Disease Free ??

[rinconmike]

I have a 150 FOWLR tank. Around 15 months ago I had what I beleived was ich and treated with cupramine. At the time, my biological was bio-balls and no live rock.

My question is, if fish seem fine and there are no signs of ich, is it valid to assume there is no disease or is there a chance it is there, but just has not re-surfaced.

My tank currently has:

6" Porcupine Puffer
24" Snowflake Eel
6" Banana Wrasse (QTed before going in display)
6" Red Breasted Wrasse (QTed before going in display)
5" Niger Trigger (QTed before going in display)
3" Coral Beauty (QTed before going in display)

At the time I treated with cupramine, I only had the puffer and eel. I think I might have had a hippo tang and butterfly I removed some time ago.

I also have a 29 biocube reef that had a clown and small hippo tang. This tank has been up for over 2 years. a week ago I removed the tang to my 55 QT. That tank has never had signs of disease and after putting the tang in the 55QT, still no signs. I am getting the tang ready to move (eventually) to my 150.

Same question, if no signs of disease for 2 years, is it valid to assume disease free.

For the 29 bio cube, the clown and tang were not QTed before going in. For the 150, the puffer and eel also were not QTed. However, As I learned, my newer fish were QTed for 6 to 8 weeks.

thanks,

Mike

[MrTuskfish]

How long has the tank been ich free SINCE the last introduction of any livestock, or anything else wet?

[rinconmike]

Around a year for the 29 biocube.

For the 150, the only added items in the last 15 months are fish that I QTed first. I also added some Live Rock, but the Live Rock was dry Pukani from BRS that I cured in a can for a couple months first so I think that is safe.

The last set of fish added are the Niger Trigger and Banana Wrasse moved from the QT to the 150 about a month ago.

thanks,

Mike

[MrTuskfish]

I think you're safe and the chances of any leftover ich are extremely low. But there is no such thing as 100% certainty.

[rinconmike]

so far the fish seem fine; however, last night I noticed to specs on the side of the Coral Beauty. I do not think they were there the day before. I have been pretty good at looking at all the fish daily these days. The spec looks like a grain of sand.

Tonight, there is only one spec on the side (looks like the same spot as last night) and now one above the eye.

The CB also has HLLE that I am trying to fix too (I think it has gotten better in the last few weeks, or at least not worse).

Tonight I also noticed one spec on the Niger Trigger that was not there last night.

The Niger (and sometimes the wrasse and puffer) are constantly throwing sand around.

I am hoping these three specs (two on CB and one on the Niger) are indeed just sand.

If it was ich, would it be worse that just a couple of specs.

I have read through the stickies. I know there is the life cycle and the cysts come and go, but I thought if it was ich, it would be more obvious.

All the fish are fat, except the CB. but I think that is more because of the struggle to get some food. CB does not look thin, just not fat like the others.

Thanks,

Mike

[rinconmike]

If anyone has comments or advice on the above, that will be great. Also, I do have another post on the CB that had stringy poop, but the guys at WWM noted to leave it be for now. He said that could be stress.

thanks,

Mike

[MrTuskfish]

You could have some flukes, or other worm-parasites. IMO & IME; all fish dhould be de-wormed. It can be done in the DT with Prazi-Pro; a very safe med that will only kill worms (including feather-dusters.

[rinconmike]

thanks for the comments. In re-reading my post, I left off one thing. The eel has a tiny white spec in the center of one eye. it has been like that for a month. I figured he scratched it.

Adding in the eel white spec, the CB stingy poop, and now these white specs your suggestion sounds right. Well, I like it better than ich.

I will give prazipro a try.

For water volume, if I have a 150gallon display with around 2" (maybe less) of sand, around 60 pounds of pukani LR, 1 large coral skeleton. Then a sump that holds 15 gallons at the constant level, but I have 20 pounds of LR and 4 liters of seachmen matrix in it.

Any simple way of figuring out the real water volume due to the LR?

[rinconmike]

well when i got home, the niger had no marks and the CB the same on the side and i think the same over the eye.

[rinconmike]

I still have not done a prazipro treatment.

No spots on the niger.

Still one spec on the side of the CB.

I did calculate my water volume at 135 gallons and might pull the skimmer (want to clean anyway) and give it a try. Just a little concerned do it.

For prazipro, 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons I would use 6.75 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons plus .75 teaspoon.

Thanks.

Mike