Help not sure what to do with my poor tang!

[TinaMcCord]

HELP. Blue tang sick, I feel so bad. We had an ich breakout which wiped out all but 4 fish. We've been treating with copper Seachem and clowns and coral beauty fat, healthy and happy. The blue tang not so...... His picture is under my albums but couldn't turn it, he's actually usually facing down with nose on the bottom of the tank or sideways above the blower. For the last month I've thought I will find him dead bit the poor thing keeps going even though I haven't seen him eat.

I'm new to the hobby (less than a year) all of our water parameters look good. I've been reading about TTM but that would probably do him in immediately... I also don't have a 3rd tank. Day 72 for empty DT will be on 11/17.
Do you think I'm dealing with more then cryptocaryon? Now think it may have bladder disease as well???

 

[e048]

did you qt him?

how big is the blue tang, is it a powder blue or blue hippo or Atlantic blue?

ich can lead to secondary infections

 

[Fragman4]

It might have something to do with the collection of the fish as well. How long have you had him?

 

[stingeragent]

Gotta get that quarantine on. At this point, you have 2 choices. Pull all the fish regardless of how they look and QT them, or leave it in your system, feed them well and hope they fight it off. Option 1 is the best choice. You don't need fancy tanks for TTM. You can use a 5 dollar rubbermaid container from walmart.

 

[TinaMcCord]

Thanks, they have been in QT while DT sits empty for 72 days. Been treating them with cupermine and the remaining others are now looking fat and healthy. He on the other hand is taking a turn for the worse. I've had him for 8 months, after loosing several fish all at once we noticed a few spots on him and the clowns. He's been very stressed since moving to QT and used to be much more outgoing. He hides the moment there is any movement in the room. My 72 days don't end until 11/24 when the others can return to DT.
I was told yesterday by a local aquarist that cupermine can cause liver swelling which may then press on the bladder, creating swim bladder..... Trying to get another QT set up for him with pellets so if he can eat its there at his nose. TTM will send him over to the other side. Poor fish I feel heartsick and amazed its still with us. Can they recover or am I prolonging the suffering?

 

[hkgar]

Cupramine is relatively safe, but it is still a poison to fish. I have been checking the level with a good copper test.

How long have you been treating with Cupramine? After 14 days you need to start eliminating the copper from the water.

 

[TinaMcCord]

That may be the problem. I may have over treated as this is the second go around that I've done.... I have been testing daily with the recommended test kit..

 

[hkgar]

Yes two treatments are not be needed. If there is any copper now make sure you are using charcoal and doing daily water changes and get it to 0

 

[Sk8r]

Definitely. It suppresses appetite, among other problems. I'd get that copper out asap and pay attention to his aeration, too. Tangs are very oxygen hungry, among other things.

 

[Mrs. Music]

Good luck Tina. It seems to me you are doing a great job of caring for your fish. How is the ammonia level doing? My fish were at their worst when ammonia was present. try Seachems Stability for hospital tanks and QT. I have been very pleased with the results. I went thru a QP or QS treatment for ich,and left the DT fallow for several months. It was tough. Problem after problem, and some fish did not make it.

 

[kmbyrnes]

Sorry for your losses. I am happy your are now treating the fish. I recommend looking at TTM as the preferred method for treating and avoiding ich in the future. Read the sticky at the top of the forum.

 

[TinaMcCord]

Thanks all, he didn't make it. I'm actually relieved that he is no longer suffering, we're doing partial water changes daily and getting copper out for remaining 3 fish. #'s look great. Once we've hit the 72 days and they can go back to the DT. I'm going to stay away from Tangs, at least until I know a hell of a lot more!

Couple of questions (love the knowledge on here!)
I need to get some more snails in the DT as a few have committed suicide falling off the rock, landing upside down and not flipped over in time, algae is starting to cover live rock intermittently depending on where urchins and remaining snails have been. Should I QT my snails too? I'm now super paranoid and will buy them from the local LFS. With that said, I've noticed my mushrooms are doing great these days with no one running over them! Yesterday I seem to be missing a cleaner shrimp, and my husband told me that he had seen one crawling around in my red rose anenome.... Wonder if thats what happened? The lobster came out and about for food last night so don't think he finished him off....

After all is well and 3 remaining fish are too be returned to the DT should I fresh water dip them prior to returning them just to make sure no copper remains on them? If I killed my anenome or urchins I think I would call it quits....

I want to order some newbies from LiveAquaria and put in QT, do I need to do anything different with the QT tank? Should I let it sit empty and filter for any time prior? My Local fish guy that I've gotten my fish from has always done my purchasing, telling me what I can and can't have, QT and then calls me when its time to pick them up but he's not very available these days so its time to learn all I can as daunting as this all is.

Thank you all again for your knowledge and sharing it with us!

 

[hkgar]

As far as QT for snails, many people do, I don't. If they have Ick, QT won't show it and I am not sure how long but probably 72 days for the life cycle.

Absolutely NO copper as it is lethal to crustaceans.

I would reconsider that Lobster. It can get large enough to snap up a pretty good sized fish - and will. I had one once and had to trap it to get it out.

 

[TinaMcCord]

Yes the lobster needs to go. Will have to dismantle the rock to get to him but that is going to happen.

 

[hkgar]

You are having a bit of a rough road getting started with this hobby. I am assuming based on join date for Reef Central. How long has the tank been up?

Keep reading and learning and most important ask questions. Visit the reed discussion and chemistry forums every day to see what you can learn. Visit the Lighting and equipment forum when considering a purchase. I am here every day and always learning something new even after 15+ years.

 

[TinaMcCord]

Tanks been up a little over a year. It was my daughter's semester Marin Bio project last year but after getting her A then having a problem with dino she was done with it. By then I was attached to the puffer fish and anenome and took it over, deciding to try and do it right, Hubby set up a whole Ro/Di unit etc and we ordered a new tank Reef tank with skimmer, internal pumps etc, thankfully with alot of help from our local guy! I caught the puffer nipping the anenome several times and hubby said he had to go, he is now living in a gorgeous fish only tank in Kentfield. Sure miss his puppy dog personality tho!
We were doing great and then our local guy started having issues with sick fish from his supplier, even tho he is religous about QT. I'm not sure if it came in on a few shrimp or snail that I got from him or if it was dormant on a fish that we already had and the dreaded cryptotook off when we had a skimmer issue... Its been damage control ever since. Positive thing to come out of this is i now have a QT or hospital set up too.