ick or not ick

[dannyboy]

Is there anything else a fish can have that puts white spots on fins and tail? I'm not convinced I'm treating the right issue. There are no signs on the 2 other fish in DT, had them 1-1.5 months, niger trigger and clown goby. Box fish was fine in lfs for 2 weeks befor we purchased, after only 3-4 days the white spots appeared. This exact thing happened with the first 1 we had. Could it be something other then ick or am I heaing the right direction. I don't think a picture would help.

 

[cthegame]

It doesnt matter if other fish in the tank got the spots or not. They are probably just stronger and not stressed. Dont worry about the other fish. Treat the sick fish and wait a few weeks. These things take weeks...not days.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

I agree with the C on this one. Think about how stressful it is for a fish to be moved from one eco system to another. My advise is to just leave it alone. dont stare at it or make quick movements around it. Avoid any rearanging of your aquascape. Avoid putting your hand in the tank completly. Ich will heal its self if the fish can be left alone with little stress.

 

[Gooseman]

you said the fish was fine in the LFS for 2 weeks then you brought it home and in 3-4 days you noticed it ... it could be stress yes ... but consider the fact that if they were healthy at the LFS for 2 weeks and then when you put them into your tank they got sick ... it may not be the LFS but your tank that has the ick parasite in it ... i would just wait and see what happens over the next week or so ... if the spots get worse or bigger then you know your tank has a parasite problem and unless you treat the tank and fish properly it wont go away on its own.

 

[Bifferwine]

If I was a cute little square, shy, boxfish, sharing a tank with a fast, mouthy, boisterous trigger would have to be the ultimate stressor.

I think it probably is ich. Gobies and triggers are tougher fish and don't get stressed as easily. Boxfish are very sensitive fish and get sick at the drop of a hat.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

Almost every tank has the ich parasite in it. If your fish's strees coat isnt strong the fish are more susciptable to the parasites hosting there tank.

 

[Gooseman]

Biff has a good point ... if i were that box fish ... it sure would scare the CRAP outta me too!!

 

[dannyboy]

ok, thanks, the box has been quarantined for a week now and will be for a few more weeks before I try to introduce him back to the display tank and at that point I gotta hope for the best. I saw the trigger nip at the box fish but I also saw the box fish nip too. Both fish are about the same size in length. Everyone has been very helpful, thanks again

 

[cthegame]

by the way, this might happen again. If i were you, once you're ready to put the fish back, remove all the other fish from the tank for a few days (2-3 days should be fine). during those 2-3 days, it will give the box a chance to adjust and establish a territory and maybe, just maybe, he might not be as stressed when the fish are re-introduced.