Damsel has something

DakotaSLT · 05-10-2007, 12:09 PM

Hey guys I recently put 2 damsels in my tank their purple bodyed yellow tailed they been in there a couple days now they seem fine. This morning I noticed the smaller damsel has like a silverish patch ontop of his body right behind the head where the top of the fin's start its not that big its probably the size of a pin head maybe a little longer its not swollen or anything just looks like scales are missing. What I was thinking he might of got a little close to the biger one near his rocks and it chased him off and he might of rubed it on a rock and tore off some of his scales. The bigger damsel of course has to be the bully. I looked at pictures of the so called ICH and their more like spotted white. I was thinking of picking up some or Kordons Ich forumula anyone have any thoughts.

I also just noticed when you look down at the smaller damsel looking at the top of his body its hard to see the patch but if you look below him you can see it like a sore thumb its like the light intensfys the silverish patch.

gm333 · 05-10-2007, 09:18 PM

Sounds like he might have run into some rocks, keep an eye on it to mkae sure it doesnt get any bigger or more of the spots start ot show up elsewhere.

DakotaSLT · 05-12-2007, 10:09 AM

Well I think he has the ich I can see a small little white dot on his tail and I watch it flap around in a hole in the rock I guess iching himself ima go out today and get some garlic extract and ich attack see if I can pull him threw it. Poor damsel always gets picked on and now he gets the ich I believe.

Nereaga · 05-12-2007, 10:42 AM

If you already see the Ich on the fish, then it is probaly too late for Ich Attack. The Ich by now has inbedded itself in the fishes scales/gills. I would suggest setting up a HT/QT ASAP. Treating with copper is one of the sure fire ways in curing Ich, you just have to act quickly. The sooner you react the better for you fishes health.

A HT/Qt doesnt have to be anything extrodinary. A 10 gallon tank from walmart. ($9.99) A small HOB heater($9.99). And an air stone/ power filter.($9.99) And thermometer.

Now for dosing copper you have to be careful you dont dose too heavy. Fish are subject to high doses of copper. I would also pick up a copper test kit to monitor copper levels from getting dangerously high.

Water for your HT/QT can consist of a 50-50 mixture. 5 gallons from your display tank and 5 gallons pre-mixed aged water used for water changes. Hope that helps.

You can try Ich Attack, it works about 50% of the time. At least thats what pple on here have experianced.

DakotaSLT · 05-12-2007, 11:04 AM

I wanna know how the ICH came my tank is not even 2weeks old. They patch he has on his head is for sure a wound from the other one. I think ima wait it out and see how he does in a couple days.

Nereaga · 05-12-2007, 12:26 PM

Is your tank cycled??? Or did you just put damsels in right away???

DakotaSLT · 05-12-2007, 12:28 PM

Its still in going through cycling I wanted to get some waste in there to help out the cycling.

Nereaga · 05-12-2007, 12:32 PM

Do you have test kits to tell us what your water parameters are?

There is going to be a lot of water changes during the initial cycling process. Some fish can handle them and some can't. Thats why it is advised to cycle your tank before additions of livestock. Biggest thing you need to learn is patience patience patience.

DakotaSLT · 05-12-2007, 12:40 PM

Here is my parameters.

Ph= 8.2ppm
AMon= 0-0.25ppm
Nitrite= 2.0pm (yesterday it was at 0)
Nitrate= 0ppm
Salinity= 1.022-1.023

Nereaga · 05-12-2007, 12:58 PM

Ok well they are not too high yet. You are only 2 weeks into it so they will still rise until week 4 or so then decline again. So you have a ways to go still until you get through a complete cycle.

With you ICH issue, not too sure on why you have ICH. Most local fish stores(lfs) run a small amount of copper in all their systems. So it is hard to tell if a fish while in their tank has been exposed to ICH. Thats why a Quaratine Tank(QT) is some important. You hold the new arrivals in there for a minimun of 2 weeks, some do that for 4 weeks just to be sure. If they do show signs of ICH you can treat them in a 10g tank instead of your display take. Unfortunately the ICh life cycle lasts about 6-8 weeks without a host. So that mean keeping your display tank fish free for 8 weeks until the ICH has a chance to die off...

During an ICH attack you may see your fish clear up for a day of visable white spots, only for the next day to see even double or triple spots. This is because more ICh is hatching in your tank..