Need help asap!!!!Black ich on powder brown tang

[emcmilla]

Hello All,

My powder brown tang and majestic foxface showed early signs of white (i.e. "regular" ich). I immediately removed both fish and put them in my QT. After about 2 weeks of treatment, all visual signs of the ich was gone from my foxface. I put him back in my DT. However, I have noticed there may be some a bit more ich on him and will have to remove him from the DT. My difficulty with this is that my powder brown tang is still in the QT and has now developed what appears to be black ich (aka. turbellarian worms). So I do not want to put my foxface back in the QT with the tang.
My current problem is with the tang. I have looked everywhere for Formalin and cannot find it. No pet store in Ottawa, Canada seems to sell it. So, I wanted to give my tang a freshwater dip but am worried it will kill him. I have never done a FW dip and do not know the proper procedure. If anyone out there can give me a procedure to follow (preferably a procedure they've done with a tang) I would really appreciate some help!
My tang is still eating and swimming around. He's in a very small QT which doesn't help with water quality issues.

So, basically I need someone to tell me exactly how to prepare and complete a freshwater dip, including what parameters should be and the length of time for the dip. I also need some help with this black ich. Has anyone tried another type of treatment that has worked for this?? I am still trying to find some formalin, but so far, I have had no luck.

Please help, I don't want to lose my fish

Thanks in advance.

emcmilla

 

[avandss]

first, if you had ich in your display tank, you must keep it fishless for at least 72 days, ich is in the water.

you should purchase another QT tank, take all the fish out, i suggest tank transfer for ich
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996525

as for black ich use prazipro

freshwater dip is super easy, all you need to do is take some RODI water, measure the ph, add an airstone, and match it to the tank (should be near 8.00) also match temp to the tank (77-81) and dip for 3 to 10 minutes

to recap.
for ich
remove all fish from Display tank (inverts and corals can stay)
leave display tank FISHLESS for 72day (not 1 day less)

ich treatment
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2389659

black ich is cured with prazipro

 

[avandss]

it was very hard getting my hand on formalin, i am in montreal 2hours from you, if ever you really need some you are more then welcome to drive down

however with that being said i do not think you need formalin

prazipro (i would dose at 150%) and a few 10gallon tanks for tank transfer is all you need

 

[avandss]

also you can post picture of your fish, so the pro's here can help ID, it is easy to misdiagnose

 

[emcmilla]

Thanks for the response avandss! The LFS said my display tank should be fine since I caught ich extremely early. After diagnosing the ich I immediately took out the two fish. Since then, my other fish in my DT have been fine. My two cleaner shrimps, hermits and leathercorals are also fine. There have been no signs of anything on the others. Right now I have 10G QTs (I know they are too small). One of which is running with the tang in it. My problem of taking them all out is I'd have to purchase another fair size tank and I don't have any more room in my tiny apartment to put another tank. Nor do I have the additional filter and heater. I'm really in a tight position because I literally don't have room for another fairly large tank. The other problem is I will be away for Christmas and if I put the fish in another tank, I'm afraid my levels will be all out of whack.
Also, as for the FW dip, can I use baking soda to increase the ph? I do have a ph buffer that is supposed to put the ph to 8.2-8.4. Should I add that instead?
As an aside, do you know where I can buy deionized water? I've been to two fish stores and neither sell it. I need this water for a digital calcium tester.
I will try to post a pic tomorrow. I really appreciate your response. I am so nervous about killing my fish with the FW dip. He's still eating well and seems to be breathing fine though.
Finally, where do you buy prazipro?

Thanks again for your response

 

[rockworm]

Check your PMs. I have RODI water available if you need it (up to 30 gallons).

 

[avandss]

well you lfs lied. no such thing as catching it early, i am sure you display tank has been contaminated

maybe some one else can chime in, but you need to treat the fish out of your main tank, and leave it fallow for 72 days

some fish get temporary immunity to ich, inverts and coral can not get ich, however they can carry it on them

you should be able to pick up rodi from your lfs, what water are you using for you DT? tap water?

 

[emcmilla]

I use conditioned tap water. My tank is 150 G it would be impossibly expensive to purchase that volume of RODI water. Apparently, my LFS doesn't sell deionized water. They only sell RO water...which is a bit strange if you ask me.
And thank you rockworm. Out of curiosity, where did you buy it?

 

[rockworm]

If you are referring to deionized water, I use a reverse osmosis/deironizer (5 stage RODI unit) to get my tank water. If Prazi, I picked it up at Big Als.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

FW dip will do nothing for ich. While formalin will help with ich it is not a recommended treatment. Read the stickies on crypto and its' treatments. Really good info

 

[snorvich]

Thanks for the response avandss! The LFS said my display tank should be fine since I caught ich extremely early.

Not true

After diagnosing the ich I immediately took out the two fish. Since then, my other fish in my DT have been fine.

Not necessarily. Ich does not have to display visual symptoms in order to be present on the fish (in the gills)

My two cleaner shrimps, hermits and leathercorals are also fine. There have been no signs of anything on the others. Right now I have 10G QTs (I know they are too small). One of which is running with the tang in it. My problem of taking them all out is I'd have to purchase another fair size tank and I don't have any more room in my tiny apartment to put another tank. Nor do I have the additional filter and heater. I'm really in a tight position because I literally don't have room for another fairly large tank. The other problem is I will be away for Christmas and if I put the fish in another tank, I'm afraid my levels will be all out of whack.
Also, as for the FW dip fresh water dips do nothing for ich, they do provide temporary relief for velvet and can confirm the presence of flukes



, can I use baking soda to increase the ph? I do have a ph buffer that is supposed to put the ph to 8.2-8.4. Should I add that instead?
As an aside, do you know where I can buy deionized water? I've been to two fish stores and neither sell it. I need this water for a digital calcium tester.
I will try to post a pic tomorrow. I really appreciate your response. I am so nervous about killing my fish with the FW dip. He's still eating well and seems to be breathing fine though.
Finally, where do you buy prazipro?

Thanks again for your response

 

[avandss]

freshwater dips should help against black ich, would it not?

 

[emcmilla]

I've read in a few places it can temporarily provide relief from them but it doesn't cure the problem. BTW, this is the same powder brown as in the pic you posted about in my other thread. (you thought it may be a thick protective slime coat).

 

[avandss]

so what is your action plan?

 

[emcmilla]

I don't have one. He passed away

 

[avandss]

sorry to hear that, i would be worried that your other fish have what he had.... brook/velvet?

 

[emcmilla]

Yeah. I have set up my two 10G QT. I will be using cupramine to treat all of them. I'm worried because I will be gone for 2 weeks next month and I don't know what to do with them since my landlord will be checking on them but he can't be doing daily water changes. Also, its a good thing I read up on the cupramine and prime. I condition my tap water with prime so it would have killed all my fish if I started the treatment today. I have to let the prime dissipate overnight before I can add the treatment. I am scared of using cupramine only because some people have said they lost all their fish by following the instructions.
Has anyone used cupramine to treat ich before. Are there any precautions I should take? I am so scared of killing my fish