new fish with possible ick - QT in refugium?

bmackcw · 03/09/2015, 08:35 PM

I picked up a filefish at petco today for $14. Drip acclimated for about 90 minutes and put him in. He went behind the rocks for a couple hours, then started to come out.

I noticed his eyes are cloudy and he seems to have a thin white film on him. I've never had a fish with ick, but I'm guessing this is it.

I put him in my sump's refugium, which just has some rocks and algae. If this is ick, am I in danger of contaminating the tank?

soulpatch · 03/09/2015, 08:44 PM

yes if he has anything and you put him in your refugium hooked up to your DT then you have really not done anything to save the rest of your tank. A QT is a seperate system where the fish is in different water and can be treated independant of the main tank.

google ick but typically looks like a series of white dots on the fish and not a film...

top shelf · 03/09/2015, 08:47 PM

There's a good sticky on ick that might help but I believe it does have a free floating stage that could be sent back into the display tank. To be on the safe side I would set up a 10g QT were you can treat if need be and monitor better. All new fish inhabitants should be quarintined for at least 4-8 weeks.

Breadman03 · 03/09/2015, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulpatch

yes if he has anything and you put him in your refugium hooked up to your DT then you have really not done anything to save the rest of your tank. A QT is a seperate system where the fish is in different water and can be treated independant of the main tank.

google ick but typically looks like a series of white dots on the fish and not a film...

Soul patch gave you a good answer, but here is the link to the fish disease forum to help you with some research: http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=87

pyithar · 03/09/2015, 10:00 PM

yes. that's why you should quarantine everything. drip acclimating a fish too long can be very stressful to the fish and it could even be fatal if you're unlucky. once the bag is opened, pH rise, and ammonium becomes toxic ammonia. if the salinity difference is too big, set up the quarantine tank salinity close to the water it comes from so that you could put the fish in the quarantine without taking too much time. then you could slowly raise the quarantine tank salinity to match your display tank salinity over a couple of days.

you should post a pic to see if it's really ich. is the fish flashing or rubbing against rocks? if it's only cloudy eyes, it could be normal probably. maybe filefish have cloudy sheen to their eyes like rabbitfish does? if not, it could be flukes, baceteria infections, etc. good luck.

bmackcw · 03/11/2015, 08:44 PM

All seems well today. He's eating and out in the open. Thanks all.

pyithar · 03/11/2015, 10:48 PM

i'm glad all is well. good luck.

Jason S · 03/12/2015, 12:39 PM

I have never heard of Ich causing a film, however, it is a parasite, and I have seen the areas that it attacks get bacterial infections.

Also make yourself familiar with the life cycles of the various parasites you can have. It can be visible on a host fish, and disappear only to return with a vengeance. What happens is that it when matures it drops off the fish, rests in the substrate for days, and then becomes free-swimming in greater numbers than it was before. This is how it reproduces, and at this time, the free-swimming parasites can attack the original host in greater numbers as well as other fish. I know this is an over simplified description, but the premise is there.

The moral of the story is that this is why a QT tank for ALL new livestock is critical, and it must be in quarantine and observed for several weeks to ensure you are not transferring anything to your DT.

twon8 · 03/12/2015, 12:41 PM

Cloudy eyes sounds like flukes

gone fishin · 03/12/2015, 05:48 PM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2389659
The link has a diagnosis section if you think your fish is infected with something.

03/09/2015, 08:35 PM	#1
bmackcw Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 201	new fish with possible ick - QT in refugium? I picked up a filefish at petco today for $14. Drip acclimated for about 90 minutes and put him in. He went behind the rocks for a couple hours, then started to come out. I noticed his eyes are cloudy and he seems to have a thin white film on him. I've never had a fish with ick, but I'm guessing this is it. I put him in my sump's refugium, which just has some rocks and algae. If this is ick, am I in danger of contaminating the tank?

03/09/2015, 08:44 PM	#2
soulpatch Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 4,017	yes if he has anything and you put him in your refugium hooked up to your DT then you have really not done anything to save the rest of your tank. A QT is a seperate system where the fish is in different water and can be treated independant of the main tank. google ick but typically looks like a series of white dots on the fish and not a film... __________________ 150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals.

03/09/2015, 08:47 PM	#3
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	There's a good sticky on ick that might help but I believe it does have a free floating stage that could be sent back into the display tank. To be on the safe side I would set up a 10g QT were you can treat if need be and monitor better. All new fish inhabitants should be quarintined for at least 4-8 weeks. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

03/09/2015, 10:00 PM	#5
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	yes. that's why you should quarantine everything. drip acclimating a fish too long can be very stressful to the fish and it could even be fatal if you're unlucky. once the bag is opened, pH rise, and ammonium becomes toxic ammonia. if the salinity difference is too big, set up the quarantine tank salinity close to the water it comes from so that you could put the fish in the quarantine without taking too much time. then you could slowly raise the quarantine tank salinity to match your display tank salinity over a couple of days. you should post a pic to see if it's really ich. is the fish flashing or rubbing against rocks? if it's only cloudy eyes, it could be normal probably. maybe filefish have cloudy sheen to their eyes like rabbitfish does? if not, it could be flukes, baceteria infections, etc. good luck. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

03/11/2015, 10:48 PM	#7
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	i'm glad all is well. good luck. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

03/11/2015, 08:44 PM	#6
bmackcw Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 201	All seems well today. He's eating and out in the open. Thanks all.

03/12/2015, 12:39 PM	#8
Jason S Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 555	I have never heard of Ich causing a film, however, it is a parasite, and I have seen the areas that it attacks get bacterial infections. Also make yourself familiar with the life cycles of the various parasites you can have. It can be visible on a host fish, and disappear only to return with a vengeance. What happens is that it when matures it drops off the fish, rests in the substrate for days, and then becomes free-swimming in greater numbers than it was before. This is how it reproduces, and at this time, the free-swimming parasites can attack the original host in greater numbers as well as other fish. I know this is an over simplified description, but the premise is there. The moral of the story is that this is why a QT tank for ALL new livestock is critical, and it must be in quarantine and observed for several weeks to ensure you are not transferring anything to your DT. __________________ "The above post is my opinion only, and is in no way meant to belittle, flame, or otherwise insult anyone unless previously stated" Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon SPS Dominant T5 mixed reef and a 29 Gallon Biocube with Soft Corals, LPS, and various other polyps.

03/12/2015, 12:41 PM	#9
twon8 Formally registered membe Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: slightly sw of richmond, va Posts: 5,920	Cloudy eyes sounds like flukes __________________ Anthony Richmond Reef Club "and as things fell apart, nobody paid much attention." Not building a wall but making a brick Current Tank Info: 300g DD display, 60g frag tank

03/12/2015, 05:48 PM	#10
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2389659 The link has a diagnosis section if you think your fish is infected with something. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT