Does my Hippo Tang have ich?

goldmaniac · 08/10/2009, 09:20 PM

ok, i'm at my wit's end:

I guess this is my REAL question that I need help with:

do juvenile hippo tangs produce white dots on the body when spooked/scared?
I'm doubtful. But i can't figure out what has happened here.

I've had my 2" hippo tang in a hypo QT for 3.5 weeks at 1.009 salinity (refractometer confirmed with 35 ppt at 77 degrees today).
After 3+ weeks in this dedicated QT, I see today that my hippo has white spots on the main body of the fish. The white spots are not obviously external/raised since i can't get a good pic or good look at him (this hippo hides constantly when I approach QT tank but still eats).

Do hippos get white spots when scared? juvenile naso tangs get white spots, but these white spots on the hippo are much smaller, ich-sized. I'm very VERY suspicious that I have ich in the QT after 4 weeks at 1.010-1.009. and I've been obsessively careful about keeping him QT'ed from any rogue water.

I'm sorry I don't have a picture. I only noticed these spots just 10 minutes ago.

Gwynhidwy · 08/11/2009, 07:24 AM

They can get pale and splotchy when very stressed, but I've never heard of one getting ich sized spots in response to stress. As far as I know, its probably ich still. Any chance it is microbubbles?

There are hyposalinity tolerant strains of Cryptocaryon irritans. It seems to me like more and more people have been having trouble eradicating ich with hypo, maybe the hypo tolerant strains are becoming more prevalent.

goldmaniac · 08/11/2009, 08:20 AM

thanks. I've had the display tank fish-free, and therefore also ich-free for months, or so I thought. There's two fish in there now, both gone through hypo at 1.009. Last night after I made this post, I realized that i transferred some waste water from a display tank water change into the QT tank.
I'm suspecting that's where this came from, which would mean that after MONTHS of trying to use QT, there's ich back in my display tank after all.

If I am able to confirm that ich is still/back in my display tank, I'm going to give up on QT'ing for ich. Futile. The most frustrating aspect of this hobby in my 10 years of doing this.

Gwynhidwy · 08/11/2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by goldmaniac

If I am able to confirm that ich is still/back in my display tank, I'm going to give up on QT'ing for ich. Futile. The most frustrating aspect of this hobby in my 10 years of doing this.

While I certainly understand your frustration, I disagree that proper QT is futile. It is possible to have an ich free system, but it does take a very strict quarantine protocol, which can be both time consuming and tedious. I'd rather deal with the frustrations of quarantine rather than the continual problems and fish loss common to systems where quarantine isn't utilized. Personally, I don't use hypo because I have seen hypo, even when administered correctly, fail to cure ich many times.

zacharytrimble · 08/11/2009, 09:28 AM

With my tang...if something truly dramatic happens...it may get a couple ich spots...but the fish are all so healthy that it doesn't visibly affect any of the others...and the tang fights it off very quickly and they don't overcome him...this happens oh...every few months...and we've had him for 3 years. It's nearly impossible to eliminate ich...I think the animals just need to be as healthy and happy as possible so that if one (or a new fisn) gets ich that it won't take down the whole tank because they're so stressed.

mikersx02 · 08/11/2009, 09:42 AM

Doesnt ich reproduce via spores? Its damn near impossible to rid yourself of ich. If a fish's immune system is compromised via stress or illness- it will get ich.

08/10/2009, 09:20 PM	#1
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	Does my Hippo Tang have ich? ok, i'm at my wit's end: I guess this is my REAL question that I need help with: do juvenile hippo tangs produce white dots on the body when spooked/scared? I'm doubtful. But i can't figure out what has happened here. I've had my 2" hippo tang in a hypo QT for 3.5 weeks at 1.009 salinity (refractometer confirmed with 35 ppt at 77 degrees today). After 3+ weeks in this dedicated QT, I see today that my hippo has white spots on the main body of the fish. The white spots are not obviously external/raised since i can't get a good pic or good look at him (this hippo hides constantly when I approach QT tank but still eats). Do hippos get white spots when scared? juvenile naso tangs get white spots, but these white spots on the hippo are much smaller, ich-sized. I'm very VERY suspicious that I have ich in the QT after 4 weeks at 1.010-1.009. and I've been obsessively careful about keeping him QT'ed from any rogue water. I'm sorry I don't have a picture. I only noticed these spots just 10 minutes ago.

08/11/2009, 07:24 AM	#2
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	They can get pale and splotchy when very stressed, but I've never heard of one getting ich sized spots in response to stress. As far as I know, its probably ich still. Any chance it is microbubbles? There are hyposalinity tolerant strains of Cryptocaryon irritans. It seems to me like more and more people have been having trouble eradicating ich with hypo, maybe the hypo tolerant strains are becoming more prevalent. __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

08/11/2009, 08:20 AM	#3
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	thanks. I've had the display tank fish-free, and therefore also ich-free for months, or so I thought. There's two fish in there now, both gone through hypo at 1.009. Last night after I made this post, I realized that i transferred some waste water from a display tank water change into the QT tank. I'm suspecting that's where this came from, which would mean that after MONTHS of trying to use QT, there's ich back in my display tank after all. If I am able to confirm that ich is still/back in my display tank, I'm going to give up on QT'ing for ich. Futile. The most frustrating aspect of this hobby in my 10 years of doing this.

08/11/2009, 09:28 AM	#5
zacharytrimble Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 456	With my tang...if something truly dramatic happens...it may get a couple ich spots...but the fish are all so healthy that it doesn't visibly affect any of the others...and the tang fights it off very quickly and they don't overcome him...this happens oh...every few months...and we've had him for 3 years. It's nearly impossible to eliminate ich...I think the animals just need to be as healthy and happy as possible so that if one (or a new fisn) gets ich that it won't take down the whole tank because they're so stressed.

08/11/2009, 09:42 AM	#6
mikersx02 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 357	Doesnt ich reproduce via spores? Its damn near impossible to rid yourself of ich. If a fish's immune system is compromised via stress or illness- it will get ich.