Mandarin Emergency!!!

[dvrdwn10]

Ok here's my problem,
I recently have QT'd two tangs of mine that had contracted ICH, just today i have noticed that my female MANDARIN goby has white spots and bumps all over her. IS this ICH?? she has bumps and white spots all over. Now my first question does anyone know of anything that female mandarins will do around a male cause i have a male/female pair. I have noticed that there is a lot of white stuff being released from her when she's around the male, and i figured that this was all related to mating. But the more i look the more i think this is ich. I have successfully qt'd the male thinking that if she has it HE will either have it or get it soon. Anyone out there that can shed some light would be a great help thanks

[Mattmcf]

I doubt it is ich. If you read the article about mandarins this month (home page under TOTM) they mention mandarins cannot contract ich. Good luck

[barnett8]

I doubt it is ich as well, mandarins have a VERY thick (and toxic) slime coat that most organisms have a hard time getting through. Might it be sand?

[tcmfish]

The white stuff is not related to spawning. In order for them to spawn they will shoot up to the surface close together then release eggs and sperm.

I wouldn't worry too much though, could be sand as stated above, but I don't really know. If she is eating I would just keep packing her with food and I suspect she will be fine.

[David - Miami]

I would suggest posting a picture.

Tcm - Nice Marine Beta. Sorry to hijack the thread, but are they reef safe? I have a cleaner shrimp and a banded shrimp and somebody told me they will try to eat them.

[tcmfish]

In my experience with them they won't. The pair I have now doesn't eat any large shrimp like those. It definately won't eat the banded shrimp. The only shrimp they eat are small about the size of ghost shrimp you would buy as feeders.

They look so much better in person though and IMO are very underrated.

[rkelman]

"they mention mandarins cannot contract ich."

This isn't true. Its not likely but they can get ich. A trait of most Dragonettes. They are most vulnerable is something causes them to lose their slime coat.

[IanMNY]

Mandarins are actually a very hardy fish. The have a thick slime coat and lack scales. Mandarins are actually incapable of getting a lot of the diseases that most other fish can contract. The most likely culprit is, as most people have stated, sand. Because the mandarins do have a thick slime coat things like sand and debris may end up sticking to the fish. On a side note mandarins should never be treated for Cryptocaryon irritans or any external parasite with any medication, because the lack scales typical medications will end up doing more harm than good.

[Ehaze]

I had one, it was the only one to live out of 5 fish. (when I first started) I lost 3 tangs and a pair of clowns. the lfs said it was okay...

I should have stated, that everything was fine until I put in the last tang, then everything went downhill with ich, really fast the sohal lasted the longest.

[downhillbiker]

Mine gets sand on it all the time and it does look like ich. But then i look again later and it has gone. Please post pictures for us to help you diagnose the problem.

[BuddhaKiss]

As already stated, post a pic. It's probably sand. Sometimes when mine pecks at the sandbed, he'll kick up some sand and detritus which will usually stick to him. I wouldn't QT it. It might do more harm than good considering their feeding requirements.

[downhillbiker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13488063#post13488063 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BuddhaKiss
As already stated, post a pic. It's probably sand. Sometimes when mine pecks at the sandbed, he'll kick up some sand and detritus which will usually stick to him. I wouldn't QT it. It might do more harm than good considering their feeding requirements.

and considering their slime coating. if they are put in a copper solution they make a rediculous amount of slime as a stress response. i dont know much more, but i have always been told NOT to QT them because they are so sensitive.