white dots...and fish acting funny

[JohnK]

I strongly suggest you do some research on Ick. FW dips won't IMO do much. Once the parisite is in the tank, it's not just on the fish. The FW dip will help to reduce the infection on the fish, but the cysts will still be in the tank.

If you take that approach, you'll be fighting a losing battle. Catching the fish and dipping them will stress them out a ton, and most likely in the long run make things worse.

(Assuming it is Ick, which IMO it sounds like it is) you need to pick a treatment approach and stick with it.
Your options are;
A- Manage the Ick by providing ideal conditions so the fish can fight the infection
B- Eradicate the infection by treating the fish with hypo or copper, meanwhile keeping the display %100 fishless for at least 6 weeks (8-10 is better/safer.)

Sadly, as things are, option A is out of the question because your overstocked (='s much stress), and your tank isn't fully cycled (='s even more stress).

Also, the mandarin won't do well with either ick eradication strategy IMO.

This leaves you in a tough spot. I don't know what to tell you. If it were me, I would attempt to eradicate the infection, but with the knowledge that it's very unlikely that the mandarin will survive.

Sorry to sound so negative, but your in a bad place right now IMO.

BTW, don't be surprised if the spots go away pretty soon. Don't get excited, it's just part of the lifecycle, the spots will be back with a vengance.

Please search on this site for "ick" and "ick treatment", and also go to reefcentral and read the stickys at the top of the "fish disease treatment" fourm.

Good luck and keep posting,
sorry to sound so negative, but you really are in a tough spot right now.

 

[daze123]

i put in some green last night did a water change today water levels are fine now...and reason for the water change after the chemicle tryn to wash it away i think one more water change and ill try the copper i had picked that up also today...but u cant mix...so ill wait a few days let the filter media eat up whats left of the green chemicle...then ill try the copper.

ran into this prob before but waited to long to try and treat so hopfully i caught this in time

 

[smcnally]

I hope you don't have any inverts or corals if you are treating your tank with copper.

 

[JohnK]

second on what steve said. If you treat with copper, you'll kill any corals/inverts you have. Also, copper will stay with the rock exct, so basically if you dose copper you'll never be able to have corals/inverts unless you replace everything.