Powder brown with ick!!!

Larsen · Jan 8, 2012

Have had a powder brown for about 2 months he has been eating like a pig fat and happy totally running the tank. Well just noticed today he has lice looking white spots on his fins and Side. He is still eating but I know that won't Last long. So just wondering if there is anything I can do. Is there anything I can add that won't hurt my corals. Thanks

soccerbag · Jan 8, 2012

Your best bet is to put him in QT. While that may not be an option, you likely have time to set one up to treat him. It is really the best way to treat a fish without putting the rest of your livestock at risk. There are many "in tank" treatments on the market but I have never heard a lot of success from any of them (other than one or two folks saying it worked for them). If there was an in-tank treatment that worked all the time, someone would be VERY rich...lol.

Best bet is to trap him, put him in QT with hyposalinity. If is the safest and best way to treat ich. If a QT tank is out of the question, then you need to make sure he is eating as much as possible to keep his immune system as strong as possible. And then pray that it doesn't get any worse.

bct15 · Jan 8, 2012

If he is in your display showing ich, then guess what, your display has ich. If you remove him to treat him and do not remove all other fish for an extensive period of time then he will just have another outbreak when you reintroduce him. I have great success with two feedings a day, one every other day soaked in garlic to really get him to eat, and a uv sterilizer. Be sure to be feeding veggies along with your regular diet. If the fish is healthy keepin him happy will help him to recover the best way, by his own immune system. You can remove it and medicate, but you'll be risking reinfection upon reintroduction, and even other fish getting infected while the tang is away. This is my opinion from my experience and is not in any way the absolute right way to handle things, just my way.

Larsen · Jan 8, 2012

Ummm ok ya removing him is not a option. I have algae strips in 24/7 and feeding twice a day he is eating like a pig and FAT !!! Do you think me getting a cleaner wrasse would help?

Aquaph8 · Jan 9, 2012

Larsen said:
Do you think me getting a cleaner wrasse would help?

Cleaner shrimp and fish will do nothing to help. The ich paracite burrows into the fish.

BigJohnWoody · Jan 9, 2012

I'm probably gonna get flamed for this, but don't worry about it. If he/she is eating then just keep a good feeding schedule of high quality foods. Try to keep the diet varied and feed algae on a clip. You can also infuse your food with garlic extract. I bought a blue hippo tang about a 10 months ago. Looked healthy as could be. Put her in qt and she got ick something fierce. Struggled with ammonia levels the whole time and it was a major pita. She/he quite eating completely and looked to be a goner. I figured I already took her from the wild and stuck her in a glass box. The least I could do was put her in a imitation reef for the remainder of her days. Instead of this bare bottom tank with PVC pipe. I decided to risk it and put her in my reef. She started to eat again a day later and all the ick was completely gone in less than 2 weeks. She is currently fat and happy and all my fish are fine. Ick is not a death sentence IMHO. However if your fish has something else like marine velvet and you couple it with this..... Well that's a whole other ball game and your in a world of hurt. I know a lot of people are gonna disagree with me and that's fine I understand. This is my opinion and it worked great for me. I as of right now have only lost 1 of the 7 chromis I put in my tank. This is the only fish I have lost in this hobby. I currently have 6 green chromis, blue hippo tang, yellow tang, diamond goby, radiant wrasse, and a pair of Picasso clowns. GL whatever you decide and I hope your fish makes it. Btw powder tangs are some of the worst for ick.

Larsen · Jan 9, 2012

Well got home tonight and no spots whatsoever. No sure what it was looked like white lice on him but there nowhere to be found now. Thanks for your input guys. I guess I over reacted.