yellow tang

[melafix]

my yellow tang has ick :bum:
Ok my yellow tang has ick and I am still pretty new in this whole saltwater deal.
He is hang out near my coral banded shrimps I don't know if there trying to pick him clean or what but I don't want to lose a fish.
Is there anything I can do I have inverts and some coral in the tank so copper is out of the question and as far as a quarintine I don't have another tank to do so so any advice from here would be great thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[fatrip]

feed him well and don't let the parameter fluctuate. most of my fish kick it them selfs if they are feed enough and nothing is stressing them para wise.

 

[truebeliever71]

I have read that dosing fresh garlic juice will help cure it and is safe for the reef system. Dried garlic or even the jarred garlic will not work because the effect enzyme dissipates or degrades over time.

 

[drbronx]

Ditto what Vince said. Build the tang's immunity by frequent small feedings and maintaining stable tank parameters, especially regarding temp and pH and insuring no other fish is annoying it. You can soak dry food in Garlic Extreme and Selcon (which contains essential fatty acids) to help boost immunilogical functioning. Like Vince said, the fish often are able to kick it over time. You can use tree tea oil extracts (melafix or equivalent) if any secondary bacterial infections result from parasitic lesions. As a final thought, you can drop salinity a little bit to reduce stress by reducing osmotic demand on the fish.

 

[truebeliever71]

Jerry... the benefical enzyme in garlic is allicin and it only remains active for about an hour after the garlic is pressed so much of it's potency is last during the manufacturing process. So I would be leary of how effective a processed product would be.

 

[drbronx]

I agree, I think the whole garlic thing is overblown and I don't know of any controlled empirical research that really supports its utility with fish or humans for that matter. However, there is a lot of anectodal testimony to its effectiveness so I figured I'd throw it in there. Besides, it is very effective at keeping vampires away