Does my fish have ick?

[coolcomfort]

I just received this gulper catfish and he had this white spot on his nose. I assumed it was from bumping his nose into the glass. However, then I see 2 white dots develop on each side of his fins. Not sure if they were already there, but I don't think they were. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[tlindsey]

I just received this gulper catfish and he had this white spot on his nose. I assumed it was from bumping his nose into the glass. However, then I see 2 white dots develop on each side of his fins. Not sure if they were already there, but I don't think they were. Anyone got any ideas?

If possible take a pic of the Gulper not moving. I don't think it is Ick but possibly something bacterial.

 

[kno4te]

Hard to tell in the video. Get a net and hold up against the glass.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Video was of little help except I do not think the white spot on the nose itself is ich. That spot seems too large.
I could not see the fins well enough.
I usually look for ich on clear fins. It will be very small spots.

Hello; I guess you put the new catfish directly into a community tank and did not QT. This will mean that what ever the spots turn out to be that all fish are exposed. If the new fish does have ich then it can take a few days for the ich to show up on the other fish. The parasite will mature on the fish by feeding on the fish and then produce eggs. The eggs will drop off and take a few days to hatch out. You will know in a few days as the whole tank will be infected.
May I suggest to always QT new fish.

 

[coolcomfort]

Hello; Video was of little help except I do not think the white spot on the nose itself is ich. That spot seems too large.
I could not see the fins well enough.
I usually look for ich on clear fins. It will be very small spots.

Hello; I guess you put the new catfish directly into a community tank and did not QT. This will mean that what ever the spots turn out to be that all fish are exposed. If the new fish does have ich then it can take a few days for the ich to show up on the other fish. The parasite will mature on the fish by feeding on the fish and then produce eggs. The eggs will drop off and take a few days to hatch out. You will know in a few days as the whole tank will be infected.
May I suggest to always QT new fish.

The other fish are just minnows. Do you suggest I treat it for ICK or fungus? I have PIMAFIX and API LIQUID SUPER ICK

 

[duanes]

I agree with the others, the video is not much help.
A clear still photo would be much better.
Here is what ick looks like.

 

[skjl47]

The other fish are just minnows. Do you suggest I treat it for ICK or fungus? I have PIMAFIX and API LIQUID SUPER ICK

Hello; No I am not suggesting anything as yet. I never treat with meds as a "just in case." If it is ich you will know soon.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; let me add a couple of things. Yes you will want to start treatment a soon as you are sure it is ich. I would not suggest the meds you name and would use salt and warmer tank water. Does not mean those meds will not work, just that I have not used them.

Another point is the example of an ich outbreak Duanes showed is well advanced. If you catch it earlier there will not be as many of the parasites on the fish. However it will not take long for an outbreak to get bad.

If it actually is ich you will be able to see in a few days. Also all the fish and the tank will be infected so any treatment will need to be for the entire tank.
good luck

 

[duanes]

I agree with Jeff, in my pic, those fish with that advanced case of ick, were cured using only salt from the hardware store, either rock or water softener type.
When I treat it is usually a bank of minimally, 200-300 gallons, and between 7 and 12 lbs of salt is needed to bring that volume of water up to a salinity that will kill emerging ick (at least 3.5 ppt (parts per thousand), as it pops from the cysts on the fish.
Just for reference, full strength sea water is approx 35 ppt.
By the way salt (NaCl) is salt, whether its rock, kosher, aquarium salt, it all works, and is also all the same mineral, just a different degree of size in crystals.

 

[white specter crayfish]

I don't think it's ich, ich doesn't show up as one dot, then move to 2 dots, it goes from a few spots, to no spots, to a crap ton of spots, this is the life cycle of ich.
1. it is on a fish as a cyst, usually on the fins or gills because it's easier to latch on there
2. the ich drops after 48 hours usually and multiplies in the substrate
3. the ich is then active and looking for hosts (this is when you can treat it, this is also when there is no ich on your fish)
4. the ich reattaches to the fish, this time there is more of it

here is a video if you want a more detailed explanation and better help for it