Is it the dreaded marine ich

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

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As the title says. Is this ich on the blue hippo

ahtatt · Jun 24, 2013

Its hard to be certain just by looking at the picture. Baby tangs are hard to capture clearly

I would say probably so.
hippo tangs are notorious for being hard to keep as juveniles. They need almost a constant supply of food.

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

He always has some seaweed and eats no problem every time. I feed him mysis dipped in garlic extreme and pellets dipped in garlic extreme and he eats plankton as well occasionally. Water params are good. I turned the temp up a bit as I've read it deters ich parasite some how. I do have a reef safe ich treatment but haven't used it yet. I don't have a quarentine tank so that's out of the question or I would have him in it already. He doesn't seem stressed in any way and swims around in the open all day. Breathing is normal and I have only seen him rub up on rocks one time although he lets my red fire shrimp pick at his skin.

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

The spot on one side of him is actually black and not white

miyags · Jun 24, 2013

If you can afford a UV sterilizer, it will help keep ick in check. Just keep it well feed. And I mean as often as you can feed it. the tang should look bloated from food. Its nice you have a cleaner shrimp to. they do help in my opinion. Hope every thing works out for you and your fish!!!

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

At what point should I take him out of my tank to save the other fish the same fate. I mean I hate to say that and he is my favorite fish in the tank but I'm trying to look out for the sake of all the inhabitants.

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

Is a uv sterilizer at petco good enough for the task at hand.

kateater · Jun 24, 2013

808jaymakoa said:
Is a uv sterilizer at petco good enough for the task at hand.

Depends on the wattage for your tank size. Moving him will only stress him out even more. Make sure water quality is top notch and feed variety of good quality food.

KoleTang · Jun 24, 2013

808jaymakoa said:
Is a uv sterilizer at petco good enough for the task at hand.

Brand? Model?

That tang is looking very skinny.

DO NOT turn the temp up. That just speeds up the life cycle of the ich.

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

I bought him a 10 days ago at lfs and he was skinny when I bought him. I feed everyday until they stop eating and he always has seaweed he nips at all day long. I put temp back where it was. I didn't raise it alot

miyags · Jun 24, 2013

Chances are if its on your tang, then its most likely already in your water as well, I know petsmart had the in tank style uv sterilizer, I think it was 9watt. and 24watt.. it does depend on tank size, i'd go for the top size of there recommendation. I run 18watt on a 55gal. tank

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

I have a 55 gallon tank as well. I'm about to go to petco and see what they have there

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

They have one called the green killing machine that is good for up to 100 gallons and its 24 watts

miyags · Jun 24, 2013

I would have gotten the 24 watt but they were out, so I order the 18watt on ebay. just watch your temp after you add it.

808jaymakoa · Jun 24, 2013

So the uv starilizer will keep ich in check but no cure it right? And if kept unstressed and fed the tang might be alright? If that's the case I'm guessing that the immune system keeps parasites in check and won't allow parasites like ich to affect it

Flatbrook · Jun 24, 2013

Unfortunately, more than likely, the ich is already in your tank. I just went through a major battle with ich in my 55gal mixed reef. Casualties are... 3 pajama cardinals, 2 dottybacks, yellow tang, bicolor blenny, and my manderin goby. All deaths acured within 3 days. With only one pajama cardinal left, i was pulling my hair out on what to do. I spent hours researching, and finally made the decision to do a quarrentine tank and start hypo salinity treatment on the cardinal. I went to walmart and spent a whole $35 on a 10gal complete tank setup and a $10 heater. Took 10 gal from my DT and poured it into my 10 And in went the fish. Within 1 day he was showing signs of ich with his eyes whiting over to the point of him looking like he had cadaracs. I slowly did 1 gal water changes replacing the tank water with RO water (no salt) till SG was at 1.010. (Over a 48 hr period) after him being in there for 4 days, he looks 100% better. Clear eyes, back to eating. I did dose the 10gal once a day with kordon rid fungus 1 tsp just incase he had any other infections. This process takes 8 weeks to complete. Leaving your DT fish less for that time will starve the ich parasite and it will die. I have a great article that I will post that really changed my mind on not getting a quarrentine tank.

Reefing is like a box of chocolates, you never know whatcha gonna get!

feh · Jun 24, 2013

I would not rely on a UV light for ich. The safest solution is to QT all your fish and leave the tank fishless for 2 months or so. Ich can't live without a host and when they start falling off they're going to multiple and spread. While you have the fish in the QT bring the salinity down to 1.009 and leave it there until its gone for at least 4 to 6 weeks then start bringing the salinity back up to your normal level before moving them back to the display. That hippo doesn't travel well when shipping. I've seen many in shops with ich from this. If it looks like table salt grains on it... its ich. Seeing that you've already introduced the tang to the tank I would recommend QT all fish at this point.

Also you need to keep the QT tank topped off to keep the salinity where you want it otherwise it will creep up. Search for hypo salinity treatment. You don't need meds for it, but you do need to act quickly. Also you don't have to worry about your corals or inverts. You can feed them while the fish are in QT.