[Samper]

Leebca I'm thinking of getting a yellow eye kole tang. I've been reading and am still not clear the best way to qt and treat this fish especially if it comes in with ich. The biggest concern of mine is C. irritans but I want to ensure that it will be as healthy as possible. I'm familiar with Cu treatments and FW dips but am not so experienced with the treatment of tangs. Any guidance on it prior to ordering one will be appreciated. Thank you.

[leebca]

Good choice! The Yellow Eye Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus) is a real 'algae cow' and peaceful community fish.

In the following posts I recommend that all Tangs of the Genus Acanthurus be treated as if they have Marine Ich and Marine Velvet (Cryptocaryon irritans, Amyloodinium ocellatum respectively):
A Fish Quarantine Process
It Was Acclimation, I know. . .

This Genus (Ctenochaetus) are in the grey area as for the copper treatment. Many come out of Hawaii. Others come out of other Pacific waters. You need to be cautious about the common name. This common name has been applied to a surprisingly large number of different species that look very similar. Even ones that don't look similar, like the Indian Gold-ring Bristletooth, has been called Yellow Eye.

The optimal guidance from me would be to follow the quarantine process I recommend making sure to give the fish a freshwater bath I recommend. Many Tangs come in with parasites that the FW bath kills. You may find surprises on the bottom of the FW bath water after treatment of what otherwise seemed like a healthy fish.

After that, I would not treat the fish with copper if you are sure the fish came in from Hawaii. Just observe the fish for 6 weeks in the above described setup QT.

If you don't know where the fish came in from or you are sure it didn't come in from Hawaii, then proceed to give it a 2 week copper treatment with the only medication I recommend for Tangs: Cupramine. See: Copper - Treatment, Use, Problems

If you go the observation route, have on hand the Cupramine and Salifert Copper Test Kit so you can immediately start the process at any indication of labored/fast breathing and/or spots.

I know your primary concern is Marine Ich, but Tangs have such a high incidence of Marine Velvet that I would not perform the hyposalinity treatment and go direct to a Cupramine treatment.

If I haven't answered your questions, just ask again, or ask if you have more.

You're welcome!

[Reefland]

Hi Lee,

Out of curiousity, why not treat with Copper if the fish came from Hawaii?

[Samper]

I have the salifert Cu kit on hand and ordered the cupramine today. Thank you for your help.

[emperorangel]

Lee, are the hawaii species more healthy?

[leebca]

The fishes from Hawaii, in general terms, have a decreased incidence of Marine Ich and Marine Velvet. The reasons I can't say are known for sure. Some think it is the way they are handled (better); perhaps not packed as closely as other collectors/exporters. Others may say that wild populations are less infected.

These things 'come and go' with relation to the trade and usually can't be counted upon to remain stable.

[vaporize]

Lee, so you suggest not to threat with copper is beacuse they have less probability of contacting them (as suppose to the fish cannot take copper - like flame angel). Given LFS always have fish in and out, it is still very likely to come into contact with ich/velvet , isn't it?

Originally when I read it, I thought the Hawaiian species cannot tolerate copper

[leebca]

The wording is a bit awkward. Sorry.

Yes. The recommendation is based upon what is coming through the trade right now. Don't treat Hawaiian fish of this species because of the low incidence of infection, rather than sensitivity to copper. I always recommend Cupramine so the matter of copper sensitivity isn't taken into account when I write. Cupramine is suitable even for the most sensitive of marine fishes.

Fish from the LFS should always be quarantined to verify health and to train to eat, amongst the other listed reasons in that post. But the chance these fishes are diseased are no more than any other fish in the LFS tanks. So I recommend standard processing -- put into quarantine and observe.