Blue tang suddenly sick

[TJustice86]

My blue tang was (appeared to be anyway) fine two days ago. I hadn't seen him come out of hiding since then, so I moved the rock around and found him like this? It's looking like it might be too late for him, but any guesses as to what is going on?

 

[blaxsun]

#fishmedic

 

[threebuoys]

My blue tang was (appeared to be anyway) fine two days ago. I hadn't seen him come out of hiding since then, so I moved the rock around and found him like this? It's looking like it might be too late for him, but any guesses as to what is going on?

That looks serious. Can you provide a bit more info?

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Do you have the ability to put a QT tank together quickly and do you have any meds on hand?

 

[vetteguy53081]

My blue tang was (appeared to be anyway) fine two days ago. I hadn't seen him come out of hiding since then, so I moved the rock around and found him like this? It's looking like it might be too late for him, but any guesses as to what is going on?

This fish appears to have velvet and will need immediate quarantine and treatment.
With ich, you can generally count the dots whereas with velvet, it represents the solar system as in the case of your tang. velvet spots on the fish that are much finer than the spots seen in Ich making it harder to catch until in cases too late to treat.
Some behaviors associated with a fish with velvet are :
- Scratching body against hard objects
- Fish is lethargic
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Rapid, labored breathing
- Fins clamped against the body
- rapid breathing and mucus around the gills

Fish with velvet will typically stay at the surface of the water, or remain in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium. As the disease progresses outwards from the gills, the cysts then become visible on the fins and body. Although these cysts may appear as tiny white dots the size of a grain of salt, like the first sign of Saltwater Ich or White Spot Disease, what sets Oodinium apart from other types of ich is that at this point the fish have the appearance of being coated with what looks like a whitish or tan to golden colored, velvet-like film, thus the name Velvet Disease.
Remove fish from main tank and give them a FW dip or bath and then place them into a QT with vigorous aeration provided. Treat the fish in the QT with a copper-based medication. Although many over-the-counter remedies contain the general name as ich or ick treatments, carefully read the box to be sure it is specifically designed to target Oodinium.

 

[Sharkbait19]

To me, those actually look like flukes. A lot of them. You’ll want to catch it and FW dip for identification, then quarantine it immediately. PraziPro is an excellent medication for flukes, but formalin can also be effective.

 

[TJustice86]

I don’t really have ability to setup a QT tank quickly. Can I treat the main tank? It’s a 90 gallon FOWLR and a 20 gallon sump. One of the other fish isn’t showing spots but it’s behavior has changed as well.
Also, would a 5 gallon bucket with a chunk of rock work as a QT tank?

 

[TJustice86]

So the spots have all but disappeared overnight, still looks like there is something going on though. Yesterday was water change day, could those spots just have been detritus that I stirred up during the water change?

Also, if she is feeling better/normal, I'm not sure I will be able to catch her to put her in QT. I will try if you guys still think that is needed. Also, can you recommend medicine brand/name if I am able to get to LFS for medicine and QT tank?

 

[threebuoys]

So the spots have all but disappeared overnight, still looks like there is something going on though. Yesterday was water change day, could those spots just have been detritus that I stirred up during the water change?

Also, if she is feeling better/normal, I'm not sure I will be able to catch her to put her in QT. I will try if you guys still think that is needed. Also, can you recommend medicine brand/name if I am able to get to LFS for medicine and QT tank?

Honestly, I haven't ever seen anything that looks exactly as in the picture. I'm guessing some type of parasite, but I was hoping Jay or vetteguy may have seen something similar.

My experience with crypto/ich is distinct white spots that will come and go as the parasite life cycle occurs until the infection is pervasive on the fish. Usually parasites of this nature will also spread to at least some of the other inhabitants in the tank. Temporary disappearance of the spots is consistent with the way crypto progresses, but the original appearance and wide spread coverage is not what I'm accustomed to seeing.

Treatment in the DT for crypto or velvet is very difficult. While easier in a FOWLR tank, live rock makes it difficult to maintain appropriate copper levels in the tank. Copper Safe or Copper Power are a bit easier to administer. You will need reliable testing equipment if you go this route. Most prefer the Hanna checker.

If you conclude you need to treat for crypto or velvet, the complete QT protocol methodology is outlined in the stickies. Hypo salinity for a FOWLER tank might be another option for you to consider. That process is also described in the stickies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don’t really have ability to setup a QT tank quickly. Can I treat the main tank? It’s a 90 gallon FOWLR and a 20 gallon sump. One of the other fish isn’t showing spots but it’s behavior has changed as well.
Also, would a 5 gallon bucket with a chunk of rock work as a QT tank?

UNLESS you totally plan on this being a FISH only tank, no snails- nothing, it wont work.
Allowing 22" of space, you can get a 10g starter kit at walmart which has most essentials to fire up a quarantine tank

 

[TJustice86]

UNLESS you totally plan on this being a FISH only tank, no snails- nothing, it wont work.
Allowing 22" of space, you can get a 10g starter kit at walmart which has most essentials to fire up a quarantine tank

I made the drive to get a 20 long for a QT. I have some ceramic bio media in the main tank’s sump. Should I add some of that into the QT to speed the cycle along. And should I add the tang right away and control ammonia with water changes? Thanks a ton for the advice already.

 

[Sharkbait19]

With a qt, cycling isn’t as much of a worry simply because of the rushed nature of the qt. Adding the bio media from the dt would help to cycle it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I made the drive to get a 20 long for a QT. I have some ceramic bio media in the main tank’s sump. Should I add some of that into the QT to speed the cycle along. And should I add the tang right away and control ammonia with water changes? Thanks a ton for the advice already.

Good for you. Many do not take this step. Get tank setup with saltwater the same salinity and temperature as your display tank. Quarantine while can be cycled does not need to be so , dont speed anything. Add dechlorinator and add your tang and medicate. DO monitor ammonia and if using copper, with a Reliable ammonia and copper test kit
Adding aeration is a plus

 

[TJustice86]

Alright, another question. Hopefully one of the last. Will the QT tank be able to house the tang, two small clowns, a three stripe damsel and a long nose hawk fish for the ~80 days it will take to eradicate the parasites out of the DT?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Alright, another question. Hopefully one of the last. Will the QT tank be able to house the tang, two small clowns, a three stripe damsel and a long nose hawk fish for the ~80 days it will take to eradicate the parasites out of the DT?

Depends—what is the filtration in the QT, how long has it been established, and how much cover is available?

 

[TJustice86]

Depends—what is the filtration in the QT, how long has it been established, and how much cover is available?

So filtration is just a standard HOB Aquaeon. The tank was thrown together yesterday. I stuck some ceramic biomedia (from the main tank) in the bottom of the tank to help it cycle. I can beef up filtration, etc if needed. For cover there are three PVC sections in there. (See pic)

Update on the fish.
Right now the tang is in the QT tank, I was able to capture her last night. She looked REALLY bad last night, still looks bad but not as bad and has now started CopperSafe treatment. So hopefully she pulls through.

 

[Sharkbait19]

So filtration is just a standard HOB Aquaeon. The tank was thrown together yesterday. I stuck some ceramic biomedia (from the main tank) in the bottom of the tank to help it cycle. I can beef up filtration, etc if needed. For cover there are three PVC sections in there. (See pic)

Update on the fish.
Right now the tang is in the QT tank, I was able to capture her last night. She looked REALLY bad last night, still looks bad but not as bad and has now started CopperSafe treatment. So hopefully she pulls through.

That setup looks pretty good, though I’m not sure if that’s enough territory for that many semi-aggressive and aggressive fish. You should also perform a FW dip on the tang. This will help ID the parasite, specifically if there are flukes. That way you know what you’re treating.

 

[TJustice86]

That setup looks pretty good, though I’m not sure if that’s enough territory for that many semi-aggressive and aggressive fish. You should also perform a FW dip on the tang. This will help ID the parasite, specifically if there are flukes. That way you know what you’re treating.

I did a FW dip last night. I couldn't see anything in the bucket...... But then again it was a white bucket and I got some sand in with it when I transferred the fish.

 

[threebuoys]

Sorry if I'm repeating something here.

You are on the right track. Get your copper up to 2.5 asap, in as little as 4 to 6 hours will work fine, particularly if the infection is at an advanced stage. And, as said before, keep an eye on your ammonia level (hope you were able to get a decent test kit), at least daily, and maybe more often if you see it begin to rise. If you have to resort to water changes to keep the ammonia down, don't forget to add and retest copper level at the same time.

 

[TJustice86]

Update: tang did not make it.

Now trying to catch all of my other fish to QT and allow my display tank to go fallow.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Update: tang did not make it.

Now trying to catch all of my other fish to QT and allow my display tank to go fallow.

Sorry to hear. Hopefully your other fish will be okay, and you can get this under control. It definitely seems like your on the right track for treatment plan.