Sick Purple Tang

[Mr31415]

My PT had some Ich when I introduced him to my main dsplay (did not have a QT at the time). But apart from that he was very healty - ate from my hand even. So I placed him in QT @ hyposalinity. He's been there for 3 weeks. Recently (about a week ago) I checked up on him and all the Ich was gone. About 5 days ago my Nitrites and Nitrates went through the roof - like in >8mg/l and > 200mg/l. It started refusing to eat anything (had not eaten in 5 days now), and just sits there in a corner - and have what seems contracted Ich again.

Long story short - I did a 100% water change this morning @ 04:00 (grrr) and ensured the critical params were perfect - pH (8.25), temp (26.05C) and salinity (1.009). So the water's nitrite/nitrate is fine (ps - ammonia had always been 0).

It is swimming around a bit, but refuses to eat. I have two questions. Regarding the food - what can I do to make him eat? He used to eat ANYTHING. Secondly, there are three things I'd like to confirm. He has small cloudy spots (not swollen) on his eyes, he has some white fungus on his nose and lots of white spots that I presume is Ich. Here are two (large) images for maximum resolution. Please check him out and tell me how ill he is.

http://www.gamma.za.net/images/_J8T1958.jpg (3.4MB)

and

http://www.gamma.za.net/images/_J8T1978.jpg (3.6MB)

 

[giorgiboy]

He doesnt look terrible but with the lack of feeding I'd be worried about that much more - could go into a rapid decline.. 100% water change is quite drastic and could be stress factor? As of course would have been the other parameters you mentioned.. My PT now and again has had a small white spot or 2, but I just left him in the main tank, did a small water change, keep feeding to minimum etc to keep stable conditions as I can and they have always gone.. Apart from todays drama (other thread on here...)
Good luck

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

:eek2: WOW! Talk about close ups!

Are you using a Refractometer? Are you checking salinity twice a day? Did you use R/O water or if you used Tap water, did you use a water conditioner?
I hope you removed and treated ALL your fish, if not, ich will be waiting to reinfect this Tang when he returns!

Its really hard to tell what the stuff on his nose is, even though you got so close..But Fungal infections are rare, usually Bacterial infections. You could treat with an antibiotic, I like Furan-2. [can be ordered online] If the issue with the eyes is also bacterial, this will clear it up .
The spots on his body seem large for ich....but then it is a LARGE photo..I would just keep your SG at 1.009 and keep an eye on him. Could be Lymphocystis..

Are you offering him algae strips? Try Mysis..He may be on a hunger strike due to the small qt or the meds or whatever...I had a Yellow Tang get so skinny once you could see his bones..Then one day, he started eating again Strange fish
Just try a variety of foods, soak them in vitamins like Vita-chem, hopefully he will eat soon

 

[Mr31415]

My params are spot on. I use a $2000 calibrated water parameter tester. Salinity is 1.0095, Temp is 26.05C, pH is now 8.00. I am checking 4 times a day. RO water - checked, it has < 17ppt TDS so RO unit is working. All fish had been removed yes. there is also a small clown and purple firefish in there. I offered him Sushi Nori - usually he eats it vigorously but now he just ignores it.

Thanks will try the vitamins thing. But I am getting desperate - actually I am loosing faith. I cannot maintain the QT tank. After the very drastic 100% water change, in 9 hours time my Nitrites are up from 0 to 1.5mg/l and Nitrates up from 0 to 10mg/l. I have only fed them like 30 minutes before measuring. I cleaned out EVERYTHING in that tank.

How is it possible that at 0 ammonia in 100% new water, the *trates would go up like that considering I have not fed the tank in 3 days apart from 30 minute before measurements?

 

[Mr31415]

Does that purple tang have indeed Ich? I ask since the spots are *huge* now (about 1mm in size) and protrudes significantly from the body - they stand out as far as they are big. The PT has about 8 of these huge spots on its body on each side. Is it Ich?

 

[Mr31415]

^

 

[giorgiboy]

The few (only ever about 3) spots mine had were about 1mm in size and did look a bit fluffy as opposed to ich. Also the fish did not scracth or flick against anything. The spots cleared up after a few days. I only have 3 fish in a 110 gallon so just try to keep it as stable as possible. I had an experience with a powder blue a couple of years back. It was fine for about 2 years, then started ficking a bit and white spots finally appeared. They were much smaller, the classic fine salt grain appearance of ich.. They are very susceptible to that and i wont keep one again, but the tangs seem much more robust in my experience..