Marine Itch

My tang has been itching itself for weeks/months, and often allows the
4-stripe damsels to "chew" on him. However, he's a nut case anyway, so
I didn't worry about it (maybe a newbie error). Now my Coral Beauty has
some bright white dots on it, and it's starting to itch as well.

Could this be marine itch? Should I isolate these two and treat with
Copper Sulfate? I read that pygmy angles don't handle Copper sulfate
very well.

--Kurt

Check for ammonia, nitrite, and any other stress factors
that would cause them to get it.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



KurtG wrote on 12/23/2006 5:28 PM:

My tang has been itching itself for weeks/months, and often allows the
4-stripe damsels to "chew" on him. However, he's a nut case anyway, so
I didn't worry about it (maybe a newbie error). Now my Coral Beauty has
some bright white dots on it, and it's starting to itch as well.

Could this be marine itch? Should I isolate these two and treat with
Copper Sulfate? I read that pygmy angles don't handle Copper sulfate
very well.

--Kurt

KurtG wrote:

My tang has been itching itself for weeks/months, and often allows the
4-stripe damsels to "chew" on him. However, he's a nut case anyway, so
I didn't worry about it (maybe a newbie error). Now my Coral Beauty has
some bright white dots on it, and it's starting to itch as well.

Could this be marine itch?

Sounds like ich (oodinimum). Has the tang been going through a cycle of this?
That is, does the tang exhibit symptoms for about a week and then have no
symptoms for about a week? And when the tang has no symptoms, do there seem to
be a bunch of very tiny white dots doing loops in the water?

If so, that's what you have.

Take *all* the fish out and transfer them to a hospital tank. Treat them there
with copper (I prefer "CopperSafe") and keep them there for 4 weeks to allow the
parasites in the main tank to die.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

Also here is some good reading about ich pronounced "ick".

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22AQ...r=all&filter=0

This is a 5 part series. You will want to open all 5 pages.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Wayne Sallee wrote on 12/23/2006 5:35 PM:
Check for ammonia, nitrite, and any other stress factors that would
cause them to get it.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



KurtG wrote on 12/23/2006 5:28 PM:

My tang has been itching itself for weeks/months, and often allows the
4-stripe damsels to "chew" on him. However, he's a nut case anyway,
so I didn't worry about it (maybe a newbie error). Now my Coral
Beauty has some bright white dots on it, and it's starting to itch as
well.

Could this be marine itch? Should I isolate these two and treat with
Copper Sulfate? I read that pygmy angles don't handle Copper sulfate
very well.

--Kurt

Before you transfer your fish to another tank, take everything out so you
can catch them......
Or you can just medicate the water with Kent Rx P Parasite Treatment or
Mardel Fresh & Salt Water Maracide or Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Erythromycin.

What fish do you have again ?


"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:bGnjh.460$Ej7.258@trnddc02...
KurtG wrote:

My tang has been itching itself for weeks/months, and often allows the
4-stripe damsels to "chew" on him. However, he's a nut case anyway, so I
didn't worry about it (maybe a newbie error). Now my Coral Beauty has
some bright white dots on it, and it's starting to itch as well.

Could this be marine itch?

Sounds like ich (oodinimum). Has the tang been going through a cycle of
this? That is, does the tang exhibit symptoms for about a week and then
have no symptoms for about a week? And when the tang has no symptoms, do
there seem to be a bunch of very tiny white dots doing loops in the water?

If so, that's what you have.

Take *all* the fish out and transfer them to a hospital tank. Treat them
there with copper (I prefer "CopperSafe") and keep them there for 4 weeks
to allow the parasites in the main tank to die.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

George Patterson wrote:
Take *all* the fish out and transfer them to a hospital tank. Treat them
there with copper (I prefer "CopperSafe") and keep them there for 4
weeks to allow the parasites in the main tank to die.

Ack! It's funny as I just read about the value of a quarantine tank
about a week ago, and now that's been hit home. But, I probably picked
it up on the tang the first week that I had my tank and still a very
green newbie.

--Kurt

TheRock wrote:
What fish do you have again ?

1 maroon clownfish
1 picula clownfish
3 blue damsels
1 mandarin
2 4 stripe damsels
1 coral beauty
1 6" yellow tang.

George Patterson wrote:
Sounds like ich (oodinimum). Has the tang been going through a cycle of
this? That is, does the tang exhibit symptoms for about a week and then
have no symptoms for about a week? And when the tang has no symptoms, do
there seem to be a bunch of very tiny white dots doing loops in the water?

Maybe. Tang does seem to go through periods when he itches furiously,
but then he doesn't seem to for awhile. Just when I think I should do
something, he seems to get better.

I only see the tiny white dots on the coral beauty. I've looked at the
yellow tang, but maybe it's obscured by the bright color because I can't
seem them.

As for the water and tiny dots, it appears so. I don't have a good
mechanical filter yet, so it's hard to say.

--Kurt

KurtG wrote:
TheRock wrote:
What fish do you have again ?

1 maroon clownfish
1 picula clownfish
3 blue damsels
1 mandarin
2 4 stripe damsels
1 coral beauty
1 6" yellow tang.

Also, a blue fin damsel. He's in the quarantine tank, but I might as
well treat them all at once.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
Also here is some good reading about ich pronounced "ick".

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22AQ...r=all&filter=0

Thanks Wayne, I'll read through it.

--Kurt