[MISTERFIXIT]

Hey Gang,
I've got a Hippo/royal blue tang w/white spots.I've treated Ich before but this is crazy.This is the only fish that has spots and I've been treating for 2 weeks or more.I've got 8 fish in this tank--55 gal.The spots will lessen when I treat the tank,then come back--badly--only on this fish????Treating w/greenex.This fish has been in the tank for about 2 months.Should I pull it out and put it in the QT with some copper sulfate???? It's driven me nuts,Not to mention my girlfriend-----this is her favorite fish!!!!

Mr Fix It
Marc

[zhenya]

I'd say yes, see if you can put it in the Q-tank and maybe try hyposalinity to break up the cycle of the parasite. I know the copper treatment will probably do it as well but I'm not sure how your fish will take copper treatment. I think reproduction cycle will not occur at sp.gravity of about 0.016 or so.Let me dig up some links for you on the
Cryptocaryon irritans and successfull treatments of it.
Give me like a min. and I'll get back with it

Ok, here's one http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ght=ick+or+ich

and this one
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=167243

[Penguin]

Copper will work, but tangs are supposed to be highly sensitive to copper. Some even say they should never be treated with copper. I have no firsthand experience with this myself. Try searching for tangs and copper and see what kind of information you get.

[zhenya]

Marc,

How is your fish doing?Any updates?i don't know if you read this article or not but I'll post a link anyway
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.htm

[Northman_with_reef]

Dont treat him with copper!

If you do you'll kill his Bacterial flora, wich is very important for his metabolism.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Marc,

How is your fish doing?Any updates?i don't know if you read this article or not but I'll post a link anyway
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.htm

Thanks for asking ,
The fish is doing better,The spots seem to come ang go,but it's very healthy.I've fed it with garlic food and treated w/greenex.This fish eats like a horse.He's kinda shy,but doin better.I will not give up.I've had this tank for about 10 months and I'll be d$%%ned if this will beat me.I've seen all the other stuff/cyano/brown/nitrate spike/etc.

Thanks Again
Marc
Mr Fix It

[zhenya]

Marc,

That is a good news that he's doing better. Do you have him in a q-tank or in a main tank?The greenex stuff is a bit iffy to my knowlege,if you'd to tread a main tank I would try a ruby's kick ich product. I think it is alot safer for the bacteria in your tank then greenex.I'm not condoning use of any chemical exept hyposalinity for the treatment of Cryptocaryon irritans but if you must use some,greenex is the last thing I would use.

[Reefland]

Marc,

What else do you have in the aquarium? I agree with zhenya that Greenex would be my least favorite choice. Moving the fish to a Q-tank is the best option with the fewest qustion marks for the safety of your other animals however with most hobbyist, this is not an option since we don't have Q-tanks. Garlic may or may not work but I would definately keep trying it, it surely won't hurt.

Scott Z.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by Reefland

Marc,

What else do you have in the aquarium? I agree with zhenya that Greenex would be my least favorite choice. Moving the fish to a Q-tank is the best option with the fewest qustion marks for the safety of your other animals however with most hobbyist, this is not an option since we don't have Q-tanks. Garlic may or may not work but I would definately keep trying it, it surely won't hurt.

Scott Z.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all the input,I've tried the freshwater dip for 8 mins and hyposalinity,the darndest thing I ever saw!!!The parasites seem to just jump off.The tang has some pigmentation damage but he's doin great.Swimmin around like a crazy fish and eating up a storm.I've been keeping fresh water for about 30 something years,but salt, I'm new and learning.I really appreciate the help and genuine concern for my tang(k)
Marc aka Mr Fix IT

[timjoemak]

Hi I just started a pico marine tank just probably a 2 gallon tank... small... yes... it has been running for the past 9 weeks and nothing happened until last week!!! WHITE SPOTS on my blue tang.. i don't know but currently the white spots are turning bigger and blacker.... hmmm i have been giving it freshwater dips and fed it with garlic nothing works... its a great survivor i can say... still eating happily.. so what do you guys suggest????

[leebca]

I suggest you start reading: Marine Ich - Myths and Facts

I like and care for marine fish very much. A Tang does not belong in a 2 gallon tank. In fact I recommend no fish in any tank up to and including 5 gallons. Please read this, too: Fish Stocking Limit - for FO and FOWLR

As long as the Tang or any fish shows disease, then the disease is in the tank and other fishes may be infected (even if they don't show). If the diagnosis is proper and it is Marine Ich, then all fish need a proper treatment and there are only 3 treatments known to cure Marine Ich for aquarists (see top link).

Good luck!

[timjoemak]

too small i know.... but is it impossible to keep a blue tang a baby one?? 1.5"

[leebca]

If the fish is 1.5" now, then you want to size the aquarium for the size the fish will be, in no less than a year. In a year, that fish will put on an additional inch. So the question is what is the right size for a 2.5" Tang. The answer is a tank that is at least 4 feet long. After a year the fish should be moved to a 125 gallon or larger tank that is at least 6 feet long.

BTW, a 'baby Tang' is about 0.35" long. Full sized adults get to more than a foot long.

[timjoemak]

oh by the way thanks for the plentyful information i had by you guys.... sigh my blue tang died today.... sad

[leebca]

I am sorry about your loss.