Ick hiding in the gills

1979fishgeek · Jul 13, 2018

I picked up a Yellow Tang and a Regal Hippo Tang yesterday from someone leaving the hobby. Beautiful large chunky fish. The fella who sold them said they are 100% ick free, but I’m so over cautious these days and I’ve worked really hard to eliminate it from my system. I’m pretty sure fish can carry ick without showing visible spots (in the gills for instance), but this fella argued these fish are so susceptible that if they had it they would show it?

I’ve put them in QT and watching them closely as I know they are prone to it. Should I just wait and see if they develop ick over the next month before moving to my 1200l display or should I do a hyposalinity treatment in case they are carriers?

Instigate · Jul 13, 2018

Fish can certainly have ich without showing it. I would TTM or treat with copper and be done with it. I wouldn't trust someone else's QT.

1979fishgeek · Jul 13, 2018

Instigate said:
Fish can certainly have ich without showing it. I would TTM or treat with copper and be done with it. I wouldn't trust someone else's QT.

That’s what I believed as well, but he was so passionate that I questioned it. Lol
I’ll give them a few days to rest and then start a hypo treatment as it’s least stressful.
Thanks

HotRocks · Jul 13, 2018

Tangs would "most likely" show visible symptoms of ich in QT after 14 days of observation.

I still agree with the others above and I would not trust that they are disease free. Unless they came from @4FordFamily or @Humblefish

4FordFamily · Jul 13, 2018

I wouldn’t trust it — I’ve kept hippo and yellow tangs in ich management tanks several times for several years prior to velvet becoming rampant — I did this stuff for ten years. Trust me they can and do build up a resistance to it.

Sorry, I’d treat with copper or at least TTM.