Powder blue tang

[Shellyfish]

I just got a powder blue tang on Saturday. He is already picking away at the nori and some flakes. I know they are huge ich magnets so I've been watching him very carefully. I don't see any spots on him but he is flashing against things. I know it can be in the gills where you can't see it, but I'm wondering if this is ich or flukes? Which should I treat for? You can't do prazi and cupramine at the same time.

 

[regent2010]

best bet is a pair of Cleaner wrasses at the same time, maybe skunk shrimp too. feed them a lot with vitamin enriched dipping likes selcon etc. keep it in top shape. I have 5 tangs+ some 20 others fishes + lots of liverock all fishes r healthy n fat. feed 2-3 times a day. 20% waterchange every 4 weeks.

 

[scuzy]

That's terrible cleaner shrimp and wrasse does nothing for ich out breaks. I would do 4 weeks of. Copper or chloroquine phosphate. Then follow by two weeks of prazipro.

 

[Shellyfish]

I'm pretty sure cleaner wrasses and shrimp do nothing for ich. As I mentioned I'm not even sure that's what it is as there isn't a single spot on him. You would treat for ich first? Even though there aren't any on him?

 

[TravelinLight]

I do cupramine and a dose of formalin instead of prazipro at the same time. I have a powder blue in QT that was rubbing as well. I got him comfy and eating- started freshwater baths, ramped up copper to 0.5(over a weeks time), and added my dose of formalin. Alls well.

 

[Shellyfish]

hmm, I don't have any formalin, and I'm not comfortable with freshwater baths. I will have to either treat for ich(which I'm not convinced he has) or flukes.

 

[triggreef]

Check out nationalfishpharm.com they have every med available and a very good disease ID section.

My suggestion if you can be patient, is treat for flukes first. Most here suggest 2 to 3 doses of Prazi 5 days apart. A big water change prior to the 2nd and 3rd dose. I don't like prazi for my own reasons, and would search out another med for flukes but thats just me.

After that, cupramine for a few weeks. I like to move them directly from full cupramine levels to my display. but that also is just me. My reason for that is many suggest an observation period, but if you drop the cupramine level after 4 weeks, keeping in mind that ich is not kill-able in its encrusted form at the bottom of your tank, and one cyst hatches during that observation period, bang your infected. and may not even know until you thought your observation period was a success and put the fish in your display. Others may also suggest putting him into a totally new system for the observation period. I just don't have space or patients to do that.

 

[MrTuskfish]

NEVER MIX COPPER & FORMALIN.
Mixing copper & formalin is a major mistake. Read the last FAQ:http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Cupramine.html

The comments on cleaners not eating ich are correct, stomach contents prove it. The ich is buried too deep for the cleaners. They will eat the white spots sometimes. These spots are not the parasites, but left over tissue from the parasite burrowing in.

Formalin is not a good cure for ich. Fish won't tolerate formalin for the continuous 4 weeks of treatment and formalin baths are not effective against ich.. Tank transfer, copper, and probably CP work and are safe.

To the OP: I assume fish are in a QT. I would treat any PBT for ich, regardless of symptoms. I treat all new fish, but don't suggest everyone do it. But, PBTs are an exception and, IMO, the should all be treated. They handle treatment very well. Tank transfer is a great way to treat ich, especially if you aren't comfortable with copper.

 

[MrTuskfish]

After that, cupramine for a few weeks. I like to move them directly from full cupramine levels to my display. but that also is just me. My reason for that is many suggest an observation period, but if you drop the cupramine level after 4 weeks, keeping in mind that ich is not kill-able in its encrusted form at the bottom of your tank, and one cyst hatches during that observation period, bang your infected. and may not even know until you thought your observation period was a success and put the fish in your display. Others may also suggest putting him into a totally new system for the observation period. I just don't have space or patients to do that.

These comments make a lot of sense. I actually move the fish from the CU dose to a 2nd, " sterile" QT for a couple of weeks observation. Ich paranoia is not a bad thing.

 

[Shellyfish]

Yes, the fish is in QT... I've already had my share of ich issues, nothing gets in without QT! I think I will start with the prazipro since it's a shorter treatment, and move on to the cupramine after that. He's kind of skittish but eating like a pig which I figure has to be a good sign after only 3 days!

 

[MrTuskfish]

Yes, the fish is in QT... I've already had my share of ich issues, nothing gets in without QT! I think I will start with the prazipro since it's a shorter treatment, and move on to the cupramine after that. He's kind of skittish but eating like a pig which I figure has to be a good sign after only 3 days!

Sound like a plan!

 

[Rea17]

Technically you can use PraziPro and Cupramine concurrently, but it isn't the best course if avoidable. Just make sure the water is well aerated and redose cupramine when you do the wc for prazi.

If you don't see visible signs of ich, it's not going to kill the fish soon, so starting with Prazi wouldn't really hurt. Goodluck, hope he does well for you. I love my powder blues!

 

[Shellyfish]

Ok, I did a water change and dosed the prazi last night. Now today I notice tiny black dots on the fish.... black ich? I had this in a yellow tang years ago and treated successfully with paraguard. I think I read somewhere that prazi will take care of black ich as well? Is that correct? Or should I switch to paraguard after 5 days of prazi? Darn fish, why can't they just come parasite free???