Moby is suffering from Ich again...

[Mr Cob]

Darn it! He's showing bad signs of Ich again.

Parameters are in check and nothing has changed with the tank recently. Last time I believed it was a combination of lots of activity around the tank and my large temp swings. All of that has been corrected.

Not sure what's going on now. Just hope he pulls through. He looks really bad this time.

He/She (Kole Tang) is full grown and I got him from Karin a few months ago... Moby immediately became the dominant fish in the tank even over my Yellow and Purple Tang. But, they are growing fast and I have seen them challenging Moby recently even though Moby is still larger...but perhaps that is really stressing him.

I feared this would happen but not so soon...I thought the Yellow and Purple would not challenge him for another year or so until they were closer in size and I was hoping by that time they would have earned a respect for him.

Anyways...throw a prayer out there for Moby if you don't mind.

[Paul28]

Man that sucks :(

[Mr Cob]

He's hiding... and his color is really faded with lots of ich spots all over. : (

Not gasping right now...but his mouth is staying open. Ahhh man this makes me mad.

Darn it
darn it
darn it

...turning lights off on tank and will see what he looks like under actinics later on in the evening.

[ShAgMaN]

SOrry Rob, he looked great a week ago. Hope he pulls through again.

[Paul28]

:(

[Europhyllia]

Oh poor little Moby :(

[txav8r]

I have that 30 gal tank taht you can set up as a QT tank if you need to.
Good luck bro.

[justahobby]

What are you feeding?


I hope he pulls through! I can come over after 5 if you need an extra pair of hands, heater, light, etc. for a hospital tank.

[Mr Cob]

I feed seaweed daily and a special mix of all kinds of frozen foods that I buy and thaw then re-freeze after mixing it all together...it's made up of all kinds of stuff...name it and it's in there.

He's a pig...he eats everything I put in the tank.

I do not plan to set up a hospital tank because he'll just get the ich again from the other fish when i put him back in the display.

Thanks for the offers... I have a 55gallon that I could use if I did decide to quarantine...but I do not think it will help at the moment...he's either going to pull through or not.

[saabtech]

crap! that is frustrating!

[justahobby]

Any spirulina?
I know it's not a miracle elixir but try spectrum pellets. They have a lot of vitamins and veggies. I try not to let my herbivore tangs get full on meats if I can help it. It usually means the clowns get full off pellets as well, but tangs can be more sensitive.


Sorry, I know you are a veteran. I'm just an analyzer at heart.

[kkiel02]

I hope he pulls through. If you can get him out I have a 46 gallon qt going with copper already you can throw him in. I have been very unlucky with these tangs. 0-2. Im 6-0 with all my other tangs though.

[justahobby]

Interesting. I've thought about getting a kole before and was unaware they could be troublesome. I've always related hippos as being the worse tangs for ich infestations.


I hope he pulls through. If you can get him out I have a 46 gallon qt going with copper already you can throw him in. I have been very unlucky with these tangs. 0-2. Im 6-0 with all my other tangs though.

[Bill S]

Rob,

This is pretty much what I would have expected. Hopefully he's fat and fairly happy. It's not uncommon for them to go thru a few bouts of it every few weeks for a while.

[Mr Cob]

Well, he's definitely FAT...not so much happy though. Last time he broke out with it he continued about his daily routine and all the white spots did not seem to phase him.

This time he's definitely bothered by the ich and his coloration has suffered along with his activity...he's just hiding with an open mouth.

I'm not sure I can pull him from the tank to quarantine without making it worse for him. I know quarantining is the long answer, but I'm really only a fan of quarantine for fish that are healthy...the ones that are seriously affected in my opinion seem to not handle QT very well. But what do I know. Now...if this was last go around i would have been more comforatble to QT him because he seemed happy/healthy and looked like he could have handled a QT.

Carp carp carp!

[Mr Cob]

Has anyone every quarantined a very bad looking fish and it survive the QT? I'm not talking about signs of stress and disease but signs of "checking out". You know...on the verge of saying goodbye/giving up.

Considering it...but want some personal experiences to make a decision on this. I'm not interested in articles, links etc... I want experiences from people I know/trust.

Thx.

[kkiel02]

I did. My sailfin and blue hippo looked so bad it was kind of a hail mary option for me. I was losing a battle with velvet, though, which is far worse than ich in my opinion. But like you said once it is reintroduced it will get ich again unless you can pull all your fish for a month or two(its a pain).

Another option would be to qt it until it is healthy again and then see if someone else would like it.

[corkyGramma]

It's so strange, I've always gotten a smige of ich or eye clout and a little adjustment of spiralina will fix it in 24 hrs-different fish. I hope Moby makes it, in particular I hate to see tangs suffer.

[Europhyllia]

Another option would be to qt it until it is healthy again and then see if someone else would like it.

I think that's a great idea. I think I had 3 people interested in her when I posted her. Getting her healthy again and then moving her on to a home with less aggressive tank mates sound like a really good option.

[Mr Cob]

Catching him is not an option at this point.... Dang it...I knew that was a bad idea...now he's all stressed out even more.

I have a 29" deep tank and 29" from front to back plus all the tunnels and caves... not happening. He just went into the tunnels... I tried using a bent hanger to chase him out but he just goes out the back end which I can not get a net back there... anyways... sorry, I'm just frustrated now.

Gotta wait this one out I guess.

:(

[Europhyllia]

Catching him is not an option at this point.... Dang it...I knew that was a bad idea...now he's all stressed out even more.

I have a 29" deep tank and 29" from front to back plus all the tunnels and caves... not happening. He just went into the tunnels... I tried using a bent hanger to chase him out but he just goes out the back end which I can not get a net back there... anyways

Gotta wait this one out I guess.

:(
Remember what a tough time I had catching her for you! A whole day of sitting with the arm in the tank waiting... Moby is the reason I won't chance it with another tang. It's impossible to catch them!

[ShAgMaN]

I have, but only by using copper in a QT tank. Both times they were clowns. Second time there were two clowns and one didn't make it.

More importantly, I've never had a fish get it real bad and survive without meds. Do you run a UV sterilizer Rob?



Has anyone every quarantined a very bad looking fish and it survive the QT? I'm not talking about signs of stress and disease but signs of "checking out". You know...on the verge of saying goodbye/giving up.

Considering it...but want some personal experiences to make a decision on this. I'm not interested in articles, links etc... I want experiences from people I know/trust.

Thx.

[Mr Cob]

Seriously. Those that have seen my tank in person know how impossible this could be.

Now she won't eat so I can't even entice her to come out anymore. Leaving main lights off for the rest of the night...putting a sheet over the tank and I'll update tomorrow.

Wish Moby luck.

[Mr Cob]

Terry (spl?), I ran a UV in the past on my 120 but still got ich...so I stopped believing in them considering that was the only reason I was running it. Thx for the reply.

[ShAgMaN]

Catching him is not an option at this point.... Dang it...I knew that was a bad idea...now he's all stressed out even more.

I have a 29" deep tank and 29" from front to back plus all the tunnels and caves... not happening. He just went into the tunnels... I tried using a bent hanger to chase him out but he just goes out the back end which I can not get a net back there... anyways... sorry, I'm just frustrated now.

Gotta wait this one out I guess.

:(

I think your right, you tried at least. Sorry man.

[Mr Cob]

I'm confident that Moby will be easy to catch when he starts eating again.

He will be up for adoption if he gets through this. Free. I just want a good home for him. Oh, by the way, he is a she... at least Karin thinks.

PM me if you have a good tank for her. Must have at least a 6 footer. My tank is 54", she is full size and I'd like to see her in a longer tank.

[timmytimtim]

Rob, I've got a powder brown that was fighting ich. He's always been healty, eating well, etc., anyway he could never get rid of the white spots. I know some people don't think you should buy a cleaner wrasse...but I'm a believer. I bought one last night at Gabe's. When I put him in the tank you would have sworn that i reunited two best friends. The tangs (Brown and Yellow) went straight to the wrasse for a good cleaning. When I woke up this morning my powder brown looks like a new fish. All his spots were gone...from around his gills, eyes and everything. He looks great! And the wrasse is already eating mysis and brine. I don't think I will EVER keep a tang without a wrasse in there. Maybe a wrasse would help pull Moby through...at least keep his gills clear.

Before anyone posts that I'm a terrible person for buying a wrasse because they don't thrive...I know. I love my tang and it was worth the risk FOR ME. Maybe not you, but it was for me.

[Mr Cob]

Yeah, I have a cleaner wrasse as well. He eats everything too...cleans the fish, eats meaty foods and seawead from the algae clip...he's FAT.

Cleaner wrasse do not eat ich because ich is under the skin. But, they can clean the fish of other pests and in turn help the fish to be happy...thus helping them fight the ich. I really do enjoy the cleaner wrasse. They are hit or miss though. Some will eat anything and others never adjust to our aquariums.

[Mr Cob]

I peaked in on Moby today with lights out and she is still breathing and hovering in her spot. Mouth is still open and fins were pumping pretty fast...she's still hanging in there.

I have to say that I have never seen a fish this bad and maintain. She's still holding on... DON'T count Moby out just yet!

Come on, send some prayers this way for Moby.

Thanks.

[txav8r]

Come on Moby!! You can make it!

Wishing y'all the best!

[ShAgMaN]

Hang in there Moby. :applause: Honestly, it didn't sound like he would make it through the night. If he makes it through this outbreak he's got a good chance in a qt.

[Mr Cob]

Thanks Jack...I'm hoping so Terry.

News... Moby has a new home with Richard lined up. When she makes it back to swimming around and eating I'll be able to catch her and then she will be headed to Richard's QT tank to be treated and then to her new big home in his 215g. Yay.

Keep your fingers crossed.

[Europhyllia]

That makes me happy. :) Go Moby!

[Mr Cob]

It pains me to post this...

I just got home from work and Moby passed in his favorite tunnel while I was gone today.

Sorry Karin. I did my best.

[aquasport24]

Sorry to hear that Rob, atleast you;ve tried your best.

[txg8gxp]

Sorry to hear the bad news..

[Europhyllia]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like it was a really bad case. At least she doesn't have to struggle anymore.

[FireWater]

Sorry to hear the loss Rob. I know you did your best to help

[ShAgMaN]

We all know how you feel Rob, sorry for your loss. Really sucks when you get one from a friend then it passes away. Happened to me with txreefers clown family. I purchased a Hippo that spread ich throughout my tank. I lost the dad and kid, mom made it. Dad almost pulled through...but it wasn't meant to be.

[Kristy]

Sorry Rob... hate to hear this. This hobby can be so humbling sometimes. Stupid ick!

[txav8r]

Awww Man. Sorry to hear it Rob.

[hobogato]

r.i.p. moby.

[Mr Cob]

Thanks for all the comments.

On a good note, all of the other fish are fine.