Ich on hippo/regal tang

[PirateLove]

Hi RC. I have read and read and have found conflicting ideas. I purchased a blue hippo tang from a friend two days ago. I did not quarantine him because he was well in my friends tank. Now 48 hours later I see signs of ich. The white dots. Any advice on what to do?

 

[PirateLove]

Only other fish with him is a clown.
Salinity 35ppm
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 2
temp 79

 

[shifty51008]

You will have to remove all fish from the main tank and transfer them to a hospital tank and treat all fish. Tank transfer is safest imo, tangs cant handle copper treatment as good as other fish. You will also have to leave the main tank fishless for 72 days

 

[PirateLove]

 

[shifty51008]

Thats ich

 

[PirateLove]

Some say catching and transferring and treating is more stress on the fish and some fish can stick it out. What do you think?

He is now eating garlic seaweed tonight. Also heard if my clown is healthy he will not get the ich.

 

[shifty51008]

Stress causes ich but the point is to eradicate the ich so it is completly out of the tank. While yes people live with ich in the tank i feel it is much better for the fish to get rid of it. It would be like would you want to live with a constant masquito bite? While you can live with it, it will always be bugging you.

 

[CStrickland]

I think of all the reef topics ich has the most rumors and bad info. Like shifty said, it won't ever go all the way away unless you get it out of the rocks and sand. There are some great threads about ich in the setting up sticky, they are the combined experience of some of the most knowledgable reefers you will find.

FWIW if you still have the 42 gallon tank, you are going to have trouble with a hippo. They need like 250 gallons of water and 8 feet of length to swim. It's very stressful for fish to be in tanks that are too small.

 

[PirateLove]

I think of all the reef topics ich has the most rumors and bad info. Like shifty said, it won't ever go all the way away unless you get it out of the rocks and sand. There are some great threads about ich in the setting up sticky, they are the combined experience of some of the most knowledgable reefers you will find.

FWIW if you still have the 42 gallon tank, you are going to have trouble with a hippo. They need like 250 gallons of water and 8 feet of length to swim. It's very stressful for fish to be in tanks that are too small.

I will catch and quarantine her tonight then. Thanks shifty.

CStrickland Thank you for all your help, every post I make you have kind words and advice. I do appreciate it.
ps. not the 42

 

[shifty51008]

I will catch and quarantine her tonight then. Thanks shifty.

CStrickland Thank you for all your help, every post I make you have kind words and advice. I do appreciate it.
ps. not the 42

Make sure you catch the clown also.

Good luck

 

[CStrickland]

my pleasure. I selfishly get a lot out of giving advice; when I'm right I feel really good about the happy pets and reefers, and when I'm wrong I learn new stuff from smart folks. It's win win.
Glad he's not in the 42! I had to get that post in because we tang police are under a strict quota. If I don't make my numbers they won't give me the sweet overtime shifts for time and a half, and I'll never make corporal

 

[PirateLove]

So after taking both out and placing them in a quarantine tank, the tang has no more visible spots. The white spots were only on him for 48 hours. Anyone know if this is normal?

He is eating great at night too.

 

[jraker]

ich has a very interesting life cycle where it infects the fish, and then falls off to reproduce.

 

[gone fishin]

So after taking both out and placing them in a quarantine tank, the tang has no more visible spots. The white spots were only on him for 48 hours. Anyone know if this is normal?

He is eating great at night too.

that sounds about right. That is what makes Tank transfer so effective it breaks up the predictable part of the life cycle. Good luck