Tangs and Ich or Velvet

[bderos]

Hi Gang - Why is it everytime I put a tang in my tank, powder brown, powder blue, yellow eyed, yellow, or tomini tang (the tomini is the newest to get sick and will probably die) they get ich or velvet and DIE? I've use Kick Ich but it doesn't help. HELP!!!

Will someone tell me if they have had the same expereince and how they fixed the problem or if I'm doing something wrong. The water is balanced, my tank has been around for 5 years, although my protien skimmer sucks.

 

[sparks56]

wait at least 30 days before putting another tang in!/ if it has no host it will die

 

[bderos]

For right now should I increase the temp in my tank to help kill it, to try and save the fish? Is 82 high enought?

 

[Freed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8479633#post8479633 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sparks56
wait at least 30 days before putting another tang in!/ if it has no host it will die

This will only work if there are no fish in the tank or after you remove all fish from the tank and then put the fish you took out into QT and treat with hypo or copper. To kill the ich in the tank your tank must have no fish in it for at least 30 days minimum with no other additions of any kine either in those minimum 30 days.

 

[bderos]

But only the Tangs get sick. I dont understand. Are Tangs more apt to get Ich?

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8479775#post8479775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bderos
But only the Tangs get sick. I dont understand. Are Tangs more apt to get Ich?

Of the reef safe fish we generally use, yes. Though there are many other fish (butterflies/some large angels) that are also quite susceptible, we just don't see it unless we keep a FOWLR or FO tank.

hth

 

[geekreef_05]

Tangs are considered ick magnets. Its likely that the initial Tang you introduced had ick, and now your water contains the diesease.

I recommend waiting at 3 months before putting anymore livestock in the tank. There is a general rule that states ick will die out in a couple months if it has no host (although that rule is debatable, its worth a try in your case). Get at least one cleaner shrimp as well to help fight the desease in its early stages.

g/l!

 

[carpediem360]

Taking all the fish out sounds like alot of work to me. I haven't been into reef tanks that long but I have found out just adding vitamins to the food helps the fish fight it off naturally. I have tried alot of ways to kill ich. IMO vitamins seem to work the best. Plus you're putting less stress on the fish by not moving it from tank to tank.

 

[bderos]

Thanks for the info. Attempting to take all the fish out of my tank would disrupt the entire tank b/c i would have to remove all the corals and live rock to get to the fish that hide under the rocks. I'll try the not adding fish for a while but how do I know if the ich has died off? Do I add another tang and see what happens to it?

 

[carpediem360]

After you see no ich on any of your fish wait 2 to 3 weeks afterwards. If you are willing to risk it a UV sterelizer might not be a bad idea but, it will kill everything that passes through it. Not just the ich.

 

[bderos]

Is a UV sterelizer a good idea or will it kill the good bacteria inaddtion to the bad stuff?

 

[carpediem360]

I ran mine just at night and for no longer than a month. Yes it will kill some good bacteria too

 

[Freed]

DO YOU HAVE ANY FISH IN YOUR TANK RIGHT NOW? ANY AT ALL?

 

[bkbailes07]

the things you need to right now are:
1. soak food in garlic extreme or something like it and selcon to get the vitamin C up
2. raise the tank temp to about 82ish
3. be sure your feeding algae
4. do not use medicine...it usually hurts more than it helps

this is the best way to handle ich

 

[bderos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8529623#post8529623 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Freed
DO YOU HAVE ANY FISH IN YOUR TANK RIGHT NOW? ANY AT ALL?

I have 3 fire fish, 5 chromies, 1 yellow eye watchman, and a dimond back goby and a cleaner shirmp. Also 3 hermit crabs.

 

[bderos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8529904#post8529904 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bkbailes07
the things you need to right now are:
1. soak food in garlic extreme or something like it and selcon to get the vitamin C up
2. raise the tank temp to about 82ish
3. be sure your feeding algae
4. do not use medicine...it usually hurts more than it helps

this is the best way to handle ich

I am doing the stuff you suggested but I'm also adding Kick Ich. Will Kick Ich damage corals and live rock?

 

[bkbailes07]

they say it is ok but im always skeptical about medications that say they are reef-safe

 

[Freed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8529069#post8529069 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bderos
I'll try the not adding fish for a while but how do I know if the ich has died off?

What good will this do? You will still have ich in the tank.

 

[bureau13]

Yes, removing fish is a lot of work, but not as much as you may think if you're saying you have to remove all your corals and rock. Fish traps my friend! Unless you have some of those annoying fish that show no real interest in food and yet refuse to starve to death, I found that I was able to trap most of my fish fairly easily.

jds

 

[carpediem360]

The point was you can cure the ick without having to remove any fish at all. Why cause more stress on a sick fish by moving him to another tank. That's how it got the ick in the first place. When doing something as simple as adding vitamins to their food and let the fish fight it off naturally. Plus it will benefit all your fish in the tank. I have just about tried everything to get rid of ick. Hypo with raised temp. freshwater dips. copper and other meds ect ect. IMO they vitamins are the way to go. I also used a UV sterilizer at night for a month just to kill the free floaters. Sry I didn't mean to offend you if I did.