Oh no, ick in the display tank!

[dismayed]

So I bought a sailfin tang a couple weeks ago. He's been eating well and appeared healthy so I moved him into the main tank. Everything seemed fine, then tonight... wham! I notice he has several little white dots on his body. He doesn't seem to be scratching yet.

I have two other fish, a pair of saddle clowns, who so far look unaffected.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to treat this. Should I move just the tang to the hospital tank and start treating, or at this point should I move all three fish to the hospital and dose?

Am I looking at a 30 day quarantine of my main tank now?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[paulamrein]

All fish must be quarantined and display fallow for at least 4 weeks 6 weeks is better. If you just pull one fish and treat the one leaving the others in the display, once the tang goes back in it will start all over again. May not be what you wanted to hear, but there it is. After all fish has gone through treatment, EVERYTHiNg WET (rock, corals, inverts. etc.) must be QT'd for at least a month before introduction into the tank.

 

[dismayed]

The fish and rock I understand, but that is really interesting about the coral. I hadn't considered that.

 

[paulamrein]

It would just be a smaller tank with the same set up. That month or so in a separate tank will give you time to see "red bugs" and other coral killers. Plus parasites that are dormant can hitchhike on them. It's the only sure way to ensure a parasite system.