Tangs and ich

[reefplus88]

Hello I have a powdered blue tang and a yellow tang. They were fin and now they are all covered in Ich. What is the best way to treat this ? And is there a way to prevent it from happening?
I have live rocks and invertebrates.

 

[blaxsun]

Many aquarists quarantine their fish and inverts, so I’m assuming this wasn’t the case and that you don’t have a separate quarantine setup?

Short-term, you need to look some water changes and either a reef-safe medication or possibly removing the fish to treat them. Long-term, UV sterilizers work great for keeping ich and velvet at bay (although this isn’t a silver bullet either).

Those more knowledgeable will probably want to know some details about your tank setup, possible water parameters and short history of the fish (and if they’re the only fish, was there a recent addition if not, etc.)

 

[skylar]

Set up a small QT tank. Hyposalinity helps and QT tank doesn't have to be cycled, just needs some low flow or an airstone + heater. Bump up the temp a bit to 80 or so. Treat it with meds, preferably without copper, but do it if you don't care about the QT tank. Gluck

 

[skylar]

Oh, for future prevention. Quarantine them first and start out feeding food dipped in garlic, like garlic guard or garlic xtreme, etc.

 

[DrZoidburg]

Copper in another tank with main system fishless for a period of time, or management if they don't end up in fatality. The other medicine available is not good with blue tangs. Only draw back to management strategy is if in the future you want to add new fish, then the problem can surface again.

 

[bnord]

There are innumerable threads and even sites on fish meds.

Well known that Powders are susceptible to protozoan parasites and lead to death is unchecked.

In my experience the best solution is to remove all fish into a simple, easy to clean QT, tank, PVC shelter, no rocks etc to bind the copper. Use cooper safe at scaled up dosages to the recommended level, backed by a reliable (i used Hanna) test kit.

Add air stone

Maintain the fish, (all of them, even if symptom free) in Copper Safe for 14 days minimum then remove copper with carbon and water changes

Keep them happy fed and in clean water for minimum 45 days preferably l60 days before re-entry into the tank

Slightly elevated temps in both tanks is supposed to speed up the parasite lifecycle

there are several species which can handle a sub-clinical low level ich infection if well fed and kept stress free. But Powders are not usually that fish - according to all that I have read here and elsewhere.

My tank had a bad Ich outbreak, had 3 tangs in it, and all survived the above treatment and the tank is now 8 months symptom free. If you can manage a legit UV, do so.

As said there is a wealth of information and what is presented above is the bare starting information.

Buenos suerte

And no, horse ivermectin will not cure Ich

 

[vetteguy53081]

Quarantine tank is essential. Treat with Copper Safe, not copper and make sure you have a reliable copper test kit ( Not API brand) and increase aeration during treatment.

 

[Cool tangs]

I wouldn't stress too much, ich can be manageable.

I have read somewhere that they can build up an ammunity to ich. Ive notice my tangs still get it from time to time, but its progressivelly less worse each time.

I keep them very well fed and try to have a non stressful environment.

Thats my experience with ich, I dont QT and dont feel the need tbh but i cant speak for everyone as circumstances are different. Our fish are in QT for 2 weeks as a legal requirment. Most the time its 4 weeks from vender to store

 

[reefplus88]

Unfortunately ,I have lost many fish to ich. I do not QT. Would anyone know a good vendor for pre-prepared saltwater?

 

[reefplus88]

I wouldn't stress too much, ich can be manageable.

I have read somewhere that they can build up an ammunity to ich. Ive notice my tangs still get it from time to time, but its progressivelly less worse each time.

I keep them very well fed and try to have a non stressful environment.

Thats my experience with ich, I dont QT and dont feel the need tbh but i cant speak for everyone as circumstances are different. Our fish are in QT for 2 weeks as a legal requirment. Most the time its 4 weeks from vender to store

@Cool tangs do you sell fish?

 

[Miami Reef]

Powder blue tangs will not last long term in an ich management tank. You’re option is to accept the fish’s fate and purchase more disease resistant fish. Or you can eradicate the parasites.

For eradication, remove all fish from display tank. Set tank at 81F for 45 days (ich will starve out). In those 45 days you will treat and hold fish for that time period.

Since they are covered in ich (likely marine velvet: deadlier) a 5 minute freshwater dip, 30 minute hydrogen peroxide bath, or 45 minute formalin bath is beneficial to reduce parasite load.

I recommend treating with copper powder tested with Hannah copper checker. Maintain at 2.5ppm for 30 days. Water changes to remove copper after treatment and observation for remainder of fallow period.

 

[QuarantinedCorals]

Hello I have a powdered blue tang and a yellow tang. They were fin and now they are all covered in Ich. What is the best way to treat this ? And is there a way to prevent it from happening?
I have live rocks and invertebrates.

Hello! I've experienced that same problem before, what I do now is quarantine anything wet that enters my display tank. I can tell you much more if you would like to shoot me a private message, but basically anything that's wet such as coral, inverts, equipment for another tank, frag plugs, rocks, literally anything wet can transfer disease. Corals and invertebrates need to be placed in an aquarium that contains no fish for a minimum of 76 days, I always shoot for 90 days. Fish need to be quarantined in medication and cleared of ich and velvet before entering your display tank, typical qt methods are 14-30 days in copper, I always shoot for 30. Just remember, it gets better! Goodluck and message me if you would like more information