Coral Beauty w/ Ick?! Please help.

[networkfishman]

Hi all,

Unfortunately, it seems that my new Coral Beauty has ick... and she is in my Reef DT! ::::

I see tiny white spots on her fins and side of her face. Just purchased her last week and she is doing very well right now eating and swimming around nicely. So, what our my options? Should I try to get her out into QT and treat with hypo or copper? Should I go get a cleaner shrimp (heard they can work well)? Do nothing and wait?

Thanks!
-bri

 

[nicks387]

I would do a 15% water change. Not too big of one as not to stress it out anymore. I would then give it a couple of days to clear up, if the fish's health deteriorates and it stops eating then I may try to catch and QT it with copper. I wouldnt try to catch it and add to its stress yet as it will more then likely just make it worse. Its just going through this since its a new system and its not settled in. It may jut go away slowly on its own, but if it gets worse and the fish stops eating and is breathing heavy remove it and try the cuprimine/ copper same thing. Good luck

 

[networkfishman]

Ok, I'll do a water change and monitor him/her. I'm getting my QT ready, just in case though.

Do you think if I could catch him easily I should do a quick freshwater deep and return him to the DT?

Also, just a thought, what if my Mandarin gets ick? How do I deal with him in a QT if he doesn't eat frozen/prepared foods?

I'm reading up on WetWebMedia.com for some research now.

-bri

 

[deb b]

You can either drop some Garlic extreme on the food before you feed them or put a couple of drops in the tank...works great...You can b uy it at LFS or petco, petsmart etc.. Good luck...

 

[networkfishman]

Ok, I got some fresh garlic minced and mixed with some chopped up shrimp. Feed a little the tank for tonight but will be following some directions I found here.
"This should be done 3x a day if you are using garlic medicinally."

Not sure the Coral Beauty will take the shrimp, but will try again tomorrow and also grab some Nori to soak.

Right now the other fish (2 Banghai, Y.Coris, 4 G.Chromis) in the tank look fine. Though, I need to still look over the Mandarin & Antenna Goby.

I'm still thinking I should do a freshwater dip?

 

[JohnK]

If your going the managment route, I don't think dipping is a good idea. That would be a ton of stress for the fish.

That said, I personally have very little exp with managment strategies

 

[frank180reef]

hmm it depends on how bad it is. If you have a small amount, say 5-10 dots you might be ok with garlic and healthy food............if it is more you will have to catch him which will stress you both out.............

I woundn't do a dip

what does everyone think about adding garlic powder to the water?

 

[daveb]

I would also leave the angel alone right now. Feed a little garlic as everybody has mentioned and just make sure it stays eating. Tearing apart the tank would not only stress the angel out more, but it would also stress out your other fish and then they may possibly end up with a bad case also.

 

[coralcor]

i dont think Mandarin can get ich....... but not positive

 

[stingythingy45]

JMO,

But, I've had a CB now for a few years and she seems to get a lot of sand and debris stuck to her head and scales.I'd just hold tight,feed well and monitor the situation.
And START using a QT tank.It will save you tons of headaches in the long run.

 

[networkfishman]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate the feed back!!!

I really don't think it's sand, it's been on there a few days now.

I will wait it out a few days and make sure that he/she stays eating. If s/he takes a turn then I'll try to get her out gently. I've put a net in the tanks with some food in it in the hopes they get comfortable with it and I might have a slightly better chance in scooping he/r out. We'll see!

I know... I know... I had a QT set up had to take it down.

Thanks again!

 

[stingythingy45]

That's a bummer,thought maybe it might be something simple.
Do you have other fish in the display?
If so,you can't just treat one fish,you'll have to treat them all.

 

[networkfishman]

Looks like the CB is on her way out.

She was doing well, eating and swimming around. Then I didn't see her for a day or two and now I see her on the sand bed behind a rock, upside down and not moving around. I thought she was doing better as I was feeding with nori soaked in minced garlic. She wasn't scratching against rocks and the ick looked like it was going away.

Any chance she might make a recovery? Or should I pull her and flush? I'm soo sad!! Poor little girl.

-bri

 

[networkfishman]

Nevermind! Went to check on her again, she wasn't moving/breathing. She's dead. Pulled her out. Sad day!

-bri

 

[josepy1]

My tank had ick due to the insanity of me going to another fish store. I lost over 400 worth of stock, it stinks, but it happens. I lost a coral beauty and a gold striped clown in that mess. That was about 8 months ago, now i got them all back and healthy, so keep the chin up it gets better

 

[frank180reef]

sorry about the cb... they are difficult fish .....I have a 350 gallon system and I am hesitant about getting one

 

[stingythingy45]

Looks like the CB is on her way out.

She was doing well, eating and swimming around. Then I didn't see her for a day or two and now I see her on the sand bed behind a rock, upside down and not moving around. I thought she was doing better as I was feeding with nori soaked in minced garlic. She wasn't scratching against rocks and the ick looked like it was going away.

Any chance she might make a recovery? Or should I pull her and flush? I'm soo sad!! Poor little girl.

-bri

Sorry to hear this.
I had hoped maybe you had put her in a hospital tank and treated.
Ich is like that,it will drop off the fish and then multiply.
You're going to have to leave that tank fish less for at least 6-8 weeks.

 

[networkfishman]

REALLY? I have the following still in the tank:
-mandarin
-antenna goby
-yellow coris wrasse
-2x banghai cardinals
-4x green chromis

You think I should take them all out of the 72g bow? And put them in a small QT (10g)? They really don't have any signs of ick. Only one was the CB. I will break everything down if that is what people recommend but I figured as long as I was giving them healthy foods w/ garlic they should have had a good/better chance of survival. No?

Please let me know if I need to remove the fish and QT/treat everyone ASAP as I will do so tonight!
-bri

 

[JohnK]

I would suggest that you understand that there is a strong chance that the ick will pop up again on some or all of the other fish. Ick infects whole systems, not just individual fish.

That said, you can either try to "manage" it;
by keeping stress minimal, feeding well, and possibly employing other managment stragtegies such as feeding garlic and running a UV sterilizer. These things will not cure Ick, but often fish can fight it off indefinately under the right circumstances

Or try to "eradicate" it;
where you actually kill the parisite off %100. To do this, you will have to remove all fish, treat them, and keep the tank fishless for at least 6-8 weeks.

It's up to you to read up and decide what approach you want to take.

 

[stingythingy45]

I will break everything down if that is what people recommend but I figured as long as I was giving them healthy foods w/ garlic they should have had a good/better chance of survival. No?

Please let me know if I need to remove the fish and QT/treat everyone ASAP as I will do so tonight!
-bri

I'm beginning to think garlic has killed more fish than helped them.If the other fish are fine,and you don't treat.That is called management.Certainly some of the fish will be host to ich,but show no signs.If you remove the fish and treat,then any future addictions to the tank wont be susceptible to the parasite.CB's are really not that hard to keep.It just takes patience and a QT tank.