Hippo Tang Ick

[JPK_Esquire]

So I think my Hippo Tang may have ick.

I am not sure where he got it because I bought all of my fish quarantined (perhaps came in on some cleanup crew). There HAS been lots of water parameter movement in the last couple of weeks and a bacteria bloom so I am thinking maybe it stressed him out, or maybe its a bacterial infection. He's had the spots for about a week, and I can't really tell whether it has gotten worse. He seems to be behaving and eating fine. No signs of ick on any of the other fish.

If ick is now in the tank, it seem pointless to just pull the hippo tang out and freshwater dip him (as I have seen suggested). I'm not in a position to pull all 8 fish (2 clowns, hippo tang, yellow tang, purple tang, and kole tang, Bangai cardinal, blenny) out of the tank.

So should I just continue to make sure well fed and hope he pulls through? Pull him out to avoid the others getting it (again, this seems like it is worthless if ick is already in the tank). Should I be treating with something?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[sam2110]

are you sure its ich, its hard to tell on the photos

 

[JPK_Esquire]

No...not sure at all. Below are a few more pics. The first ones were done with a yellow filter. The below have no filter, and I was able to get a little closer shot.

 

[JPK_Esquire]

Reading another post and it looks like maybe this is what it may be...

Blue Hippo Tang Diagnosis Help

I have two fish in a fresh tank for observation after being in copper for 30 days. 1 brown powder and 1 blue hippo. After day 7 in a fresh tank (no copper) with prazi the hippo is showing a white spot. I’m wondering if this is lympho or does it have ich? It’s eating well on food treated with...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[JPK_Esquire]

@Humblefish ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

This looks like a case of Microsporideans or moreso, lymphocyctis, which is a virus. Viral can be cured by simply boosting water qwuality and diet. Assure it is getting nutritious foods with bioth garlic extract and selcon vitamin added to it. As these fish are known for HLLE, diet will help with that also.
A freshwater dip would be a good start to gettting this fish cleared.
Diet:
Nori seaqweed basted with garlic
Spirulina brine shrimp
LRS herbivore diet
mysis shrimp
Sm plankton
Formula 2 flake and frozen

 

[JPK_Esquire]

This looks like a case of Microsporideans or moreso, lymphocyctis, which is a virus. Viral can be cured by simply boosting water qwuality and diet. Assure it is getting nutritious foods with bioth garlic extract and selcon vitamin added to it. As these fish are known for HLLE, diet will help with that also.
A freshwater dip would be a good start to gettting this fish cleared.
Diet:
Nori seaqweed basted with garlic
Spirulina brine shrimp
LRS herbivore diet
mysis shrimp
Sm plankton
Formula 2 flake and frozen

Many thanks. Have been feeding Rod's in the morning, and Neptune CD Crossover pellets in the evening. Algae (green, red, brown) on a clip for grazing. I do have some spirulina and some frozen mysis, so can mix those together.

With regard to basting with garlic, should I just get some garlic out of the wife's spices and sprinkle it on the seaweed?

For the freshwater dip, how exactly should I accomplish this? I DO have a fish trap that I have successfully used to catch a yellow tang. After catching the hippo, what is exactly is the process for the dip? (1) Is there a link to the process you can send, (2) any concern that the freshwater dip would do more harm than good?

 

[secret_reefer337]

@Humblefish ?

Humblefish is not part of r2r anymore. He has his own website.

 

[sam2110]

Many thanks. Have been feeding Rod's in the morning, and Neptune CD Crossover pellets in the evening. Algae (green, red, brown) on a clip for grazing. I do have some spirulina and some frozen mysis, so can mix those together.

With regard to basting with garlic, should I just get some garlic out of the wife's spices and sprinkle it on the seaweed?

For the freshwater dip, how exactly should I accomplish this? I DO have a fish trap that I have successfully used to catch a yellow tang. After catching the hippo, what is exactly is the process for the dip? (1) Is there a link to the process you can send, (2) any concern that the freshwater dip would do more harm than good?

I don't think using garlic from the spice rack is the way to go! Your LFS should sell concentrated garlic liquid that you add a few drops to the food.

 

[JPK_Esquire]

I don't think using garlic from the spice rack is the way to go! Your LFS should sell concentrated garlic liquid that you add a few drops to the food.

Thanks.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Many thanks. Have been feeding Rod's in the morning, and Neptune CD Crossover pellets in the evening. Algae (green, red, brown) on a clip for grazing. I do have some spirulina and some frozen mysis, so can mix those together.

With regard to basting with garlic, should I just get some garlic out of the wife's spices and sprinkle it on the seaweed?

For the freshwater dip, how exactly should I accomplish this? I DO have a fish trap that I have successfully used to catch a yellow tang. After catching the hippo, what is exactly is the process for the dip? (1) Is there a link to the process you can send, (2) any concern that the freshwater dip would do more harm than good?

With regard to basting with garlic, should I just get some garlic out of the wife's spices and sprinkle it on the seaweed?

You will need garlic extract for reef foods:

For the freshwater dip, how exactly should I accomplish this? I DO have a fish trap that I have successfully used to catch a yellow tang. After catching the hippo, what is exactly is the process for the dip? (1) Is there a link to the process you can send, (2) any concern that the freshwater dip would do more harm than good?

Simply using a clean pail (you should have one just for your saltwater tank already), run RO water or tap with dechlorinator at the same temperature as your tank and allow fish to swim in it 3-5 minutes. Repeat next day if you need to. and return fish to the tank. If sish gets antsy, you can take it out of pail/bucket sooner.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So I think my Hippo Tang may have ick.

I am not sure where he got it because I bought all of my fish quarantined (perhaps came in on some cleanup crew). There HAS been lots of water parameter movement in the last couple of weeks and a bacteria bloom so I am thinking maybe it stressed him out, or maybe its a bacterial infection. He's had the spots for about a week, and I can't really tell whether it has gotten worse. He seems to be behaving and eating fine. No signs of ick on any of the other fish.

If ick is now in the tank, it seem pointless to just pull the hippo tang out and freshwater dip him (as I have seen suggested). I'm not in a position to pull all 8 fish (2 clowns, hippo tang, yellow tang, purple tang, and kole tang, Bangai cardinal, blenny) out of the tank.

So should I just continue to make sure well fed and hope he pulls through? Pull him out to avoid the others getting it (again, this seems like it is worthless if ick is already in the tank). Should I be treating with something?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

That does not appear to be ich, at least not that main patchy lesion. It is also not Lymphocystis. Microsporidians are rarely seen, and ones like Glugea, form really large cysts. They are also untreatable.

Garlic must be considered as a tonic only, not as a treatment.

Does the fish have lesions on both sides? Any other fish have them?

Jay

 

[JPK_Esquire]

That does not appear to be ich, at least not that main patchy lesion. It is also not Lymphocystis. Microsporidians are rarely seen, and ones like Glugea, form really large cysts. They are also untreatable.

Garlic must be considered as a tonic only, not as a treatment.

Does the fish have lesions on both sides? Any other fish have them?

Jay

White spots (lesions?) on both sides. I have not seen anything else on the other fish.

 

[Hincapiej4]

I'd feed LRS mainly to everything in the tank. Everything in mine loves it, and gets excited when I come near. Everyone of my fish comes and eats out of my hand and will bump me just to get to it first...that and nori.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

White spots (lesions?) on both sides. I have not seen anything else on the other fish.

O.K., then that other thread saying it is a viral disease is plausible. If so, it won’t be treatable. Here is the deal with viral disease diagnosis: it often gets applied to any problem where a positive diagnosis can’t easily be made.
Jay