Powder blue tangs

[The Saltman]

Hi guys,

I understand a lot of people shy away from this fish because they say they are "ich magnets." But, if proper quarantine procedures are taken with this fish at the beginning, this fish should never get ich in the future correct? I was planning on a 6 week QT of the powder blue to make sure to rid of any ich.

 

[jnc914]

The Powders and Achilles are always prone to get ich, even when properly Qt'ed. These Acanthurus species are easily stressed, which leads to supressed immunity and inability to fight off ich. There are many threads where a healthy PBT is introduced to an "ich free" display and within several days it is covered. Some people get lucky, but most wind up continually treating for ich until the fish is settled. Good luck, they are a beautiful specimen once established.

 

[Chibils]

Cryptocarion can live for 11 up to weeks with no host. So the PBT would have to be in qt for 11 weeks. And the other fish, with no signs, may still have it.

 

[The Saltman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12325140#post12325140 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnc914
The Powders and Achilles are always prone to get ich, even when properly Qt'ed. These Acanthurus species are easily stressed, which leads to supressed immunity and inability to fight off ich. There are many threads where a healthy PBT is introduced to an "ich free" display and within several days it is covered. Some people get lucky, but most wind up continually treating for ich until the fish is settled. Good luck, they are a beautiful specimen once established.

If this is true, then this doesn't make sense to what I have read. The ich life cycle is around 6 weeks. If I introduce the tang to a ich free tank after 6 weeks, then the tang should never get ich. From my understanding, ich needs a host in a 6 week period or it will die. So how can the tang get ich all of the sudden in the future if it hasn't been present for months?

 

[Chibils]

Just because the signs are not present does not mean that the disease isn't present.

 

[The Saltman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12325175#post12325175 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chibils
Cryptocarion can live for 11 up to weeks with no host. So the PBT would have to be in qt for 11 weeks. And the other fish, with no signs, may still have it.

Is cryptocarion a different kind of ich that is present with powder blues?

 

[The Saltman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12325204#post12325204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chibils
Just because the signs are not present does not mean that the disease isn't present.

Would it be bad to treat for copper even if you don't see the disease present while in qt?

 

[Ruskin]

You might find this an interesting/informative read if you havent seen it before. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

From what I understand Tangs do not tolerate copper treatment as well as other fish so you must be certain you don't overdose with copper. I can't remember the recommended dosages for Tangs but I did read it on these boards, so maybe you can find it in a search or someone else can chime in.

Good Luck,
Matt

 

[The Saltman]

Is formalin better or safer to use than copper?

 

[yoboyjdizz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12325826#post12325826 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Saltman
Is formalin better or safer to use than copper?

I wouldn't do any of these treatments with tangs. They don't really respond well to them. I also wouldn't treat a healthy fish unless you see signs of disease first. The best treatment would be hypo.

 

[jnc914]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12325188#post12325188 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Saltman
If this is true, then this doesn't make sense to what I have read. The ich life cycle is around 6 weeks. If I introduce the tang to a ich free tank after 6 weeks, then the tang should never get ich. From my understanding, ich needs a host in a 6 week period or it will die. So how can the tang get ich all of the sudden in the future if it hasn't been present for months?

I am one of those people that believes that ich is always present to some degree in your tank. There are many that agree and alot that argue against it. I think that when immunity is compromised the fish can not fight ich off and it quickly spreads, especially on the fish I mentioned above.

Also, it is not recommneded to use copper with tangs. Formalin will not work effectively for ich, but works great for flukes. Hypo in a QT is the wat to go, only if the fish is actually showing symptoms. Post a pic when you get one.

 

[mattsilvester]

Re: Powder blue tangs

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12325060#post12325060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Saltman
Hi guys,

I understand a lot of people shy away from this fish because they say they are "ich magnets." But, if proper quarantine procedures are taken with this fish at the beginning, this fish should never get ich in the future correct? I was planning on a 6 week QT of the powder blue to make sure to rid of any ich.

I would say that is a fair synopsis, with one caveat - there are "quarantine proceedures" and there are "quarantine procedures"....... to me, it involves a full and complete course of strict hypo salinity, using a relaible refractometer. It also means that EVERYTHING wet that has ever gone into your tank has been q-tined..... that is, fish all hypo'd and rock / inverts / corals been let for 6 weeks without fish. If you have an established tank, and have not ha an outbreak of ich for 6 months or more, and have not introduced anything wet for the last 6 months, then you can assume it to be ich free......

That is what I have done, my powderblue has remained ich free, and I believe that it is due to my q-tine / prevetative treatment regime......

HTH

Matt