New Yellow Tang in QT-ICK

[Chrissy]

I have had my troubles with ICK and want to do everything I can to keep it out of my display tank!! I have finally cured all my fish of ICK, they have been in my display tank for about 10 weeks now and are all dong good.

I have a new Yellow Tang to replace my old one that did not survive the parasites, he has been in a quarantine tank for about a week and is not exhibiting any signs of ICK.

Should I just keep him in there for 8 weeks or should I treat him with the assumption that he has ICK?

[Reefing Madness]

Leave him in QT for 6 weeks-8 weeks. Always assume they are carrying something. Is your QT medicated?

[Chrissy]

No, should I medicate?

I have Cupramine, my last Tang died during the first dose I am a little hesitant at medicating. I was leaning toward Hypo if it is necessary.

[Reefing Madness]

No, should I medicate?

I have Cupramine, my last Tang died during the first dose I am a little hesitant at medicating. I was leaning toward Hypo if it is necessary.

Hypo is a good choice. I like copper, it kills many more things. But you have to watch dosing that one also.

[Chrissy]

Are tangs one of those fish that are sensitive to copper? My Blue Hippo did just fine but my Yellow died right away.

[Reefing Madness]

It all depends on how far along the disease is in the fish. Some of the Tangs that I have came from a copper medicated tank.

[Chrissy]

Well no ICK, but now my Tang has developed some red areas around his face. Any one know what might be wrong with him? HULE maybe?

[Reefing Madness]

Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion: A Description of the Syndrome and a Review of its Speculated Causes by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com
Diet for your Tang could be suspect. Water quality.

[Chrissy]

I was hoping you were not going to say that.

I dint know what else I can do for the poor guy. I feed him red, green and brown seaweed, he has fresh red macro allege growing in his tank at all times. I also feed him brine shrimp soaked in vitamins, Minni Mysis shrimp, some emerald entrée stuff and squid.

Right now he is in hypo, I am bringing him out this week, I have kept up with water changes...

PH 8.2
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate .025 no matter how much water I change out cant seem to get this lower. 20 gallon quarantine tank 40% water change is the biggest I have tried, scared to go more.
Ammonia 0.0
specific gravity 1.09 or there abouts

Have not checked the others, did not think it made much difference
DKH
Mag
Phosphates

The only other thing I can come up with is either the Hypo is causing the HULE or the recent change of the little carbon filter I replaced a week ago did it.

Maybe stress from the little 20 gallon tank? Thoughts anyone?

[Reefing Madness]

All your numbes are in line. That little Trate # is not a big thing, its under 40. SHouldn't cause him any problems. Carbon is a possible suspect. If your bringing himout of QT, then maybe he gets comfy in the DT. Hopefully.

[leebca]

The fish is exhibiting signs of MHLLE.

In order of what I think is most likely:
Vitamin deficiency (A and/or C); Poor Nutrition
Chronic Stress
Poor water quality (including high levels of dissolved organic matter and/or nitrate)
Activated carbon (either removing something the fish need or the dust clogging the pores on the fish)
Retrovirus
Hexamita
Amyloodinium-like dinoflagellate
Stray Voltage (is your system grounded properly?)

From what you've posted, the problem is food. Remember, the algae in your tank is only as nutritious as the ingredients you put into the tank. I mean, it isn't wild algae full of the ocean's nutrients, it is tank algae containing only the nutrients in your tank -- which isn't enough.

Stop feeding brine shrimp. Keep the fish away from mysis for a while. Get frozen foods for herbivores, especially those that contain spirulina. Next, how much macro algae do you feed? Are you feeding like it recommends here? ===> How To Feed Macro Alage to Marine Fishes

Next, obtain a good multivitamin and fat supplement made from ocean products, for marine fishes. Soak the feedings in this so that every day the fish gets one or the other supplement in a feeding. Are you adding trace elements to your tank? Another consideration.

You would also benefit from reading this post, even though it is long: Fish Health through Proper Nutrition. The frequency of feeding is also important. Try to feed this fish 3 times a day or more with a frozen food. Remember, you're adding vitamins even if the food says it has vitamins. Types and brands of vitamins are in the link given in this paragraph.

Given enough time and taking ALL the above recommendations, the fish should fatten up quite well and the condition you see should go away -- slowly. This doesn't go away fast. You need to provide the fish with the necessary building blocks to cure itself, through better nutrition and care.

Keep us informed. Good luck!

[Chrissy]

Thanks for the tips! The articles where good reading.

I am feeding multiple types of seaweeds, the fish seems to like the brown the best. I have never tried the grocery store for fresh macro algae, I will half to try that.

I picked up some gel food that I have used in the past for herbivores, the fish seems to like it but I have never really liked the gel foods because of the mess they make in the water.

The brine shrimp is the gut loaded stuff, I have only been using the brine shrimp as a means of delivery of the vitamins, I can use the misys instead.

I think I will pull the carbon out of the water to see if that helps.

This Tang has just got me dumb founded, I have never seen HULE in a Yellow Tang before they usually are pretty tough. My last tang was very happy until I some how got ICK in my tank and lost him.

[leebca]

The gel foods should actually be one of the least messy of them all. How are you feeding it? What is it you do when you add it?

[Chrissy]

I thaw it cut it in half and put it in the tank. When the fish grab pieces of it it falls apart and sinks to the bottom instead of staying in the water column where the fish eat.

[leebca]

I think you'll find it will work out better if you try this. While the cube is thawing, but not quite yet thawed, cut it into fish mouth-sized bits. Keep it cold to prevent it from 'melting' but do let it thaw. Then, only put into the aquarium the amount of these bits slowly and not so fast that it doesn't get all eaten before taken away by the current or it falls to the bottom. Keep this up, until the fish start showing signs of lower interest or just 'playing' with their food. None should go to waste or left uneaten.

On a much, much larger scale, I've used nut choppers, cheese graters and other devices to chop into the properly sized bits, without letting it completely thaw. You can do this too and save the chopped bits in the freezer and thus have the bits prepared in advance.

[Chrissy]

Ok that might work better!


My poor guy now has red streaks on his fins, I started treating him with Furan-2 from API that is all the LFS had in stock. I am a little worried about the salt content I am only at 1.019 salinity.

[leebca]

The red streaks can be a problem. If the streaks appear on the fish's body, then the fish has a systemic infection. Most fish will die from this condition. The antibiotic to use is one that goes inside the fish, through the skin, to fight the infection.

[Chrissy]

Well after the 4th day of treatment with an antibiotic my tang is looking better and his behavior is improved, no hiding pacing or stressed out panic attacks. He is also eating well, hopefully I can fatten him up.

There must of been something wrong with this guy when I got him from the start.