Marine Velvet or Ich? *PICS*
 

After my recent crash/poison episode my butterfly and triggerfish have started to get major symptoms for ich or possibly velvet. They have it had it for about 6 solid days now and are still eating. They look uncomfortable, scraping rocks at times and hiding a lot more than usual. Is it possible to have both at same time? Would they be dead by now if it was velvet? It always looks worse when lights come on in the morning. My camera is not the greatest, so symptoms can only really be seen on the butterfly. The trigger has lint type spots/residue on its head and a white film/residue on its fins that are hard to see on camera.

Please help advising if you think its Ich or velvet? Both if possible?

Notice Larger white spots but then thin white coat covering most of body

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...r/CIMG8116.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...r/CIMG8120.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...r/CIMG8125.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...r/CIMG8126.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...r/CIMG8135.jpg

Ich

+1

I would would say Ick for sure, if it has been 6 days and they are still eating. When one of my tanks got hit with the dreaded velvet it only took a matter of a few days and half my fish where dead, the rest just started to rot away. None of they would eat or even swim around.

I'm saying Ich however the only person that I know of who had both in the same tank and worked through it was Laurie fishoholic so see what she says

Ich. I'd get treating them in hypo asap. I just lost my butterfly to ich because I tried to let t fight it off naturally but it just kept coming back. I was fine and eating well until one day it just took a serious turn for the worse and was dead in 48 hours.

Hard to say from the pic.'s it looks more like ich but my velvet looked just like ich for the 1st week then it turned into more of a slime coat cotton type covering over the fish, after a week and a half. My fish still ate for the first week too, I would keep a close eye on it. Hypo works well for ich but doesn't work on velvet, only copper treatment in a QT system works on velvet.

ICH, I had a recent out break of ich, my hippo, yellow, sailfin all had it, I tried protomarine since it was the only choicefor a tank with a lot of corals, but I really don't think it did anything. After conversing with the guys at JL, I bought a bottle of selcom and garlic extract, feed them twice a day once in the morning once at night. Now it has been 3 month, the hippo still get a spot here and there but the rest of them are back to full health again. I really think the garlic help fight off the diesease and also boost the appetite of the fish. IMO if you have a hospital tank and if you are lucky enough to catch the fish then copper is the way to go but if you are like the most of us, I would just keep them well fed with selcom and garlic, let it take its course, and with any luck come out victorious in a few month.

Thanks for all the help. I am still puzzled because I will see big spots on them in the morning, like sea salt size. Then later on there are still a few spots but mainly look like someone dumped baby powder on them. If you look at the butterfly in the pick, the black stripes use to be pure black. Now there is cotton powder coating everywhere... I thought ich had fairly distinctive spots?

I want to setup a hospital tank, the only issue is maintenance. I cant deal with water change everyday and getting the copper set to a perfect level on a daily basis. I am feeding frozen mysis,brine,bloodworms,pellets,flake about 3-4 times a day soaked in garlic guard and selcon. Definately a lot of extra nutrients, but figured keep them eating as much as I can. I guess I will just continute to do this until I see one take a turn for the worse and then take drastic measures...

apex82, I forgot to mention JL and OA which are my lfs both have offered to take my ick infested fish in for treatment. if I were you I would try to take them out to the lfs if they are willing and let them treat it. Just a thought.