Ich...Ich...help my Yellow Belly Blue Tang

[sammyinafrica]

I have been treating my Yellow Belly for about 5 days now, and it does not seem to be doing any good. His behavior is normal (other than the wihte spots) and his appitite is good.

I have the skimmer off and the charcoal out....

Suggestions on treamtent brands?

I am currently using Ich Attack by Aquar herbals.

Sammy

[robalv]

Hyposalinity--used for Ich not Velvet

Caution-a refractometer or lab quality hydrometer must be used in this method!

In hyposalinity the normal salt content of the tank is reduced by over half, that is from normal 35 ppt to 16 ppt, which corresponds to a specific gravity of 1.009. The treatment is done in stages. On day one RO/DI is used to replace hospital tank water till specific gravity falls to 1.022, day two it is reduced to 1.018, day three 1.014, day four to 1.009. This last salinity is very important. If even .001 unit high the ich can survive and if too low the fish can be harmed. That is the reason a refractometer is used. Once the specific gravity is down it is wise to make a batch of saltwater up that has a salinity of 1.009. This is used for daily water changes to reduce the chance of ammonia or nitrate buildup during treatment. The low salinity is maintained for a month. The salinity is then increased, but even slower. Raise it 0.002 units each day until 1.026 is again reached. Once at normal salinity the fish may be returned to the display.

[Third Coast Tropical]

are you sure it is ich? What symptoms are you seeing?

[Third Coast Tropical]

my point being is that there are other things that can cause similar symptoms to ich. I cannot think of what the name of it is or what exactly it is off the top of my head (but I will look it up and get back to you), but there is something associated with Tangs that causes a white puffy looking growth on them....I might be totally wrong on this, but am pretty sure. There is also Cryptocaryns (i think, i need to double check as well) that is similar to ich, but the symptoms increase throughout the daytime, and then recede some during nite. I have had this one with my GSM's, i reduced salinity in half for about 2 weeks and have never had an issue since.....good luck...i will get back to you when i go to my office and look up the names of what I am speaking of, or if anyone else knows..please chime in.....O...and ill be th efirst to admit if I am wrong about this.....
O....and it could very well be ich....
Please describe the symptoms though....just the white spots?..do they come and go?


If you end up doing the salinity treatment and have corals and/or sensitve inverts, you should pull the fish out and place into a QT during the treatment.....

[sammyinafrica]

Third Coast Tropical,

My Tang is the only one infected.

My water quality has ben spot on, althouhg I did have a sump over flow when the power went out. My wife and I perfome monthly water changes and check chemistry weekly.

Before the outbreak we bought a Purple stripe psuedochromis from a LFS just before the outbreak. Only the Tang is effected.

The spots appear to be raised white spots that look like large salt chrystals. The fish's blue color appears to be dull. There have been a little white fuzz, but then goes away.

other that the spots and color he looks and acts very normal...

Can you suggest a product that treats a wide range of symptoms?

[Bill S]

http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49040

[Third Coast Tropical]

good link bill....

Look at number 16.....
The fact that it hasnt affected your other fish and that your water quality if tip-top, makes me think it is not ich......what you describe is exactly whati was trying to describe....I am not sure if it a disease or fungus or what, still havent looked it up....but it appears as larger white pillowy tufts on their skin.....Somebody on here that keeps tangs is bound to know what I speak of. It has been several years since I kept tangs, but I had 2 blue hippo at one point and they both had it, If you are familiar with FW fish, similar looking symptoms can be foiund in neons.....big white tufts......treatment for it i do not know, sorry

[sammyinafrica]

Okay..I am a newbie to this...Only had my tank for a year.

I do not have a hospital tank. What is the most inexpensive way to get one? How about the size of the tank?

Oh...I have seen two small spots on my PJ cardinals....I am thinking it is spreading....

kind of scary

[dmweise]

If you want to go natural, you could always get a Neon Goby. Getting one of those in your tank would help reduce the external parasites. I have a bit of a problem with newbies in my tank getting parasites, then recovering. I've been reading up on the different parasites and it seems that getting a cleaner critter like a Neon Goby is a good idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OyCmzdgXVc

[sammyinafrica]

After further study, I do not think it is ich.. He still has some spots on him, but I think he has always had some small pathces on him....Hard to describe. When I took a picture of him, the sporst have shown up. Tha tells you how small they are. I have read that this may be due to malnutrition in the tangs, so i think I will increase his algea intake and maybe put some garlic with it....

[Third Coast Tropical]

good luck