Yellow Tang with Parasite. Ich?

Isaac Alves · Jun 11, 2017

Quick update.

After losing the Royal Gramma the other animals have survived. This the 12th day. Things look good. Everyone is eating.

Shot a quick video. Sorry for the quality. But the white dots have gone from the fish. Crossing fingers that things are going well. 61 more days to go.

Isaac Alves · Jun 21, 2017

Quick update. Another week and all the fish from the previous week are still alive and eating well. I did one 50% water change, making sure the copper is at the same ppm in the water change container as in the tank. So far so good. Display tank invertebrates seem happier. A ton of copepods and amphipods living predator free it seems.

Isaac Alves · Jul 4, 2017

Happy fourth. Another week and a half and all of the surviving residence of the velvet attack are doing great. Eating and no physical signs.

Isaac Alves · Jul 7, 2017

4 weeks and the survivors are doing fine in the 40 breeder. Copper has not dropped.

QT inhabitants:

Yellow Tang
FoxFace
3 Chromis
2 Clowns
Midas Blenny
Diamond Goby
Six Line Wrasse

Will be doing a 50% water change this weekend.

2 more months to go.

Isaac Alves · Jul 14, 2017

Quick question regarding this medicated QT. All the fish have been in constant high level of copper for 45 days today. Can I start to lower the copper levels? Or can I move the fish to a completely medication-free QT for another month+, this week? From what I've been reading I shouldn't leave them in copper much longer correct? There are no signs of velvet or ich present at this time.

Regards and thank you, everyone.
Isaac

Empress · Jul 14, 2017

Don't lower! Just transfer them to a STERILE tank away from any other infected tanks. Two weeks in observation should be good. Keep a close eye on them during this period. Bacterial infections might pop up. Have antibiotics ready. Good luck.

Humblefish · Jul 14, 2017

Empress said:
Don't lower! Just transfer them to a STERILE tank away from any other infected tanks. Two weeks in observation should be good. Keep a close eye on them during this period. Bacterial infections might pop up. Have antibiotics ready. Good luck.

+1 This is best. Just be sure to observe a 10 ft radius to account for aerosol transmission: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aerosol-transmission.190292/

However, 45 days worth of therapeutic copper should clear everything except that one oddball 72 day ich variant. Meaning, if you only had 1 QT to work with then lowering your copper level now should be OK.

Isaac Alves · Jul 14, 2017

Awesome. Thank you.

Isaac Alves · Jul 17, 2017

So, luckily Petco is having one of their $1 per gallon sales. I went ahead and picked up another 40 breeder that I'll use for another project, but I'll use as the observation/recuperating tank.

I've moved the animals last night from the medicated QT to a fresh tank in the garage.

Everyone seems fine, and eating.

QT tank moved out of office in order to clean and sanitize:

Sanitizing:

Realized i probably didn't need to use a Fluval 406 Cannister filter but I'm soaking everything in vinegar; After wiping down with alcohol, vinegar and hose water. I hope to be able to use it again.

I put two Fluval H70's on the temporary tank to help with filtering.

Picked up a Rainbird heater/cooler controller. This thing is great. Temperatures in SoCal are pretty warm so i have fans blowing on the water but i don't want it too drop the temp too much.

How long should I keep them in this observation tank?

ngoodermuth · Jul 17, 2017

The general rule of thumb is at least two weeks for observation.

If you are running your DT fallow for velvet, you shouldn't add any fish back in for at least 6 weeks total, however if you'd like to make sure there is no ich lurking in there as well, you'll want to be fishless for 76 days total.

They should be fine in that 40 until your ready to put them back in the DT

Isaac Alves · Jul 17, 2017

Maritimer · Jul 17, 2017

What you've done should take care of most of it (your glass will be perfectly safe), but if you want a bit of insurance, you could run some Poly-Filter or CupriSorb when you set it up again - either of those should capture any copper that leaches into your water before it can do too much damage.

~Bruce

Isaac Alves · Jul 19, 2017

I had an unexpected casualty in the recuperating tank. Went to feed the animals this morning and found the six line wrasse had died during the night. I went ahead and did a 50% water change. Nothing has changed in the tank. My only guess was that ammonia had spiked...but none of the other fish seem stressed. I added some prime and tested for ammonia, and everything appears fine, at least now after the water change.

If there was an infection what signs should I be looking for?

ngoodermuth · Jul 19, 2017

Signs of infection could be labored breathing, lethargy, red or white blotches, streaks, discoloration, a white or hazy film on the body, tattered fins, losing flesh, etc.Sometimes they can be quite fast-acting.

If it was an ammonia spike, look for redness around the gills or on the body.