Ich on my tangs help

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

Hey reefer

I had ich on my black tang fish and I put him into a 10 gallon quarantine tank and dose 10 drop of cupermine first day and 10 drop the next day
The white spot were gone on the second day
But it’s coming back on the fish today
What should I do to kill the ich and save my rare fish ?

@4FordFamily
@Humblefish

Pittsford_Pets · Mar 17, 2018

I’d get a bigger qt and keep your tank fallow. It won’t go away unless you take time to treat and qt your fish throughout ich’s life cycle

Humblefish · Mar 17, 2018

You need to test your Cu level to ensure it is within therapeutic range, which is 0.4-0.5 mg/L for Cupramine. Use either a Seachem or Salifert copper test kit. Once you are within therapeutic, hold it there for 30 days.

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

If you do water change do you use the Fresh salt water or from the display ?

Big G · Mar 17, 2018

Also keep in mind that the white spots are from where the Ich parasite has detached from the fish, which forms the mucus spot you see. The copper only kills the parasites in the "free swimming" stage once you have reached therapeutic level of copper. . Those already attached will have to be weathered by the fish's immune system. So it will take awhile for all the spots to disappear.

Big G · Mar 17, 2018

KM942 said:
If you do water change do you use the Fresh salt water or from the display ?

Fresh. The display probably has the parasites if that's where you had the tang. The display should go fallow "fishless" for 76 days to starve out the parasites.

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

Does copper kill pods too
I’m using my hang on back filter for the quarantine tank , I see couple pods swimming in the tank

Humblefish · Mar 17, 2018

KM942 said:
Does copper kill pods too

Yes; although their death may not be immediate.

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

I really love this fish

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

Does anyone successfully combating with ich before ? This is my first time dealing with ich , I’m little worried about my tang

Big G · Mar 17, 2018

Beautiful fish. Do you have a Seachem Ammonia Alert badge in the QT? The copper renders the regular ammonia testing kit useless. And we all know tangs are pee and poop factories

Check the ammonia badge frequently in a 10QT. Lots of water changes with tangs, and make sure to replace the water that's dosed with copper already, with fresh saltwater with the same level of copper.

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

Big G said:
Beautiful fish. Do you have a Seachem Ammonia Alert badge in the QT? The copper renders the regular ammonia testing kit useless. And we all know tangs are pee and poop factories Check the ammonia badge frequently in a 10QT. Lots of water changes with tangs, and make sure to replace the water that's dosed with copper already, with fresh saltwater with the same level of copper.

I had one in there, My LFS only had the api copper test kit but I don’t see any copper level from the test kit even I dose 20 drop Already

Big G · Mar 17, 2018

KM942 said:
I had one in there, My LFS only had the api copper test kit but I don’t see any copper level from the test kit even I dose 20 drop Already

The API kit doesn't work well for Cupramine. The levels are too high on that kit. Cupramine's dose is very low. You need a low dose range kit like Humblefish advised: Salifert or SeaChem (they make Cupramine).

4FordFamily · Mar 17, 2018

I agree that you’ll need to treat with cupramine levels around .5. Without this it won’t eradicate ich from your beautiful fish!

The DT needs to be fishless for 76 days and all advice thus far I agree with

KM942 · Mar 17, 2018

4FordFamily said:
I agree that you’ll need to treat with cupramine levels around .5. Without this it won’t eradicate ich from your beautiful fish!

The DT needs to be fishless for 76 days and all advice thus far I agree with

Okay, just ordered a seachem test kit online
How long do I need to keep the fish in the QT with copper

Big G · Mar 17, 2018

Once you get the copper level to .5ppm, it needs to stay there for 30 days. Do not let it dip below that level. It's very important to maintain .5 for the entire 30 days. That's where you have to be careful doing water changes. Match the copper level at all times. Top off evaporation as normal with RODI water.