Ick in Brackish?

Chill · 02-25-2007, 01:21 PM

I have what looks like Ick in my Brackish tank. I would have thought Ick would not be possible at a SG of 1.012? Any body have any experience with Ick in a Brackish tank. Could this be marine ick. It effecting the Columbian Sharks the scats have a red discoloration but no white spots. Any help here would be appreciated.

OrionGirl · 02-25-2007, 02:11 PM

I doubt it. That's too high of salinity for the FW version, and too low for the marine version. I'd suspect something else--there are other parasites.

Chill · 02-25-2007, 03:41 PM

Thanks. One artcile on hyposalinity I read says marine ick can survive down to 1.009. I couldn't see it being FW ick but I'm clutching at straw's here. I've had these fish for years.

Any suggestions on other parasites. No indication last night and covered this morning. Looks like probale fatality for one fish all ready.

By the way I posted to several forums and this is the quickest reply I've received.

OrionGirl · 02-25-2007, 03:49 PM

I've never had marine ich survive that low--but I'd be afraid to expose a SW fish to that level for long, either!

Hmmmm...since it's only the sharks, I'd wonder if it's not something else entirely, actually. Any other symptoms? How long have you had them?

Chill · 02-25-2007, 03:54 PM

Half banded scats turning red - possibly abrasions from scratching? Had the sharks for over five years. Don't see it being poison -can't imagine anything finding it's way into the tank.

Chill · 02-25-2007, 03:55 PM

Heavy breathing one shark and one scat starting to list to the side.

OrionGirl · 02-25-2007, 03:56 PM

Check the tank parameters. Had anything been added that could have introduced either parasite? I'd also increase surface agitation.

Chill · 02-25-2007, 03:58 PM

Nothing added. Have all ready increased temperature and agitation.

OrionGirl · 02-25-2007, 04:03 PM

So if nothing has been added, it's not ich--it's not a lurking parasite.

Chill · 02-26-2007, 05:36 AM

One thing added that I forgaot about. When the water sprite overgrows the freshwater tank I throw some in for the scats to eat. I've been doing this for a couple of years with no previous problem.

Parameters are a littlle high but not fatal high. However I had performed an emergency water change before I checked them. I had also added some Ich remedey that I had not sure if that effects the readings. Sure looks like Ich but maybe I had a filter crash?

One dead Scat and one dead Colombian this morning. Others looking stressed but less coating.

OrionGirl · 02-26-2007, 07:58 AM

Test results? What would have caused a filter crash? What else would have changed? I doubt that the water sprite would have introduced a parasite.

What's the temp?

blackwolfXKAV · 02-26-2007, 08:40 AM

This may explain what happened to your columbian shark:

http://fishquest.proboards80.com/ind...d =1170728707

OrionGirl · 02-26-2007, 08:43 AM

He has them in high end brackish, where they will be fine.

Chill · 02-26-2007, 10:06 AM

Don't have the test results here at work with me. They were trace levels, only into the first gradient on amonia. Nitrates were a bit elevated possibly 2nd gradient. Sorry don't know PPM - but low. As I said though this was after the emergency water change and increased aeration so it could have been higher prior. Also don't know if medication effects results.

PH about 8, sg 1.012. Temperature 78 degrees before it happened. I turned the heater up when I thought it might be ich (I added three airstones to increase oxygen to compensate for higher heat and laboured breathing) temperature climbed into 80's but never reached 90. I turned the heater down about 1:00 AM this morning. Temperature is back at 78.

Only thing that could have caused a filter crash was routine matiance and water change 2-3 days previous. Maybe a 20% water change and rinsed half of the filter media in tank water. I'm 98% positive SG was maintained but I'm starting to second guess myself.

blackwolfXKAV · 02-26-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrionGirl

He has them in high end brackish, where they will be fine.

These fish may survive in high end brackish while juvenilles, but after the years they've been in there, it is time for them to be moved to full marine.

OrionGirl · 02-26-2007, 10:10 AM

Hmmm...That would be the first thing I would check--too sudden a change in salinity can be no problem for the fish but lethal to the bacteria.

Chill · 02-26-2007, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackwolfXKAV

These fish may survive in high end brackish while juvenilles, but after the years they've been in there, it is time for them to be moved to full marine.

They probably should be in full marine. Which is where I was considering taking them - although they do seem to enjoy some movement up and down as far as SG goes. However I would think prolonged exposure to too low a SG would result in a gradual decline not an overnight catastrophe.

Incidentaly I don't recommend these fish to anyone. I purchased them before I knew better and I've did what I can to care for them since, including trying to find someone more capable of providing proper care. They were the catalyst for my interst in the hobby and I think they're beautiful fish, but they're just not fish that should be kept by the average aquarist.

Chill · 02-26-2007, 05:54 PM

Lost the remaining Shark and Scat as well. Not sure what the cause was. Ruled out sg swing on last water change as it was 1.012 before and 1.012 after. Guess I will never know. Thanks for the help.

They will be missed but not replaced. Any future brackish tanks will be limited to BB Gobies or Knight Gobies.

02-25-2007, 01:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Ick in Brackish? I have what looks like Ick in my Brackish tank. I would have thought Ick would not be possible at a SG of 1.012? Any body have any experience with Ick in a Brackish tank. Could this be marine ick. It effecting the Columbian Sharks the scats have a red discoloration but no white spots. Any help here would be appreciated.

02-25-2007, 02:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	I doubt it. That's too high of salinity for the FW version, and too low for the marine version. I'd suspect something else--there are other parasites. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-25-2007, 03:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Thanks. One artcile on hyposalinity I read says marine ick can survive down to 1.009. I couldn't see it being FW ick but I'm clutching at straw's here. I've had these fish for years. Any suggestions on other parasites. No indication last night and covered this morning. Looks like probale fatality for one fish all ready. By the way I posted to several forums and this is the quickest reply I've received. Last edited by Chill : 02-25-2007 at 03:50 PM.

02-25-2007, 03:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	I've never had marine ich survive that low--but I'd be afraid to expose a SW fish to that level for long, either! Hmmmm...since it's only the sharks, I'd wonder if it's not something else entirely, actually. Any other symptoms? How long have you had them? __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-25-2007, 03:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Half banded scats turning red - possibly abrasions from scratching? Had the sharks for over five years. Don't see it being poison -can't imagine anything finding it's way into the tank. Last edited by Chill : 02-25-2007 at 03:56 PM.

02-25-2007, 03:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Heavy breathing one shark and one scat starting to list to the side.

02-25-2007, 03:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	Check the tank parameters. Had anything been added that could have introduced either parasite? I'd also increase surface agitation. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-25-2007, 03:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Nothing added. Have all ready increased temperature and agitation.

02-25-2007, 04:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	So if nothing has been added, it's not ich--it's not a lurking parasite. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-26-2007, 05:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	One thing added that I forgaot about. When the water sprite overgrows the freshwater tank I throw some in for the scats to eat. I've been doing this for a couple of years with no previous problem. Parameters are a littlle high but not fatal high. However I had performed an emergency water change before I checked them. I had also added some Ich remedey that I had not sure if that effects the readings. Sure looks like Ich but maybe I had a filter crash? One dead Scat and one dead Colombian this morning. Others looking stressed but less coating.

02-26-2007, 07:58 AM	#11 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	Test results? What would have caused a filter crash? What else would have changed? I doubt that the water sprite would have introduced a parasite. What's the temp? __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-26-2007, 08:40 AM	#12 (permalink)
blackwolfXKAV You're kidding? Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 183	This may explain what happened to your columbian shark: http://fishquest.proboards80.com/ind...d =1170728707 __________________ Marine Ornamental Fish & Invert Breeders

02-26-2007, 08:43 AM	#13 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	He has them in high end brackish, where they will be fine. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-26-2007, 10:06 AM	#14 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Don't have the test results here at work with me. They were trace levels, only into the first gradient on amonia. Nitrates were a bit elevated possibly 2nd gradient. Sorry don't know PPM - but low. As I said though this was after the emergency water change and increased aeration so it could have been higher prior. Also don't know if medication effects results. PH about 8, sg 1.012. Temperature 78 degrees before it happened. I turned the heater up when I thought it might be ich (I added three airstones to increase oxygen to compensate for higher heat and laboured breathing) temperature climbed into 80's but never reached 90. I turned the heater down about 1:00 AM this morning. Temperature is back at 78. Only thing that could have caused a filter crash was routine matiance and water change 2-3 days previous. Maybe a 20% water change and rinsed half of the filter media in tank water. I'm 98% positive SG was maintained but I'm starting to second guess myself.

02-26-2007, 10:10 AM	#16 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,715	Hmmm...That would be the first thing I would check--too sudden a change in salinity can be no problem for the fish but lethal to the bacteria. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

02-26-2007, 05:54 PM	#18 (permalink)
Chill Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 970	Lost the remaining Shark and Scat as well. Not sure what the cause was. Ruled out sg swing on last water change as it was 1.012 before and 1.012 after. Guess I will never know. Thanks for the help. They will be missed but not replaced. Any future brackish tanks will be limited to BB Gobies or Knight Gobies.

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