Tim - you can also try looking at Myxazin, if the Herbtana does not work for you. It is touted to be "reef safe" as well. Also - try increasing your alkalinity to ie. 12. This was also said to work, including raising the water temperature to ie. 28/29 degrees for a short period of time (about 2 days or so).....
Itchy fish?
- Thread starter Tim S
- Start date
Another thing - try and feed your fish (and the heniochus) some freshly cut/crushed garlic together with the food..... this should increase the fish's immune system, which should take care of the whitespot.
Frans was right that increasing your salin will be worse for the fish/ Decreasing your salin nhas two important functions 1stly the parasite cannot survive in a lower salin , the fish can so this will rid you of the parasite 2nd the lower salin also makes the fish less stressed and helps the feeshy to use its energy more effectively. But it can play havoc on other orgs in your system.
My oppinion is that your salin of 1022 was why the regal improved, the banner though is much more sensitive and will struggle to shake the white spot be very careful cause white spot weakens the fish's imune system and if there are any other parasites in your water coloum that are dormant they will infect your fish, the most common is velvet and for your sake Im gonna say a prayer that this does not happen to you as it did to me a few years back. I believe a low salin of between 1013 and 1009 should be the cure but you cant do this to your dispplay it has to be in a QT tank.
I also agree with Frans that catching a sick fish will stress it out and might just be the nail in the coffin
Jacques did I read right or did you miss type about increasing the salin ???? Our do you know something I dont about higher salin ???????
Trev
Ahhh my bad Jacques I read increasing your alkalinity and all my worn out brain registered was increasing your "alinity" my bad sorry
Trev
My salinity level was quite low and noticed the scratching going on. The advice at that stage was to return the salinity to the prefered levels to narrow down the possible causes of the fish scraching against the rocks. It later became evident it was white spot which I treated for 2 weeks with Herbtana and turned the skimmer off. Had a real problem with that part... The other fish never got the spots only the heni and the regal. The regal cleared but the wimpel is literally covered in the morning. I have 2 cleaner shrimps and a cleaner wrasse and they work on him all day long and by evening he looks semi descent but totaly irritated with the wrasse by then. He eats well and does not hide. The next morning it starts all over again. His colour is starting to look a bit offish now too so for the sake of one fish the rest of my tank is more important. I'll drop the salinity and raise the alkilinity slowly over the next week and see how it goes but I must get the heni out of there as he is perpetuating the white spot.
It is not the heni that is perpetuating the parasite, it is your tank. It is there to stay as long as there are fish present, the heni is jus the one that is more stressed/susceptible.
I don´t know what would be more stressfull to a fish, having the gills and skin covered with a parasite that itches constantly and wrasses and shrimp following it, or to get it out and submiting it to treatment.
I don´t know what would be more stressfull to a fish, having the gills and skin covered with a parasite that itches constantly and wrasses and shrimp following it, or to get it out and submiting it to treatment.