Sick Yellow Tang - what to do?

MyColorYellow · 07-15-2001, 10:37 PM

My Tang has a frosty looking eye(only one for now). It tries to rub it off by swimming quickly againist a smooth rock. Is there a treatment - please don't tell me it has popeye, or whatever it is when it turns white a fall out. If it is, will the eye come back?

hcp28 · 07-15-2001, 11:54 PM

It sounds like a bacteria infection to me. The treatment would be to seperate the tang into a quarentine tank, dip it in a FW bath with malchite green, I really can't remember the time frame for this, and I don't have the links on me seeing as this is not my computer, but you should continue this treatment for a few weeks until the eye clears up. There is a treatment for this and I'm sure someone will chime in with the details soon. HTH

Henry

asmith · 07-16-2001, 01:05 AM

I would say it is either a bacteria or a fungus. Put the fish in a quarentine tank and treat it with Kanacyn. It is an antibiotic that I have used to treat various fungal and bacterial infections. A quick fresh water dip before putting it in the QT probably wouldn't hurt either.

Good luck,
Andrew

MyColorYellow · 07-16-2001, 04:38 PM

Can I treat the Tang while in my reef or will Kanacyn or malchite green harm the LR and corals?

Bughead · 07-16-2001, 04:54 PM

Kanacyn, I believe is an antibiotic, so you don't want to use it in a reef or FOWLR. Malachite Green (Green-ex) is supposed to be reef safe, but I'd avoid putting it in the main tank if at all possible. Melafix is also reef safe and works well on fungi and wounds. Hospitalizing your tang for treatment would be best.

MyColorYellow · 07-16-2001, 05:01 PM

I don't have a quarentine tank, just (2) 20 gal. inline tanks as a sump and refuguim. Can I really push it and treat the reef and Tang - what are the cons?

FlintO · 07-20-2001, 10:32 AM

I had to recently treat a skunk clown with melafix and I didn't have a quarantine tank. It fortunately worked for me, but I hesitate to say that any medicine can be both completely reliable and reef safe at the same time.

Bughead · 07-20-2001, 05:30 PM

My experience and what I've heard from others, Melafix seems to be reef safe.

It's a bummer not having a hospital tank. Mine's tiny, only a 10 gal, which I'm seriously considering upgrading to a 20. When it's not in use, I use it to store clean saltwater for water changes. It has no substrate and only a heater and little power head. When it's needed for a qt, I do a water change from the main tank (or the tank the fish came out of or will go in to) and use the used tank water in the qt. Add a few decorations so the fish can hide and put on the little Penguin filter and WA-LA, hospital bed all ready.

So, if at all possible, even if you have to store it in the garage when it's empty, get a hospital tank.

07-15-2001, 10:37 PM	#1
MyColorYellow Citizen Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Central California, USA Posts: 185	Sick Yellow Tang - what to do? My Tang has a frosty looking eye(only one for now). It tries to rub it off by swimming quickly againist a smooth rock. Is there a treatment - please don't tell me it has popeye, or whatever it is when it turns white a fall out. If it is, will the eye come back?

07-15-2001, 11:54 PM	#2
hcp28 Evil Czar Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,001	It sounds like a bacteria infection to me. The treatment would be to seperate the tang into a quarentine tank, dip it in a FW bath with malchite green, I really can't remember the time frame for this, and I don't have the links on me seeing as this is not my computer, but you should continue this treatment for a few weeks until the eye clears up. There is a treatment for this and I'm sure someone will chime in with the details soon. HTH Henry __________________ Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall down an open manhole and die. -Mel Brooks

07-16-2001, 01:05 AM	#3
asmith Mayor Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lenexa, KS, USA Posts: 978	I would say it is either a bacteria or a fungus. Put the fish in a quarentine tank and treat it with Kanacyn. It is an antibiotic that I have used to treat various fungal and bacterial infections. A quick fresh water dip before putting it in the QT probably wouldn't hurt either. Good luck, Andrew __________________ Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

07-16-2001, 04:54 PM	#5
Bughead Governor Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Posts: 1,152	Kanacyn, I believe is an antibiotic, so you don't want to use it in a reef or FOWLR. Malachite Green (Green-ex) is supposed to be reef safe, but I'd avoid putting it in the main tank if at all possible. Melafix is also reef safe and works well on fungi and wounds. Hospitalizing your tang for treatment would be best. __________________ The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but it's the thought that counts.

07-20-2001, 05:30 PM	#8
Bughead Governor Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Posts: 1,152	My experience and what I've heard from others, Melafix seems to be reef safe. It's a bummer not having a hospital tank. Mine's tiny, only a 10 gal, which I'm seriously considering upgrading to a 20. When it's not in use, I use it to store clean saltwater for water changes. It has no substrate and only a heater and little power head. When it's needed for a qt, I do a water change from the main tank (or the tank the fish came out of or will go in to) and use the used tank water in the qt. Add a few decorations so the fish can hide and put on the little Penguin filter and WA-LA, hospital bed all ready. So, if at all possible, even if you have to store it in the garage when it's empty, get a hospital tank. __________________ The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but it's the thought that counts.

07-16-2001, 04:38 PM	#4
MyColorYellow Citizen Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Central California, USA Posts: 185	Can I treat the Tang while in my reef or will Kanacyn or malchite green harm the LR and corals?

07-16-2001, 05:01 PM	#6
MyColorYellow Citizen Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Central California, USA Posts: 185	I don't have a quarentine tank, just (2) 20 gal. inline tanks as a sump and refuguim. Can I really push it and treat the reef and Tang - what are the cons?

07-20-2001, 10:32 AM	#7
FlintO New in Town Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Decatur, IL Posts: 4	I had to recently treat a skunk clown with melafix and I didn't have a quarantine tank. It fortunately worked for me, but I hesitate to say that any medicine can be both completely reliable and reef safe at the same time.

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