Help identifying ich or velvet and how to treat

[Telle629]

Hi,
I noticed on Thursday last week one of the fish (yellow tang) I bought a month ago out of nowhere just died. Then I saw my blue tang had white spots on him. I started treating with melafix. I don’t think it is working. I have the following in my 75gallon. I don’t have a quarantine tank. None of the other fish have spots. The blue tang is eating and swimming as normal. I had my water levels tested last Saturday they were all in normal range. What is the best way to treat and without killing my corals? Thank you In advance.
2 clowns
1 sand shifting star fish
1 damsel
1 diamond golby
1 tang striped brown and yellow
1 blue tang
1 yellow wrasse
1 snail
1 Xenia coral
1 coral I forgot that it is called.
The first two photos is when it started on Thursday. The last two photos are from yesterday.

 

[MichaelB]

Hi,
I noticed on Thursday last week one of the fish (yellow tang) I bought a month ago out of nowhere just died. Then I saw my blue tang had white spots on him. I started treating with melafix. I don’t think it is working. I have the following in my 75gallon. I don’t have a quarantine tank. None of the other fish have spots. The blue tang is eating and swimming as normal. I had my water levels tested last Saturday they were all in normal range. What is the best way to treat and without killing my corals? Thank you In advance.
2 clowns
1 sand shifting star fish
1 damsel
1 diamond golby
1 tang striped brown and yellow
1 blue tang
1 yellow wrasse
1 snail
1 Xenia coral
1 coral I forgot that it is called.
The first two photos is when it started on Thursday. The last two photos are from yesterday.

My guess would be ich, cause the white spots. I've never had to deal with any fish diseases at all so this isn’t a expert opinion. Below is a link to a post that somewhat relates to this subject. I've been following it. Hopefully some of it maybe of merit to you.

I'm sure some of the members with more knowledge on fish disease will have a more solid identifcation for you, with possible solutions if it's not to late.

Article series: the how, why, and whether-I-should of quarantine

Starting this off with a disclaimer: I think quarantine (QT), like many things in reefkeeping, is a matter of personal tolerance for risk and balancing your enjoyment of the hobby. This guide is not meant to be judgmental, or to argue people cannot have success in their tanks without QT. It’s...

www.bareefers.org

 

[IOnceWasLegend]

@Telle629 A couple questions, and it's possible time is of the essence. I highly suggest asking for help over at Humblefish as well, but I'll do what I can here:

1. Are any of the fish exhibiting bizarre behavior (flashing, gulping/yawning, breathing very quickly, scratching on the rocks and/or sand, swimming into powerheads, hiding from the light, red sores)? Do they still have a good appetite?
2. I think I know the answer, but just to try and confirm given the fuzziness of your pictures - are all the white spots larger, or is it more like a 'dusting'/they're too numerous to count? Are they static (e.g. stay in one place for days/weeks at a time) or do new ones pop up/old ones disappear within a day or two?
3. When the yellow tang died, did it have any spots on it?

At first glance, those white dots look too big to be ich or velvet, but it's hard to see without any information re: the above. Flukes are a possibility, as are viral nodules. I'm going to post this to solicit answers, and write up a second post while waiting for a response.

 

[IOnceWasLegend]

I'm posting this information with the caveat that I'll need information on the above to help provide a better diagnosis.

Ich: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/marine-ich.11/

Velvet: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/marine-velvet-disease.12/

Flukes: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/flukes.7/

Viral nodules: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/bacterial-tufts-viral-nodules.6799/

If it is either ich or velvet: regardless of what you may read, there is no reef-safe method of eradication. There's an experimental protocol on hydrogen peroxide dosing that someone has used for management, but it is not yet proven for eradication: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/peroxide-h2o2-dosing-for-parasites-in-reef-tank.725/

If you do not have access to a quarantine tank, and you suspect it is velvet, I strongly suggest adding a UV sterilizer to the tank, performing hydrogen peroxide dosing, and feeding heavily; really, anything to keep the fish healthy. Again, if it is velvet, I would not be optimistic without immediate QT; velvet is basically wildfire and can burn through every fish in a tank in a matter of days.

 

[Turkeysammich]

I agree with @IOnceWasLegend. I don’t think it is velvet or ick. I also agree that you should go to humble.fish and ask there. Bobby ( humblefish) will answer your questions. He is extremely knowledgeable. But yes. Act quickly.

Bacterial Tufts & Viral Nodules

(Updated 3-2-2023) Bacterial Tufts Note: Credit for "bacterial tufts" terminology goes to Dr. Charlie Gregory (https://www.aquaveterinarian.com). It basically refers to white growths on a fish that are bacterial in nature. They oftentimes start out looking similar to Marine Ich trophonts (or...

humble.fish

 

[Telle629]

@Telle629 A couple questions, and it's possible time is of the essence. I highly suggest asking for help over at Humblefish as well, but I'll do what I can here:

1. Are any of the fish exhibiting bizarre behavior (flashing, gulping/yawning, breathing very quickly, scratching on the rocks and/or sand, swimming into powerheads, hiding from the light, red sores)? Do they still have a good appetite?
2. I think I know the answer, but just to try and confirm given the fuzziness of your pictures - are all the white spots larger, or is it more like a 'dusting'/they're too numerous to count? Are they static (e.g. stay in one place for days/weeks at a time) or do new ones pop up/old ones disappear within a day or two?
3. When the yellow tang died, did it have any spots on it?

At first glance, those white dots look too big to be ich or velvet, but it's hard to see without any information re: the above. Flukes are a possibility, as are viral nodules. I'm going to post this to solicit answers, and write up a second post while waiting for a response.

Hi, I will ask at humblefish.

1. None of the fish are exhibiting strange behavior. They are all eating well.
2. Some are large others look somewhat like dust.
3. The yellow tang did not have any white spots on him. He did not have any strange behavior before he died. He was also eating well before he died.
4. My blue tang has more that have popped up. I can’t really tell if any have disappeared.

 

[Telle629]

I agree with @IOnceWasLegend. I don’t think it is velvet or ick. I also agree that you should go to humble.fish and ask there. Bobby ( humblefish) will answer your questions. He is extremely knowledgeable. But yes. Act quickly.

Bacterial Tufts & Viral Nodules

(Updated 3-2-2023) Bacterial Tufts Note: Credit for "bacterial tufts" terminology goes to Dr. Charlie Gregory (https://www.aquaveterinarian.com). It basically refers to white growths on a fish that are bacterial in nature. They oftentimes start out looking similar to Marine Ich trophonts (or...

humble.fish

Thank you.