Possible Parasitic Problem?
Hi There,
<Hey! Scott F. here today!>
I recently purchased a pair of clowns (well two days ago actually) the one has adapted really well and is diving around the place however the other looks very lethargic and is breathing heavily.  Tests all show OK.
<I assume that means no detectable ammonia, nitrite>
I appreciate that other posts ask similar questions however there is no slime on the fish nor white spots.  He hangs in his hosting coral all day and hasn't fed on two occasion (but nor has the other clown.)  Is this really bad?
<Well, it's hard to be sure. Sometimes, a fish can have Amyloodinium ( a virulent parasitic disease) without the other obvious external signs; just lethargy and difficulty in breathing. I'd keep a careful eye on this fish, and be prepared to take aggressive action if it becomes necessary. If you've eliminated the possibility of environmental problems, focus on the possibility of parasitic illness. Use the resources that we have here on WWM on parasitic diseases, and feel free to ask questions again if we are able to help you out. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>
Thanks in advance.
Chris
I have a 40 gallon Chromis tank with an AquaMedic 2000 P/S, 2 powerheads.
Tank is 10 weeks old; I have three shrimps, 10 snails, 10 hermit crabs, 1
lobster, and 35 lbs of live rock. The only fish are the two clowns. Calcium
460, KH 8.3, nitrite, nitrate & ammonia 0, salinity 1.026 temp 26.5 (in the
day).

Moorish Idol Woes / Parasites (7/22/04)
I was hoping you could help me with a disease diagnosis and treatment. I recently purchased a Moorish Idol 3 weeks ago. He has been eating everything I give him and has been doing fine. <Ostensibly, anyway.> Until today he has developed small "dusty'" white powdered spots over his body. It does not look grainy or sandy like ich. <Ich doesn't necessarily look that coarse. Velvet tends to be powdery, perhaps this is it.> It looks like it  is under his skin, nearest his gills and eyes. He is still eating normally and swimming around as normal, maybe a little faster than normal. There does not seem to be any gasping or clamped fins. <Good signs all.> He is the only tank member that looks like this. <I'd get him out of there and into a hospital tank for treatment.> He also has developed one cloudy eye. <May be bacterial infection.> It is slightly enlarged and grayish in color. <Search "Popeye" on WWM for info.> Have treated with Epsom salt but has not helped. All help is welcome. Thanks <This certainly sounds parasitic. In your shoes, I'd get him into a hospital tank for treatment. Read the parasite articles/FAQs for options. Steve Allen.>

Amyloodiniumiasis or Brooklynellosis or neither!
Hi,
  I just finished reading this month's issue of "Conscientious Aquarist"
magazine. Awesome. One more reason to surf the web at work!
<< I enjoy it as well. >>
   I have a 72 gallon tank with 6 shrimp, 1 hermit crab, 1 Banggai cardinal,
1 Ocellaris Clown and 1 Orchid Dottyback -in that pecking order! Almost
everyday the Dottyback has a patch of mucous on it's surface, body or fin,
that is about 1mm by 1mm. << This wouldn't worry me. >> It moves around day to day and even morning to
evening. All fish were quarantined -3 weeks for the cardinal and about 2
weeks for the other two. Nothing showed up then. The Dottyback has been in
the display for over 6 weeks now and has been showing these symptoms for the
past 4 or 5 weeks. << If he swims well, and eats, I say don't worry. >>
  This isn't ich, as I've dealt with ich before when it wiped out everything
in my tank twice!!! Upon reading WWM, these symptoms appear to be
Amyloodiniumiasis or Brooklynellosis, except for the fact that the fish is
behaving fine and has been for over a month -knock on wood! Could this just
be damage from scraping against rocks and decor -he is a pretty jittery
fish! << Usually fish will scrape and rub against rocks to rub things off of them. >>
Tank had been set up for 11 months now. The shrimp have been there since day
one, crab since December, cardinal since April, clown since mid-may and the
dotty back since 5/28. No additions since then.
Salinity -1.025
Nitrates -don't register on test kits...
Ph -8.0 -slowly increasing it to 8.2 with Seachem Marine Buffer
Temp -78.8F just before lights out to 78.1F early morning -consistent
everyday.
20% water change 3 times a month.
Should I be concerned? Every time I move a fish to the hospital tank for
treatment I end up killing it, so that's my last option. << Well here is what I would do.  I would buy a tank raised cleaner goby, and maybe a cleaner shrimp.  If it is a parasite problem they can really help.  I wouldn't go with the hospital tank, unless you have to.  As long as the fish is out swimming and eating, I wouldn't be too worried. >>
Thank You!
Narayan
<<  Blundell  >>

A Risk Worth Taking (Parasitic Disease Treatment Assumption)
Hi there,
<Hey! Scott F. with you today!>
I'm writing from Australia and I just wanted to say what a great site you guys have over there, its a treasure trove of information and thank you for making it as accessible as it is. 
<You're quite welcome! We're thrilled to bring this site to our fellow fishy friends all over the world each day!>
Anyway, to the reason I am writing: I have a problem with a pair of non-mated black Ocellaris clown fish.  A little over a month ago, I introduced a pair of juvenile Black Ocellaris clowns into my 180 liter FOWLR. Tan Ocellaris, relatively mature (2 odd years old).  These were the first fish to be introduced into this tank apart from 5 Trochus snails and 10 hermit crabs (as its previous occupants had been moved to a recently set up 750 liter a couple of months earlier).  When introduced the water parameters where good (PH-8.4, Alk-200ppm, temp 26deg.C, Ammonia-0, Nitrites-0 & Nitrates-0).  The fish took a while to start eating. The larger of the two (late juvenile stage) took 4 days to eat and the smaller of the two, did not eat at all, and consequently withered away (with no visible signs of any sort of disease).  I found this odd as they where supposedly tank reared. In any case I put the death down to stress (and they where enticed with a whole range of live and fresh seafood).
<Very frustrating. Although the tank raised Clowns should be categorically more hardy than wild-collected ones, thee are still some low-quality specimens out there on the market. also, the handling along the chain of custody from breeder to LFS could have resulted in a great deal of stress, as you suspect>
The survivor picked up after "she" started eating, and was/is very lively.  5 days ago I added a potential mate for my lonely BOCF, a 2.5cm juvenile (smaller the survivor).  When introduced (and not QT'd (I realize the mistake made here and will in future change my philosophy)), "He" seemed to adapt relatively quickly, taking food within half an hour, and apparently getting along with his tank mate.  Anyway, yesterday he began to act a little lethargic and swam very slowly in an area of little current.
<Hmm...not a great sign>
When I placed some food in the tank he perked up again and ate.  When I checked them after work today, I noticed that both fish had markings on them;
"He" has a pinkish/reddish legion or discoloration that extends unbroken from his rear white stripe to his middle white stripe and is about 2mm thick.  He also has another similarly coloured blotch on his front white stripe (2mm dia).  The marks do not appear to be raised off the skin.  He did not seem too interested in the eating, would only go after bits that floated near him.
<Well, the fact that he is still eating is a hopeful sign, but the skin discoloration could be a possible symptom of either Amyloodinium or Brooklynella- bother very deadly diseases which ca kill quickly if not addressed>
"She" has a similarly coloured but 1mm thick extending in a similar fashion, from under her pectoral fins to her tail.  The same pectoral fin is also scraggy, it looks kind of frayed and is in parts translucent (unlike her other pectoral fin which is jet black).  She also, where possible not using that fin to swim.  When fed, "she" ate like a pig!!
<Well, as stated above- feeding is very good...But I think prompt action may be necessary>
As can be seen by the length of this email (which I apologize for), I am deeply concerned for the well being of my charges (and I trust that I have provided enough information).
<Yes, you are- and the information provided was very helpful>
I have trolled through your FAQ's and have been unable to find a similar question.  I would ask that you help me in identifying the problem and a possible cure??  I do not know if this is a physical scratch, fungus, or disease (I have ruled out ich, as there are no visible white dots). Thank you very much for your help and keep up the good work. Cheers, Eamonn    
<Well, Eamonn-it's hard to be absolutely certain without a picture, but some of the symptoms that you are describing (i.e.; lethargy, hanging in the current, blotchy discoloration) are similar symptoms to some of those common to Amyloodinium or Brooklynella. Other signs to look for are difficulty breathing, discharge of thick mucus off of the fish's body, and loss of appetite. I usually don't rush to treat unless I'm 100% certain what I am treating, but I'd err on the side of caution here and assume (gulp) that I might be looking at one of these two illnesses (try a key word search using our Google search feature on the WWM site just to verify), and set up a treatment tank and begin using a copper sulphate or formalin-based medication (exactly per manufacturer's instructions). If this is either of the two aforementioned diseases, hours count. I'd rather lose a fish in an attempt to save it then to watch it die a rapid death without taking the chance at treating it. I think that this is a risk worth taking. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Internal Affairs? (Possible Internal Parasites)
I have a red Coris in a 55 gallon tank with a blue devil (I removed him) and a jaw fish. My Coris and jaw fish are both belly up and are still alive. My Coris has a swollen anus (and I have heard that Coris usually have internal parasites) and my jaw fish has white stringy mulm that comes out 24/ 7 (My royal Gramma had the same thing and died a few months back). They got along with
each other (surprisingly) until they got sick. what do you think is wrong with them?
<Well, I'd have to agree with you...The internal parasite hypothesis seems like the one that I'd research further. Do read up more on these conditions on the WWM site to see if you can find something similar. Use or Google Search Feature or check on the Parasitic Disease FAQs and articles for more. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

White spots that come and go 6/2/04
Hey all,  First, I'd like to say thanks for the great website. Very informative and a necessary tool to me.
<Glad you have benefited!>
I have a 20gal tank that is 2 months old now. I have 15# of live rock, 30# Aragamax substrate, Red Sea Prizm skimmer, Penguin Bio-wheel 170 power filter, 2 turbo snails and 2 saddleback clowns.  Up until three days ago I also had a Yellow-tail Blue Damsel that I gave away to a friend two days ago as he was a nuisance to the clowns.
<All sounds fine. Do be aware that bio-wheel type filters tend to lead to nitrate accumulation.>
Have been doing 20% water changes every two weeks (religiously), the most recent change was 5 days ago. Current water levels are PH 8.4, gravity 1.022, temp 78F, Ammonia 0.25, Nitrate 2.5, Nitrite 0.1. I certainly noticed this increase in the nitrate level occur over the last 2 day period as it was at 0 for nitrate and .05 for nitrite for the last 2-3 weeks. Am going to do another water change tomorrow (just need to get salt mix from the store) to lower those nitrates.
<Nitrate is nothing to worry about, but ammonia and nitrite certainly are!  Do check your test kits against others.>    
Last night I noticed white spots on both clowns that I have had for
almost 6 weeks now. This morning I couldn't see the spots at all but did a freshwater dip on them anyways. Everything seemed clear but tonight I notice the spots are back. After doing the dip this morning I noticed that one of the clowns eye became hazy. I first thought this was Ick hence why I did the dip. Their behavior seems fine right now. They have been eating, swimming around, but they do seem to breath at a quick pace. Not sure if this is normal or not as they have been doing it since I bought them. They sure seem
to be happier without the damsel chasing them around.
<Could be Ich, could be velvet.  The fast breathing is more consistent with velvet, but also comes with very advanced Ich.>
Any idea what the spots could be if not Ick? After reading the FAQ's I thought about the possibility of low oxygen in the water. However, I would imagine that the skimmer does a pretty good job of oxygenating the water while scrubbing.
<I agree that low O2 is probably not the problem.>
If this is a lymph... would two weeks harm them as I don't have the money at this time to buy a cleaner shrimp? Am thinking that this is due to environmental factors but cannot explain the spike in the nitrates as they had previously done that and had been down for the last 2 1/2 weeks.
<I am not sure why your ammonia and nitrite went up.  I don't know what you mean by lymph.  If it is ich or velvet, they need to be treated immediately.>
Anything that I am missing? I don't have a QT so am hampered to do
everything within this tank. Am still learning the salt water fish so started off with a small tank till I have the experience (and the space) for a larger system.  Thanks much, Leonard
<My advice is to pick up a 10 gallon tank to use as a hospital tank.  Set the tank up by filling it with equal parts of water from your tank and newly mixed salt water.  You can use a couple of flower pots or pieces of PVC pipe to provide the fish cover.  Move the BioWheel to the new tank and let it run for a day.  Move the fish to the hospital tank.  Over a couple of days, lower the salinity in the hospital tank to 1.014.  If you can find Aquatronics brand "Marex" or "Quinsulfex", these can be added as a one time dose at 35mg/gallon.  Hold the fish at the lower salinity for two weeks.  Raise the salinity back to normal over another two weeks.  Hold the fish for two more weeks at normal salinity (total of six weeks).  At this time, they can be returned to the display.  In the mean time, do not add any other fish to the display since parasites may still be present.  Best Regards.  Adam>

Parasitic Illness Counterattack!
After doing much research, I decided to purchase 2 captive-bred ocellaris. One reason I chose captive-bred was to avoid the many health problems that seem to come with wild-caught.
<A good reason, among others>
After a 5 minute freshwater/Methylene blue dip, I put my 2 new fishies in my 10 gallon Q tank last Friday.
<Awesome.. Glad to hear that you are embracing this procedure!>
Both are eating enriched frozen brine shrimp, but one is just not very interested in eating. It eats a few bites, then mostly samples & spits. I've also tried flake, frozen Mysis, and even went and bought a few live brine to try to get them more interested. Anyway, after about a day in quarantine, I noticed they both have stringy feces. Hmm, so much for buying captive-bred to avoid problems. My reading says this is probably internal parasites.
<That would be my hunch, too.>
I've placed an order for Pipzine and it should be here tomorrow. To complicate matters, one clown is breathing a little more quickly today, with its mouth open.
<That is not good...could be a sign of something more problematic...>
This is the fish that's less interested in eating. I'm guessing we're going downhill from here, and more reading makes me think Brooklynella. But there aren't any slime coat issues yet.
<Good news, but this could be the beginnings of this serious illness. If the water conditions are good (i.e.; no ammonia and nitrite), this parasitic disease is a definite suspect>
I went out and bought some formalin, and the 2 are currently in a bath of 1 gallon of water from their Q tank, with 1ml of formalin, and an airstone. They seem to be tolerating it well, and I plan to leave them in for 30 minutes.
<Good procedure>
Enough background. Now the questions.
1. Am I doing the right thing?
<Yes, although some people use formalin in the tank continuously, as you would copper sulphate or other meds.>
2.How often do I need to repeat the dip, and how many times till I'm done?
<I'd repeat daily, and do it for about 5 days, or until symptoms subside>
3.When the Pipzine gets here, do I use it?
<I'd actually hold off on this for a bit. You really don't want to expose the fish to a potentially stressful "cocktail" of ingredients. Besides, if this is Brooklynella, it is a very serious disease; one which must be licked before you attack the potentially less serious internal parasitic problem>
4.Assuming the Brooklynella parasites are now in the Q tank, do I need to do something after treatment to keep them from being reinfected? (I actually have some biological filtration going that's effectively controlling the ammonia. Do I need to treat the tank for the parasite, thus eliminating my filtration?)
<I'd opt to dose the formalin directly into the quarantine tank, myself. I think that a sustained dosage may be more effective than brief dips. If you are dealing with Brooklynella, the quarantine tank must be thoroughly broken down and sterilized when you're done with the treatment process.>
Many thanks.
Suzanne
<My pleasure, Suzanne. Hang in there and follow through with your treatment course. You've done everything right so far...Keep it up! Regards, Scott F.> 

Parasitic Isopods
Hello guys!
<Hi there! Scott F. in today>
I really need some help. I just set up a new 150 gallon reef and released some fish I've had for some time into it. About a week later (last night) I discovered a small (1/8 to perhaps 1/4 inches) isopod has attached itself to the tail of one of my pajama cardinals.
<Yuck>
I have not had a chance to even try to capture the fish yet. I know I must capture and remove. I guess what I am asking is I have heard that once you have one (one RC) you likely have a lot more and a typical nightmare. Please tell me this isn't true. It doesn't say that in Bob's book! If it is what should I do? Thank you all so much.
Brian
<Well, Brian- where there is one, there could be others. Don't run off headless and do something that you'll regret later. Short of "nuking" the tank with aggressive medications (which I DO NOT recommend), you just need to stay very vigilant, and be prepared to remove any fishes that become afflicted with these guys in the future. Remain calm, observe your fish very carefully, and stay alert! Sometimes the best course of action is not to do anything...Regards, Scott F> 

Counterattacking Parasitic Diseases
Hi,
<Hey! Scott F. at your service!>
We bought a blue tang, and stupidly did not quarantine it.
<A lesson learned, huh?>
Within two days, it died after lying on the bottom of the tank breathing furiously, covered in white spots.
<Yuck>
We also have an Orange Bar Tang, two Percula Clowns, and a Zebra Dartfish. We have quarantined them into a separate tank now.
<Good to remove them to a separate tank for treatment/observation>
Would flushing the old tank and washing the components in freshwater, even leaving it with freshwater for a few days and heating to 80F whilst treating the quarantined fish with copper supplement and increased temperature work, and would this
clear the system? 
<That is certainly one way to help rid the system of potential parasites. You could also use the "fallow tank" technique that we advocate on the WWM site, and you won't have to refill the tank with fresh water. Just leave it fallow for 6 weeks or so, and that should do the trick in most cases>
I really want to clear this up pretty quickly!
<Well, it's a faster process to eradicate the parasite from the fish than it is to eradicate it from the aquarium itself. Take your time and be patient. This technique will generally work well!>
I have been reading your site, and am now dreading losing the other fish. Please let me know what I can do to sort this out.
Thanks a lot Elizabeth Montague-Brown
<Elizabeth, you are absolutely on the right track! Use a commercial copper-sulphate medication to treat the infected fish in a separate tank, and let the display run fallow. It's really as easy as that! Here is a link to an article that I wrote on this very technique. Hopefully, it will be useful to you:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichart2mar.htm 
Good luck!
Regards, Scott F.> 

Taking The Fight To Parasites!
Okay, I am hoping for some advice here.
<I'll give it my best shot! Scott F. here today!>
A few days ago, my Powder Blue Tang, which I have had for 6-8 weeks, and my Coral Beauty Angel, which I have had for almost 5 years, have both broken out with ich. I guess it must have come in on a new coral?
<Hard to say, but cysts could have dome in this way. Another reason why we advocate the quarantine of anything that goes into your tank...Well worth the effort.>
I did place one coral directly into the display tank, because both of my quarantine tanks were holding new arrivals (fish) with low salinity and copper.
<Good reason NOT to place the coral in that tank!>
Anyway, whatever the source, the fish are both sick. None of the other fish (Sixline Wrasse, Marine Betta, Black Blenny, Target Mandarin, and three Chromis) are. Water parameters are good. Calcium is a little low (340) but I am working on bringing that up, and I don't see how it could affect the fish. PH is 8.3, Nitrates are about 0.5 ppm Salinity is about 1.024. The Coral Beauty is pretty well infected, and Powder Blue is absolutely covered. Body, fins, even eyes are covered in white pimply dots. But both fish continue to swim, behave and eat more or less normally. A little lethargic, but not bad. No dazed hovering, erratic swimming, bumping into things or ignoring food.
<All good signs, if you can use that term! The fact that the fish are eating is a good thing, though.>
Part of me wants to remove these fish to a quarantine tank with copper and low salinity, possibly using a freshwater dip on the way to the new tank. But aside from the fact that both QT are full, I can't help but wondering if the stress of netting, dipping, and moving to an unfamiliar, smaller, relatively barren tank wouldn't do more harm than good, stressing the PB, leading to infection, and ultimately death. The fish have been surviving the infection for three or four days now, though it continues to get worse. Would you recommend moving these fish? What treatments would you recommend? 
<I would recommend moving the fish to a separate facility for treatment. I am a big advocate of copper sulphate, but with tangs and Centropyge Angelfish, it is recommended to avoid this treatment. I'd use a formalin based product, instead. The mild stress of moving the fish is infinitely less dangerous than the potential for further decline if you leave the fish in the tank, untreated. If it were me, I'd do it the old-fashioned way: Get the fish out of the display and into a separate container for treatment with a commercially available formalin-based product. Follow manufacturer's directions to the letter. Yes, you can use copper, but you need to very carefully monitor the concentration, and discontinue its use if further problems arise. Long-term copper exposure is bad for tangs, particularly.>
All I have been doing thus far is feeding them food laced with Kent Garlic extract, and praying. I'm tempted to leave them where they are and hope for the best. I don't want to lose either fish. Any suggestions?
Jim Jensen
<Well, Jim, as above- I'd get 'em out and treat them. It's vital to take quick action with these illnesses. The longer you wait, the more potential for damage and secondary infections there is. Good luck! Regards, Scott F> 

Cysts at Night?
Hello and thank you in advance for your time! <No problem! Ryan with you today>
Here's my problem...I have a 10 month old tank. It was stocked sparingly with various soft corals, a few inverts, and two fish. The two fish being a Blue velvet damsel and a Tomato clown....both , VERY healthy. <Great>
At this point having relatively a "good" feeling about things, I decided to spend a little money on a Coral Beauty Angel...I watched it in the store for a week...watched it eat and thrive...etc. Well, long story short...after two days in my tank I noticed spots...ONLY at night. Well despite an emergency fresh water dip...I lost the Angel. <I see- Coral Beauty Angelfish have a relatively good reputation- But it's not well earned in my book.  I'm not sure if it's collection techniques, holding facilities, or what exactly, but I have had bad luck with this fish as well.>
Now for the heartbreak!!!! My very well established clown now has the same symptoms...again, ONLY at night. <Ich cysts on his skin?> I know what coming...so I guess my question is.... How, without copper, can I break this cycle?!?!?!? <No way without copper, quarantine.  Garlic can buy you time, but the ich will win someday without proper treatment> I should also mention the Damsel is unaffected...which adds to my confusion! <He will be.  Fish are able to maintain health while exposed to disease- for some time.  Once stress levels rise, disease has an entry.  Some fish are just able to "kick" some ailments...for a time.>
Just for the record...my water tests fine.... and my corals are thriving....I'm a newcomer to this hobby and very discouraged...Please help! <Please read the FAQs about setting up a very cheap, safe quarantine system.  It's well worth it's weight in gold.>
My sincere thanks for any help you may be able to offer <I hope that I have- No magic cures here, but we all have been down this road, and are happy to show you the way. Ryan>
D. McMorrow

Sick! (4/27/04) 
hello-- <How goes it? Michael here> I seem to have a sick Volitans lionfish, he is breathing very heavily. <Not good> I just purchased a Valentini pufferfish and after about a week it seemed to have ich <You didn't quarantine the puffer?> so I put the required amount of Kordon's rid-ich in tank and after second day of dose the lionfish started breathing heavily. <Likely stress from the rid-ich...are you keeping good flow and aeration in the tank?> I then stopped administering the rid-ich and put the carbon back in filter and 3 days later the problems have not gone away. <Crypto is too tough to kill in 3 days, sadly enough> My tank is 55 gal. fish only with a small green wrasse, tomato clown, lion fish and Valentini puffer. <Your aquarium is way overcrowded. Just the Volitans will attain 12"+. Larger quarters are needed!> All water tests have come back well ,salinity is 1.023,78 degree water with a Magnum 350 filter with two BioWheels. <What about pH? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? Also, clean the mechanical pre-filter in your magnum every 3 days or so, with the current bioload> About 3 months ago I had different lionfish and put the rid-ich in the tank with the same results and the lionfish died about 2 weeks later. <Then it obviously wasn't a good idea to do it again - try Seachem's Cupramine or Paraguard> Any idea what I am doing wrong <mostly listed above> if anything other than not having a hospital tank. <Quarantining is essential! Good luck, and read our FAQs regarding Cryptosporidium. M. Maddox>

Is It Ich? (4/11/04) 
Hello, <Hi! Steve Allen tonight> 
I have a marine aquarium that is about 6 weeks old. I have a single Chromis, 6 red legged hermit crabs, 4 turbo snails and have as of today - introduced 2 Blue Cheek Gobies. <Did you quarantine them?> Today, I have noticed the Gobies are rubbing themselves on the coral sand occasionally. They do not seem stressed at the moment but I fear it may be whitespot as I can see a few tiny tiny specs on their fins. <This is alarming.> What is the best method of treating this? <Start here and read all related FAQs: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm  Everything you need to know is there.> Do I need to treat it or is it something that goes way? <It does not go away as long as there are untreated fish in the system--merely stays low-level.> Any info appreciated. <Hope this helps.>

White patches on a blue tang - sounds parasitic 4/10/04 
Hi, guys. Great site. I could use some help. Please take a look at the attached pic. She’s my favorite fish. 
<the pic did not come through my friend (only as hypertext). It looks like you or your mail server tried to embed the image rather than attach it. A glitch regardless> 
This may or may not be related: I recently added a Coral Beauty to the tank. On the 2nd day I noticed some Ich on her fins so I did two treatments with Greenex two days apart. (I has several inverts.) That cleared up the Ich on the CB but now this on the tang. 
<several serious concerns here... the Greenex on the CB was very high risk (dwarf angel sensitivities to organic dyes and metals). The addition of any new fish, coral, plant, algae, etc (anything wet) without quarantine was the scariest of all. It is the reason your blue tang is afflicted and it is a habit that will infect or wipe out your tank one or more times in the future if you continue to add unquarantined fish my friend. I cannot emphasize the importance of QTing all new animals enough. Please read more on our website (articles and FAQs) on the how's and whys of this. Furthermore, you know need a QT/isolation tank to pull fishes back to because you cannot medicate fishes effectively (not to mention the damage/killing of your biological filters) in tanks with substrates (sand/gravel buffer and absorb meds while allowing pathogens to fester)> 
Any help? Mark Robokoff 
<get ye' a bare bottomed QT tank ASAP and follow the prescribed treatments for parasitic infections (Formalin and/or FW dips) outlined in the disease data archived on our free content website wetwebmedia.com. Best of luck! Anthony>

Do White "Hairs" Indicate a Parasite? 4/9/04 
BACKGROUND 
- Friend broke down tank and gave me a 4" blue tang - The tang has pale pits all over its head suggesting lateral line disease, though the line looks fine <natural sunlight and improved feeding will improve this> 
- Tail is frayed and oddly bumpy near its base 
- These symptoms have remained constant for 6 months 
<hmmm... does not sound likely pathogenic for lasting this long without getting better/worse> 
- Behavior completely normal for a blue tang (healthy swimming, appetite, etc) 
- I have provided no treatment 
- Goby and Banggai Cardinal tankmates exhibit no signs of illness 
NEW SYMPTOM 
- I just noticed a series of white "hairs" sticking out from his back, directly below the dorsal fin. 
<odd> 
- These bristles are parallel to each, angled from front to back (like hair blowing in the wind), the thickness of thread, and number about 10. 
QUESTIONS 
1. What's wrong with this fish? 
<not sure by the text description... a clear photo would help. Else do consult a good manual like Untergasser's Handbook of Fish diseases (TFH)> 
2. What should I do to help him? 
<ID the symptom first before any move or treatment. Get your Quarantine tank ready if needed if its not still running> 
Thanks in advance for any relevant info/advice. 
- David 
<I see that you are form Boston... do check out the excellent local club: The Boston Reefers. They have their own website (slips me now... do a keyword search) and they have a forum on reefcentral.com They are also hosting the national conference this year in September.. an event not to be missed! Anthony>

Mauritius Aquarium quarantine issues - 3/31/04 
Hi Mr. Fenner....... 
We are experiencing a number of problems with the public aquarium project here in Mauritius. As a result of inadequate quarantine procedures fish in most of the aquariums have developed either Cryptocaryon or Amyloodinium ( or both) and we have been forced to delay opening. All fish have been removed from the aquariums and we intend to let the tanks go fallow for a minimum period of 3-4 weeks. <Just flush with fresh water for a few days> Will this period be enough? <Again fresh water for a few days> If we were to drop the S.G. to 1.018 <Not low enough. Drop salinity to 15ppt not sure what specific gravity would be> would this help and can we shorten the fallow period? Would a freshwater flush-out of the system help? <Yes as per above> Presumably this will destroy beneficial bacteria. <It will kill them but also kill the crypt> 
In addition to smaller species, we hope to stock some large species (i.e. Trigger fish, parrotfish, surgeons etc. measuring 8-14 inches in length) ....what procedures do other public aquariums operate to quarantine fish of this size? <Same as with small fishes fresh water dip (temp, pH matched water, no ammonia) for three minutes, then immediately remove the fish and place in quarantine tank and the two options for treatment Formalin and copper (one or the other) For Formalin: 5 treatments one every third day 1ml. per gallon for one hour and flush system and refill. For copper: .2ppm for 28 days flush and retreat as needed to maintain water quality. For the long term display tanks drop your salinity to 15ppt not sure what the specific gravity is but easily found.> and Should we incorporate UV in our closed system? <It will help> If so what dimension wattage etc..... For your information the aquariums are set out in four separate shelters( each shelter with its own biological filtration system) Each shelter contains approx. 12 tanks containing 1500 gallons in total. The pump used for each filter is rated at 32 cubic metres per hour. <You will need to go to the manufacturer of UV unit you are looking at and get the ratings for flow and volume before purchasing or you can base your UV unit on the volume of the system and flow rate of the pumps> 
We should be grateful for any advice as to procedures used by other public aquariums and persons we may contact who specialize in public aquaria systems. <No worries ~Paul> 
Thank you once again for your awesome site. <No problem> 
Michael

Parasitic Disease Counter-Attack! 
Hi Scott. 
<Hello again!> 
Thanks for your help with my problem 
<My pleasure!> 
since my last email I have lost the yellow tang and fox face, :( the first fish I ever bought. 
<Sorry to hear that!> 
Whatever it is has also taken 2 fire shrimp and a cleaner 
shrimp. 
<Hmm...may be a coincidental demise of these inverts. Ich is not really a n invertebrate disease> 
The Cuprazin I have mentioned is a copper- based treatment available here in UK, I have now cleaned out the quarantine tank and my reef occupants are in there (fish only). Copper not good for the inverts!?! 
<Nope- not good for them at all!> 
The reef is running fine on its own with just the inverts and live rock, So I will run this on its own. 
<Nothing wrong with that!> 
The 5 ft tank is running ok now after the 100% clean out, so 
hopefully this will help with the reef? 
<Well, if you are dealing with a parasitic problem, running the tank without potential host fishes is your best bet here> 
I will keep you posted as to any further developments, many thanks, again Scott 
J Millar 
<My pleasure! Hope that success in combating this nasty disease comes soon! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Fighting The Good Fight Against Parasites
Greetings!
<Hi There! Scott F. with you today!>
I believe I have an infestation of some sort in my tank which I can’t determine what. Most of my fish are breathing hard and some of them are scratching a lot though not a single spot is visible.
<Could be a parasitic disease, possibly Amyloodinium. This disease does cause rapid breathing, general sluggishness, and more of a "powdery" appearance, as opposed to dots like Ich. It's a lot more lethal, too...Fast response is important>
Nevertheless, I’m planning on moving all of my fish to separate hospital tanks and to treat them with copper (if in case I’m dealing with ich). Since this would be my first time to use copper, I have a couple of questions: would it be safe to treat
some of my fish which might be sensitive to copper, namely a juvenile Emperor Angel, B&W Heniochus, Ocellaris Clowns and a 1.5” Blue Tang?
<I'm partial to copper, but you are correct in assuming that some fishes can be sensitive to it. I'd probably avoid treating the tang with copper, and exercise caution with the Emperor. You could use a formalin based product with these fish>
The copper product that I’ll be using is sera Oodinopur, which suggests to be used at .30 ppm, which seems too high, can I use it at half dosage?
<I would follow manufacturer's instructions to the letter with any medication, especially copper. Don't "free lance" here...>
Would the copper kill all the beneficial bacteria in the filter sponge?
<Usually not too problematic. Frequent water changes and testing (to make sure that the copper stays at a proper therapeutic dose) are mandatory, however.>
I’m a bit apprehensive about continuing with this plan, but I’m out of options right now, unless you have any suggestions. By the way, all parameters have tested fine, and subsequent water changes have shown very little improvement on the fish, which led me to believe this is a parasitic infestation.
<My thinking too>
I would truly appreciate your response.
Sincerely, Mitch
<Well, Mitch, I'd use the "two front" approach that I frequently advocate on WWM: Treat the fish with an effective anti-parasitic treatment in a "hospital" tank, and leave the display tank "fallow", without fishes, for at least a month or so. This technique can usually do the trick! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Another Ich Battle!
It's official, I am truly a huge fan of your site which has taught this biology teacher so much about marine life!  I must thank you again upon  your assistance with helping my clown successfully recover from Brooklynella  after giving him his 15 min. freshwater bath (eternity for the poor guy) and  four months later, he only has a small battle scar.  
<Cool! Glad to hear that!>
Now I am concerned with my Coral Beauty (had him for about a month and did QT him). He appears to have Cryptocaryon, but I am wondering if there are other possibilities out there. Yesterday, he looked like a pinch  of salt was thrown on him - and has my 2 clown and yellow tang looked healthy, I  just threw the "ichy" one into a fresh water bath for 3 minutes - the most he  could
handle.  All 4 fish act healthy.  Today I began to slightly  lower the salinity of the thank to about 1.020 (it's a live rock system with  snails). And raise the temp to about 80.  Before I get into chemicals  or other drastic measures, I want to be sure of a diagnosis.
<Well, if you are dealing with a more virulent illness, Amyloodinium (Marine Velvet), then you're probably seeing other signs, such as rapid breathing, excessive body slime/mucus, and lack of appetite. This disease can kill very rapidly if left unchecked. Sounds to me like it may indeed be ich, which can be treated in a relatively straightforward manner, as you are aware>
Coincidentally, I also noticed extremely small white worms - looks like a smaller version of the pinworm parasite - on the glass of the tank. They are so small I wouldn't be able to take a picture for you so I thought maybe it was a larval form of a parasite.  They do not look like they are ciliated, just thin and much, much smaller than an eyelash. Related?
<I doubt it. Cryptocaryon is a ciliated protozoan. The Cryptocaryon tomonts are around 200-400 microns in diameter, and are round in shape when they are encapsulated in their protective cyst. It sounds like what you're seeing attached to the glass is unrelated, some type of worm or other benthic life form that would be tough to identify without a clear picture>
Or is this Ich - should I do the copper treatment and let the tank go fallow?
<It really sounds to me like you're dealing with ich. As you may know by reading my responses and writings on WWM, I am a strong advocate of the "fallow tank" technique. That would be my choice if the diagnosis was confirmed as ich>
Oh, one more question, are my snails alternate hosts?
<Not to my knowledge>
BTW - my  water condition is excellent. Thanks for your time,
Nadine
<I think that you're on the right track here. Ich is the most likely candidate...Attack it hard, and you'll be successful. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Could It Be Ich?
Hello,
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today>
For the past few days, my Purple Tang has been hiding in the rocks. He is
breathing hard, and just today stopped eating.  He scares easily, and if I get
close to the tank he starts darting about the rocks. I'm really worried.  
What do you think this is. Scott.
<Well, Scott, the rapid breathing, lack of appetite, and "spookiness" can be a couple of things. My first suggestion is to check on your water parameters. If you detect ammonia or nitrite, then you should take immediate action to correct these problems. On the other hand, if water quality is good, and other symptoms begin to manifest themselves, such as excess mucus, spots, etc., then you may be dealing with Cryptocaryon or Amyloodinium, both rather nasty parasitic diseases. The preferred course of action would be to remove the infected fish to a separate tank for treatment with formalin-based medication. Follow manufacturer's instructions to the letter, and monitor the fish carefully. You can beat these nasty illnesses if you intervene quickly enough. Read more under the Parasitic Disease FAQs on the WWM site. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Ich Again!
Hi Scott
<Hi there!>
How r u?
<Doin' fine!>
I have very suddenly lost two fish in a week, first my butterfly and now my pink headed wrasse.
<Sorry to hear that>
The wrasse was eating well, but I noticed he has some fine white spots all over his body, and now my Coral Beauty also has these spots.
<Sounds like ich or Amyloodinium to me. Do you quarantine all of your new arrivals?>
I am regular with my weekly water changes so I don't seem to see the problem, however I am gonna be taking my water in to my LFS for some testing.
<I don't think it sounds like a water quality problem. This sounds like a parasitic disease, and requires treatment (in a separate aquarium) to eradicate. Check under the Parasitic Disease FAQs on the WWM site for much more on diagnosis and treatment than I can go into here>
I also have these white dots on the front glass of my tank, I have been told that it might be snail eggs not sure they are now turning purple and have been there for over  a week.
<Very possibly snail eggs, or even coralline algae!>
Why the white spot, what could be the problem, I was doing fine up till now.
Thanks Ziad
<Well, Ziad- lack of quarantine, environmental stresses, and livestock selection issues are probable causes here. Please do some reading on the WWM site- we have all of the answers that you need. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Regards
Ziad Limbada

- Mystery Spots -
Hello crew,
Thanks for your earlier responses. I have a 55g salt water aquarium with live rock and lace rock. The livestock is as follows -
yellowtail blue damsel, cinnamon clown, yellow goby, arc eye hawk, chalk bass, scooter blenny and coral beauty + about 8 red leg and blue leg snails. I have added the last 3 fish about 2 weeks back (I have been told now to add 1 at a time).
For the last 3 days I have noticed something with the coral beauty and Arc Eye Hawk and am unable to identify. I see real tiny white spots on them. The weird thing is that I see the spots only in the evening/night. In the mornings and during the day I don't see a single spot on them. Is it Ich? <Could be, could also be sand if you have a sand bottom - fish do tend to rest by lying on the bottom of the tank... if the spots are going away during the day, could be ich but fish at this moment are in excellent health, and shrug this off... have observed this before has become more of a problem in time.> I am under the impression that the spots don't appear and disappear at this frequency for Ich. <Not normally.> Both these fish and all the others too are eating food actively and show no signs of sluggishness. <That's good.> I did not want to treat with copper without actually confirming that it is indeed Ich. <I would not treat the main tank with anything at this moment.> I have a 10g quarantine tank. Please suggest the best course of action. <I would catch both of the suspect fish and all of them if you have the energy, and give these fish a pH/temperature-adjusted freshwater dip for five minutes, more if the fish is taking it well. This should act as a first action, perhaps to be done again if the spots return in numbers in the next couple of weeks. Consider getting another quarantine tank for future use - you should have the capacity to remove all your fish from your main tank and be able to keep them somewhere outside of the main system.> I have added about 10lb of live rock about 4 days back. does this have anything to do with it... <It could if the rock was not well cured.> could these spots actually be tiny water bubbles in the tank that are adhering to the fish as it swims during the day and disappear @ night when it is underneath the rocks. <Doubt it would be air bubbles - more likely that this is sand.> Is it loose dirt from the new live rock that I added? <Also possible.>
I am new to the hobby and have been stumbling as I am learning. <No worries - keep a sharp eye out.>
Thanks,
Raj.
<Cheers, J -- >

- Mystery Spots, Follow-up -
Hello again,
OK. the mystery spots are not a mystery anymore. I am fairly convinced it is Ich. the spots came back and stayed and increased a little bit on the coral beauty. <Trouble...> I see 1-2 spots on the hawk and it hasn't changed a lot (the hawk acts a little agitated the past few days). I gave the coral beauty a Methylene blue freshwater dip for 10 min.s day before yesterday and looked like the spots were completely gone... but they came back yesterday and are again gone today. meanwhile I am concerned now with a white cloudy formation at the base of left fin its been there for the last 3 days. the fish is still eating well and picking stuff off the rocks. is this a fungal infection? <More likely bacterial.> should I move the coral beauty to a QT and treat with copper immediately or should I treat with Maracyn? <I'd move it to quarantine and start with a low dose of copper.> please let me know. for lack of a bigger QT can I buy a 30 gallon Rubbermaid container and use it as a quarantine tank. <Certainly.> also what kind of filtration do I need for the QT. <I'd just use a cheap air-lift sponge filter... prepare for regular, large water changes.> If I add a biological filter... won't the medication kill the biological media? <It will at least stall it out... hence the need for daily to every other day large [25-50%] water changes.> please I need advice desperately. In the meanwhile I'll be doing a 15% water change.
Thanks a lot,
Raj.
<Cheers, J -- >

What are those little bugs? (2/24/04)
Hi, <Howdy. Steve Allen here>
  I hope you have the answer. <I'll try.>  We have a 55 gal. saltwater that has been set up for about 5 months.  All our fish are well, level readings are normal.  Problem is what appears to be lice like parasites on the walls of the tank. <Probably not parasites.> Are they a danger to our fish and how should we treat them. <Most likely no danger at all. If they swim/crawl around, they are almost certainly harmless (actually beneficial) mini-crustaceans known as copepods. "Fish lice" are isopods that hang directly on fish. If they appear to be attached to the wall, they may be some sort of harmless marine worm.>  We also noticed larger white parasites that appear to be snail like with a fan tail, also on the walls of the tank. <Do they move? May actually be a mini featherduster worm.> Any advice would be appreciated. <None of these are likely harmful. Enjoy the diversity of life in your tank. Read here to be more certain:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/invertidfaq4.htm
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/pestscopepods/a/aa061200.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/copepodfaqs.htm
http://www.rshimek.com/Invertebrate%20Key%20to%20Major%20Taxa.htm >
  Thank you. <Hope this helps.>

Parasitic Problems...
Dear WetWebMedia,
<Hi there! Scott F. here today>
Hi, my name is Eugene and I am new to the aquarium hobby.
<Welcome!>
I have a problem with my clownfish and pygmy angels. Every time a place a clownfish or angel in my tank they accumulate white spots and in a few days die. What's odd about this is that I have a Firefish, a watchman goby, 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp and hermit crabs that have been in my tank for two months and are doing fine but every time a attempt to add a clownfish or pygmy angel they die within a week. I have attempted using anti-itch medication and even used cleaner shrimp. Is there a way to solve this problem?
Thanks, Eugene
<Well, Eugene. It sounds like you are describing a rather virulent parasitic infection, such as "Marine Ich" (Cryptocaryon), or more likely, "Marine Velvet" (Amyloodinium). The latter is the more deadly of the two. The best treatment for either disease is, of course, prevention. Initial quarantine of all new arrivals for a minimum of three weeks can help isolate the disease and give you the opportunity to defeat it before it hits the display tank. Once it is in your system, my preferred treatment method is to remove all affected fishes to a separate tank for observation and or treatment with a commercial copper sulphate or formalin-based product. Be sure to leave the display tank "fallow", without fishes, for at least a month, which will cause a "crash" in the population of the causative protozoa populations in the absence of hosts. You can check out the Parasitic Disease section and FAQs on the WWM site for lots of good information on diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>