New Coral Beauty has ICH--help?

[loans_n_fishes]

I bought a Coral Beauty (Linus) about a week ago and noticed some ich spots on him yesterday. He hides out a lot so I imagine stress is a contributing factor. None of my other fish are showing symptoms (2 sebae clowns, 2 occ. clowns, dragonet). I have not seen Linus eat, but he doesn't look skinny and swims actively. He may be eating behind the rocks. I have 2 skunk cleaners, but I haven't seen Linus getting a scrubbing. Stinky and Putrid (cleaners) have tried to offer their services, but Linus doesn't seem interested. I have some Kent garlic and will add it to the food today. I don't think I can catch him (75 gallon tank 130lbs of live rock and a very fast fish), so is there anything else you suggest? How long should I give the cleaners and garlic to work before taking more aggressive action?

[Bill S]

Sounds like new-fish-stress. With some luck, he'll survive this bout, and as he gets acclimated, he'll take to the cleaners AND he won't be stressed. I had that same problem a few years ago with my Regal Tang. Every week she got ich. Finally broke the cycle with a cleaner shrimp.

[fishcrazy]

I have the same problem with a powder blue tang I just added.

[gjuarez]

Richard is hte guy you guys want to talk to. He is the expert in this. Do you guys have quarantine tanks?

[loans_n_fishes]

I bought a tank to use as a quarantine, but haven't set it up. <_<
Linus is still hiding out quite a bit, but I did see him take a cleaning from Putrid. No one else shows any signs. Hopefully, he will be able to make a full recovery and feel more at home soon.

Anyone else's coral beauty hide out? I thought they were mainly out in the open. He gets nervous when I come near the tank...and sometimes he just hides for no reason (that I can tell). No one picks on him.

[Bill S]

For the 3 years I had mine, it was mostly holed up.

[GaryP]

Coral Beauties hide out even when they are healthy. They like to hunt back in caves and crevices.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-02/hcs3/index.php

Here is a quote from the above link. "Like all Centropyge spp. it will spend the vast majority of its time within the crevices of the rockwork."

I would strongly suggest that anyone buying a species they have not had previous experience with, to take the time to do the research before making the purchase. Remember, the environment in an LFS tank is nothing like its natural environment. A fish can't hide in a tank with no LR. That's doesn't mean that it may not be reclusive in a tank with a lot of LR. Another suggestion is to remember that unless you really know the person you are dealing with at an LFS, don't assume they know what they are talking about. Their only experience with that fish may be from seeing it languishing in one of the tanks at the LFS. If nothing else, ask for a copy of Scott Michael's pocket reference book and read up on the fish before making the purchase decision. Chances are that your fish was already stressed from its time in the LFS tank because it did not have any place to hide. That may be part of the reason for the ich, along with all the other stress from being shipped numerous times before getting to your tank.

[loans_n_fishes]

Well, Linus should be happy then! I've got all kinds of caves in there. :)

[GaryP]

Hello again L&F. I added some more to my previous post. See above.

[loans_n_fishes]

Thanks Gary! :D I actually did do research a LONG time ago. (This tank has been a year in the making). I decided on the fish I wanted before I set up the tank, but forgot the coral beauty was reclusive. (Maybe I should have named him Salinger! ;) ) I don't mind though...he sure is a pretty one when you see him 8) .

I think you are right about being stressed at the pet shop. He was in a small acrylic "box" with nothing to hide in when I bought him. I think he will come around. I'm keeping a close eye on him. How long do I wait before I change my approach? I really dislike using medications. Sometimes they do more harm than good.

Gary...completely off topic, but I am a loan officer too! We'll have to get together and talk shop sometime. :)


Angela

[Thunderkat]

There is not much you can do about ich. The best thing you can do is prevention. New fish get stressed by shipping and changing water chemistires repeatedly.

I just recently bought a blue hippo tang and it had ich on it, my cleaner wrasse cleaned the ich granules off of it and I fed the fish garlic soaked mysis and now the fish is fine. If you have good water quality, good food, and stable water temperature that is the best defense against the ich.

Even with all that you can still lose fish to ich especially if the fish was too far gone by the time you got it.