How to get rid of ich

[Spartan02]

I have a new tank and just added a blue tang the size of my pinky. I am noticing tiny white dots like 4. How do I get rid of it? I'll try and snap a photo

 

[Joeganja]

U have to quarantine the fish before you add it into a new tank. You can now add him in a hospital tank and your tank hasn't been set up that long has it?

 

[Spartan02]

For how long? And what do u recommend to use to get rid of it. Tank has been running for 2 months

 

[Spartan02]

some angle he looks fine and others he had a few dots. Do you think that is ich?

 

[Joeganja]

Copper power in a seperate tank. Just throw in some rock. Put a filter no carbon just a pad to pick up debree and run him in there for 6 weeks

 

[Tahoe61]

Rock absorbs copper, giving you incorrect readings. Any rock you use in a quarantine tank with medication should not be used in another tank housing inverts.

 

[Spartan02]

Any easy way to do it? I don't have a separate tank... I just bought him yesterday? Should I call and see if they will take him back?

 

[flynhawaiianz28]

Suppose that is an option but I would go to walmart or LFS and invest in a quarantine/hospital tank for future use. On the downside, if that really is ich that the tang has, there is a decent possibility that your entire DT has no been infected with ich unfortunately. I just got done with a bout with ich and my medication/quarantine/fallow time and I'm Qt'ing from here on out. I used a small HOB filter and took a filter sponge from my other tank for some good bacteria, used Cupramine by Seachem to treat for 4 weeks while monitoring the copper levels and doing water changes and then observation for 4 weeks to remove the copper through water changes and a regular carbon filter as well. I did not use live rock because that throws off the readings and makes the rock unusable from absorbing the copper.

 

[NanaReefer]

You can use just about anything big enough for a hospital tank. Doesn't have to be an aquarium

 

[mrcoffee2]

Tangs get ich all of the time. Make sure they are well fed and they should be able to fight it off. I don't think you will ever get rid of it once it is in your tank.

 

[Spartan02]

Why do they have to be separated? Can't I just cure the whole tank with a chemical that cures ich? Haha I am new to this!

 

[Joeganja]

Do u have any invertebrates or live rock or coral?

 

[3dees]

only three proven ways to treat ich. hypo-salinity, tank transfer, and copper. none can be done in the display tank. if the fish has ich then your tank is infected. you need to remove all fish and run your tank fallow for 8 weeks. how big is your tank? minimum size for a hippo tang is 180 gal. all tangs are ich magnets and need to be in a qt.

 

[Spartan02]

Yes I have coral live rock and inverts!

 

[Spartan02]

I have a 40 gal tank. My blue tang is like an inch in length ... Very small

 

[Joeganja]

Yes then if you want the most effective way to treat your fish you have to remove it. Place it in a hospital tank and dose copper or what other medication you wanna use. I recommend copper power because i have two fish with ick in two separate tanks and I'm treating them with it and It seems to work. You want to leave him in a hospital tank for at least 6 weeks. With whatever dose your using

 

[Joeganja]

then you can get a 10 gallon. Just add water not from the tap. Put a filter without carbon just the filter pad to pick up debris. Carbon will absorb copper if your going to use that. Get a nitrite tester and make sure your ph is good. Test daily tests. Make sure your salinity is good. If you want put in some stress coat. Have good water flow. don't put a light on as long as your 40 gallon. Maybe 2-3 hours max so the fish doesn't get stressed out too much. It's also good to have a hospital/quarantine because when u wanna add new fish to your 40 you make sure and put them in a quarantine for about 3-4 weeks to make sure they have no disease.