First battle with Ich outbreak...

[kurfer]

I have a 300g tank and added a powder brown tang to it. Everything seemed fine for a week and decided to add 3 anthias.

Current fish load:

1 blue tang
1 yellow tang
2 osc clowns
1 mel wrasse
1 6 line
1 royal gramma

2 days after adding the anthia I noticed my blue tang was LOADED with white spots and rubbing against my live rock. My yellow seemed ok...the brown tang also had it. 1 female anthia died the next day followed by the male 2 days later. The powder brown died 2 days after showing signs of ich while the blue is fighting through it. Noticed my mel wrasse has it as of today.

Getting the fish out it impossible; the top of the tank has dividers and reaching down in I can't move from side to side fast enough to get to the fish and they hide all in my live rock.

Been feeding nori/garlic and frozen food daily; if my fish eventually survive will I fight this every time I add fish in the future? Will I have a 300g tank I can't add fish to?

What do people do when taking the rock/fish out of the tank is an almost impossible option? Surely this HAS to be common. Everything I read says tear down the tank for 8 weeks and QT fish...this is NOT an option.

I upgraded my tank to eventually get a powder blue tang but if Ich is in the tank I fear i'll fight this forever.

 

[krullshards]

Some people have had luck using fish traps. That might be something to try. The main problem is getting the fish out, right? 300 gallons is no joke to be sure.

The other thing you can try is to pump a bunch of the water out, and with a low water level it might be easier to catch them, but you need somewhere to put the water is the problem.

Local to here I've seen folks selling these gimongous 200 gallon tanks for a surprisingly decent price... Man, I'm not sure what I would do.

Also, from your description with how fast the fish became ill and died, it doesn't sound like ich. It sounds like something worse like brook.

 

[snorvich]

Greater probability is velvet. Not quarantining is like playing Russian Roulette, No one wins, some just get to play longer. No way to treat velvet in a display tank.

 

[snorvich]

Also, from your description with how fast the fish became ill and died, it doesn't sound like ich. It sounds like something worse like brook.

Or velvet.

 

[krullshards]

Or velvet.

Agreed.

 

[Sapelo]

And to answer another question, if it's in your DT yes you will fight it every time you add a new fish.
Tangs and PBs are especially vulnerable. I'd be surprised if you ever get one added without fallowing your tank first.
Sorry,I know it's not what you wanted to hear.