white spot or ich

[tracey]

Hi all! I'm new on here so dont understand some short hand like LFS (local fish shop) so just bare with me thanks. i have an out break of white spot in my tank with my fresh water tropical tank it was easy to handle but even though i work in LFS i have only tried a wide range treatment in my tank. i dont have a quarantine tank (excuse my spelling) so cant do some things that are suggested in other posts. although my employer tries hard to help me sometimes i know more than him which isnt much in the whole scheme of things! LOL. i'm just curiouse to know what i can do due to the risk of my hovercraft boxfish poisining my tank? Thanks.

[leebca]

You can do what is recommended here, or do nothing. The alternatives to doing what is in this reference link is pretty much nothing: Curing Fish of Marine Ich

First you want a diagnosis and that link will help you with that. Next you want the cure for what is diagnosed. Sadly, there are no shortcuts to moving fish out of the display system and into a treatment tank. The quarantine tank is part of the hobby and part of a setup. They are not that expensive, can be bought used, or even as a kit for $40 or less at some chain pet or department stores.

Regarding vocabulary, a nice listing of words used in the hobby can be found here: Glossary of FOWLR Terms

Good luck!

[tracey]

thank you for quick reply. i have another question plz my friend said to me that manderins dont get white spot is this true and do i have to quarentine them?
and is white spot and ich the same parasite?

[leebca]

Mandarins do get infected by Marine Ich. They have better resistance to infection than many marine fishes do, but they get it, carry it, and spread it. These fish must be treated when exposed to Marine Ich AND they must be quarantined like ALL marine fishes -- no exceptions. This is covered in the link and the links within that link, I've provided.

Since people keep giving common names to life, it is hard to know what anyone means! Marine Ich is scientifically known as Cryptocaryon irritans. Whoever uses another term is responsible to tell you the scientific name of what it is they are talking about. If they don't know it, they may not be a person to get advice from. Some people call Marine Ich white spot, but white spot is thrown about to mean other conditions, too.

[tracey]

To QT all of my fish at the same time i would need a 400L tank the same size as my DT so is a bit impractical i only have a 35L tank spare and would not fit my tang in there! is ther anoter way i can treat DT?

[leebca]

I understand the problem. You and others have been faced with the same scenario, given they were not advised of how to prevent disease from getting into a large display system.

There is the right way or don't do anything. The right way is to move fish out of the display system to eradicate the parasite from the system and to treat the fish. If you choose to do nothing, then let the system run for one year without any marine life additions. It turns out the parasite weakens to the point of being ineffective in about a year. After that year, quarantine all marine life going into the display. During the waiting period expect premature deaths of some of your marine life.

Using the size guide in the link: A Fish Quarantine Process set up multiple tanks if necessary. Also keep in mind it doesn't have to be an aquarium/tank. It can be clean plastic containers up to and including garbage size, although it is harder to determine when the fish are cured without looking at them from the side.

After the treatment, the excess tanks/containers can be sold.

This is the hobby. No short cuts.

Much easier to not let the parasite into the display then try to get it out after it's in.