Tang with ICK

[reefer Rob]

I just bought a yellow tang and an Atlantic blue tang today, and as well as I looked it over t the LFS, as bad as the lighting was in that tank I didn't see anything, but no that he is in my tank I noticed about 3 little white spots. I have a 75g with SW and nothing else but was afraid to QT it in there since it has never had anything in it and has never cycled. So now what? I don't want to lose all my fish. Da$# it!!

 

[reefer Rob]

I do have a Aquaclear 500, an whisper 300 and an Emporor 400 (that had been running in my main tank for almost 2 months) running in it right now.

 

[Freed]

It can still be done. Do you have any type of mechanical filter on the 75? Do you have a corner type air driven sponge filter? Hyposalinity is your best bet in the 75g tank. If you can, do a good size water change in the 75 with water from your 180. Then, you can put your fish in the 75 for no less than 4-6 weeks AFTER the last sign of ich with hyposalinity. Now that you have put the fish in your 180, I assume, you will have to move them all to the 75 to ensure no ich remains in the 180 after it has been fishless for the same 4-6 weeks. You can not do hypo with corals, inverts, snails, etc. Only fish can be put thru hypo at 1.009 salinity that is checked with a refractometer.

 

[reefer Rob]

so you are saying that all my fish need to go in there? Hyposalinity 1.009? thats like much less salty I assume?
yes there is mechanical filtration. Lots for a 74g

 

[Freed]

Yes, if you have already put the fish with ich in the main display there is a chance that the ich may have migrated to the other fish or the ich has dropped off the fish and at some point in the future the ich will then multiply and reattach to the other fish and infect them as well.

 

[reefer Rob]

since I don't have a refrctometer and justuse a cheap SG tester what besides hyposalinity is best? I've been reading about Garlic gel tabs juiced into their food curing it in days?

 

[Freed]

Garlic does not cure ich. It may help the fishes ability to fight off the damage that ich does or help ich from getting a hold of the fish but there is no data that supports garlic will kill ich. There is, however, data and studies that prove hypo kills ich. A swing arm hydrometer could mean death to your fish in hypo if it is off by a few hundredths or so as too low of a salinity could cause death.