Orange shoulder tang w/ ich

[AntimatterBlue]

My juvenile tang was doing great. Ive had him for close to 3 months now. I have ich in my tank but have a cheap UV to help with management. Unfortunately, I think he’s not doing too well since my tang doesn’t look great. I’ve seen the ich come and go but this time, it’s a bit much. He’s not eating and looks super skinny. I’ve been feeding rods herbivore blend.

Tank parameters seem fine. Did a 25% water change today and debating if I should attempt a fresh water dip? My only concern is I’d stress him out more through the dipping process. Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

Video and photo show current state. Other photo shows how he looked just last week.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I cant open video but the first thin

My juvenile tang was doing great. Ive had him for close to 3 months now. I have ich in my tank but have a cheap UV to help with management. Unfortunately, I think he’s not doing too well since my tang doesn’t look great. I’ve seen the ich come and go but this time, it’s a bit much. He’s not eating and looks super skinny. I’ve been feeding rods herbivore blend.

Tank parameters seem fine. Did a 25% water change today and debating if I should attempt a fresh water dip? My only concern is I’d stress him out more through the dipping process. Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

Video and photo show current state. Other photo shows how he looked just last week.

I cant open video but the first thing I notice is how thin this fish is. Around the eye, I see what appears to be some facial erosion. As to ich, pics are quite bright and I cannot see evidence of ich but assuming it has it, this fish will need to be placed in quarantine and treated with coppersafe at therapeutic level 2.25 for a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

 

[AntimatterBlue]

So I have a kole eye tang as well and he has a flare up but his is not nearly this bad. The other fish in the tank to not show signs of ich (clowns, snowflake moray, and black stomach trigger). Do need to quarantine all fish and if so do I need to do them all in separate tanks? What about the coral in the DT too?

 

[AntimatterBlue]

Hopefully these are better pictures.

 

[Tamberav]

This fish needs treatment, like today, like now and food several times a day if it is eating.

Orange shoulder tangs are Acanthurus sp. They do not do well with ich, much more susceptible than your tomini which is more than your clowns and so on. Not every fish has the same thickness of slime coat and ability to deal with this parasite.

Ich is supposed to come and go but each time it does, it is reproducing, it can come back worse and worse.

To rid your tank of ich you need to remove ALL fish and treat them with copper at a therapeutic range and let the display sit fallow (without fish) for 45 days at 81 degrees. Make sure you do not share anything between the tanks that has not been sterilized. No water transfer, this includes your hands. I do my QT maintenance and DT maintenance on totally different days.

Copper treatment:

Copper treatment

Copper treatment What It Treats – Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) and Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum). There is some anecdotal evidence that copper will suppress symptoms of Brooklynella hostilis and Uronema marinum; however it is unlikely to completely eradicate either. How...

www.reef2reef.com

There is an older article about these fish and ich

Ich and Acanthurus tangs - Years of experience and ich management

Alright folks I wanted to share some pretty shameful realities about my past and dealing with Acanthurus tangs. To anyone that doesn't know, common Acanthurus tangs include Powder Blue, Powder Brown, Goldrim/white cheek, Achilles, Sohal, Clown...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[AntimatterBlue]

This fish needs treatment, like today, like now and food several times a day if it is eating.

Orange shoulder tangs are Acanthurus sp. They do not do well with ich, much more susceptible than your tomini which is more than your clowns and so on. Not every fish has the same thickness of slime coat and ability to deal with this parasite.

Ich is supposed to come and go but each time it does, it is reproducing, it can come back worse and worse.

To rid your tank of ich you need to remove ALL fish and treat them with copper at a therapeutic range and let the display sit fallow (without fish) for 45 days at 81 degrees. Make sure you do not share anything between the tanks that has not been sterilized. No water transfer, this includes your hands. I do my QT maintenance and DT maintenance on totally different days.

There is an older article about these fish and ich

Ich and Acanthurus tangs - Years of experience and ich management

Alright folks I wanted to share some pretty shameful realities about my past and dealing with Acanthurus tangs. To anyone that doesn't know, common Acanthurus tangs include Powder Blue, Powder Brown, Goldrim/white cheek, Achilles, Sohal, Clown...

www.reef2reef.com

I’m scared tomorrow will be too late but it’s already 10pm where I’m at. Would a fresh water dip tonight help at all? I plan on starting treatment tomorrow but as stated, I think I might be too late. I don’t have anything on hand for treatment.

 

[Jekyl]

I’m scared tomorrow will be too late but it’s already 10pm where I’m at. Would a fresh water dip tonight help at all? I plan on starting treatment tomorrow but as stated, I think I might be too late. I don’t have anything on hand for treatment.

Dip won't help in this case and will cause further stress.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hopefully these are better pictures.

Again, treat in quarantine as described with coppersafe. This fish has mucus cones mixed with ich and a severe outbreak and needs immediate treatment. No dip and immediate treatment is a must

 

[AntimatterBlue]

Thanks for the feedback from all. I plan on hitting up my LFS tomorrow morning and hopefully can save this guy. Sucks that I didn’t notice until today and will definitely learn from the whole ordeal. Again, thanks everyone.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks for the feedback from all. I plan on hitting up my LFS tomorrow morning and hopefully can save this guy. Sucks that I didn’t notice until today and will definitely learn from the whole ordeal. Again, thanks everyone.

I’m just seeing this now. I agree the fish is in dire shape. I just can’t figure out how it went from fine to this thin in just a week.

I can see some blotchiness to the tang’s skin, are you sure it is ich? Can you see distinct salt grain sized spots on the fish?