but I also don't want to lose my fish. After one dose he seems a little better. He is eating more and swimming a tad more and has regained some color. I will continue dosing every other day for 13 days like the bottle says and hopefully it does the trick and doesn't harm anything in my tank. If it starts to cause harm I will do an emergency water change and stop use. Wish me luck.

 

[AmberSunrise]

It says this when I looked up that stuff. I would be worried about my worms if i were you. It would have been better to just get a cheap 5g tank to do the medication in you dont have to wait for it to cycle you would just have to do a partial water change each day.


Revolutionary Expert SeriesTM Rx-PTM - a real breakthrough in controlling parasites in Marine Fish
A triple acting treatment for saltwater ich and other parasites
Not some rotten sugar-vinegar concoction that claims to "make ich go dormant"
Not just a pepper sauce, RxPTM treats multiple stages
Thin consistency - not a barbecue gravy that pollutes the aquarium
Highly effective, works better than copper, yet leaves no residual toxic metals after treatment!
Contains only natural ingredients
Can be used with most invertebrates (with caution), if you have strong biological filtration, such as a sufficiently sized wet dry filter, and a properly adjusted protein skimmer (the hobbyist much take care since marine parasites are invertebrates - RxP will stress other invertebrates - read all directions below!)
Contains no copper or carcinogenic dyes
Can be used with Sharks, Rays and scaleless fish
Does not cause lateral line disease, like metal based treatments do!
An 8 oz. bottle will treat a 50 gallon tank for one full treatment (13 days)
Kent Marine Rx-P is a triple acting treatment for saltwater ich and can be used with most invertebrates with caution. Do not use with lionfish, stonefish, scorpion fish, starfish, sea urchins, medusa worms, sea apples, sea cucumbers or nudibranchs!

 

[beeguiles]

Yes I saw that on the back of the bottle. I was a little worried about my coco worm and urchin but my friend used this stuff on his tank with his urchin and it didn't affect them and I'm only dosing half what it says to. Im taking caution and watching everything in the tank to see reactions. If I did set up the qt tank and transfer him I think the stress of me chasing him around and what not would stress him out even more and prlly finish him off.

 

[AmberSunrise]

Good luck let us know how it goes!

 

[little_fish]

I think you are right about stressing him by moving him into QT. But i wouldnt treat your tank anyways, because it not actually going to get rid of the ich. It will only effect the visible stage, so you think your fish is cured but once you stop treatment he is more than likely going to get ich again.

I feel that he is probably stressed out by some thing in your tank, either he is stressed about your other fish or the tank itself isnt right for him.

I really dont know what to tell you but wish you good luck.

 

[beeguiles]

It says its sopposed to kill the visible and free floating ich but idk if that's true. And I really have no idea what is stressing him out. I think it might be linked to my nitrate problem... them being too high could have caused it and thats why I'm fighting so hard to get them down to zero. Or maybe something else stressed him out. Idk

 

[herefishyfishy]

I use a heater in my tanks when i get new fish for 7 days at 84degrees. No higher no lower. It drops the ick off of the host and goes in the sand. There it has no food and cant survive. Works for me and I have alot of tangs and havent used medication yet.

 

[little_fish]

Even if it kills those two stages, ich has two other stages that is can survive in. And if its reef safe, its only killing the stage on the fish.

herefishyfishy - turning up the temp will make them go through their lifecycle faster so it looks like it goes away. But you still have ich, the fish will just be able to manage the infection better so you can see the bumps it causes.

 

[Savannah]

When my pink spotted goby was sick the QT was the best thing I ever did!!! I used a 10 gal tank HOB filter for surface disruption (didn't run carbon) heater, no sand, something for the fish to hid in and a heater. I dosed it with a broad spectrum medicine and bumped up the temp slowly! I kept that fish in there for weeks so he wouldn't recontaminate the DT. My goby was not looking good at the time either, he was at the bottom of the tank with exaggerated breathing (mouth open) and not really moving. The QT might not work for all sick fish... but it was the best thing I did for the goby!