Sick Scopas Tang -> Need advise

[mling]

I purchased a small, 2", Scopas Tang, 5 days ago. This Tang arrived at the LFS in Centreville more than 2 weeks ago. It was very active and looked great. I put it straight in my FOWLR tank after acclimation Yes, I know, I should have it in QT first but I figured that since it was at the LFS for 2 plus weeks, it should be OK.
From day 1, it has and still is feeding great, on flake and live brine.

Last night I notice very tiny pin size white spots on it, at first I though it was micro bubbles from the skimmer. Lucky for me, I have never had Ich on my fishes before but I think this might be it. I remember hearing the hypo treatment is a good way to threat Ich. So last night I set up my 10Gal hospital tank with 50%(4Gal) water from the main tank and the remainder with fresh RO/DI. The SG in this hospital tank is 0.016. Had a hard time catching this Scopas but that is a good sign of it’s health I guess.

This morning (about 12hrs since removal to hospital tank) I woke up and discovered that the spots are no longer pin size, they are much bigger, as you can see in these pics.


1) Is this Ich I am dealing with ?

2) What should I do now ?
Should continue with a lower SG ?
Should I start some medication since it is in a Hospital tank by it self ?

3) Has my main FOWLR tank been contamated with Ich and now needs treatment ? What do u need to do ?The other fishes all don’t show any sign of Ich nor are they behaving any differently. Did I stop this in time ?

ok, enough 20 questions..... appreciate any advise.

 

[asm481]

Looks like ich to me for sure. Yes your display has ich in it now and will have it until at least 6 weeks with absolutely no fish in it. Any fish in a tank will allow ich to stay even if they do not show spots. I would get all fish out into a hospital tank like you have and go hyposalinity to 1.010. stay at this point for 4 weeks then slowly bring back up to reef level 1.025. Total of 6 or more weeks at Hypo after yuou see no more spots. Any spots show up you start the clock over. Watch your water in the hospital tank as it has not cycled and you will get ammonia and nitrites. Solution there is water changes often probably a couple gallons a day till stable.

 

[mling]

Thanks for the advise. I have a FOWLF tank BUT I do have 2 Bubble Tip Anemone, for my maroon clown who is always in one BTA or the other, only leaves either one to feed. For this reason, I would rather not put medication in the main tank if I can help it. Once I added MelaFix and the BTAs didn't like that too much, though it did recover.

Any one know how low I can take the SG in my primary tank without hurting the BTA ?

 

[asm481]

Do not lower you display tank. Your BTA will not handle it. IF YOU WANT to be ich free you should remove just the fish to a hospital tank no inverts or live rock and lower SG. Your BTA will do fine without the clown and your clown without the BTA. You are right...no meds in your display tank.

 

[Percula9]

Even if your display tank is empty for that much time there is no guarantee that will wipe out the ich. Treat the qt with copper or formalin based med. Just keep an eye on the fish in the display. If fish are eating soak food in garlic for 20 min. Don't lower the salinity any more than it is in the QT. Don't medicate the display. If you do take every body out of the dispay, raise the temp in the display to 90 degrees. This will accelerate the life cycle of the parasite, this may wipe it out. Copper kills the parasite only in the free swimming stage of its life cycle. When the cysts fall off the fish and hatch a new batch of ich they look for a host. This is when the med kills them. If the parasite can't find a host in 2 days it dies. Tomonts( dormant stage) Trophonts( on the fish) Tomites( free swimming)