Tang with Ich HELP!!!

[trigger0214]

Hi all,
I am having a reoccurring problem with ich on my Chevron Tang. At first, it was just a few spots on its fins. Originally, I had fired up the ozonizer on the skimmer and bumped up the lighting on the refugium and the problem went away. Now it’s back in full form. Well, could be worse, but I am concerned. I am aware that Tangs will often show ich if the water quality drops, and thus I am making up water as we speak for a water change (probably wont actually happen till tomorrow). Anyway...should I go through the hassle of tearing apart my nicely decorated reef to catch this guy and quarantine him? Should I use the pepper stuff and risk killing my Lps's, slug, etc? Or should I just invest in a better skimmer? I am currently using a counter current Amiracle rated for a 150-gallon, after shying away form the maintenance of Ventura skimmer. None of the other fish show any sings of disease, the Tang does not appear stressed, the corals are doing great, and I have no visible nuisance algae….


Any thought or ideas?




Specs available upon request.

 

[Kimber]

Do you have a cleaner shrimp? If not, get one. They can often control/prevent ich naturally, and it's very cool to watch.

 

[esmithiii]

Couple of things... first, water quality or other stressors can jump-start an outbreak. Find the source of the problem and fix it. What are your readings in your tank? (pH, Ammonia, Nitrites, nitrate) Second, are you seeing a temperature swing from day to night? This is a major source of stress. Any other fish in the tank? How big is the tank? How much liverock? sand? Are there many places to hide?

As for treatment, neon gobies are great. Cleaner shrimp can help also. Soaking the food in garlic seems to work wonders with ick. I would not tear down the tank as of yet, and I would not under any circumstances use a treatment in a tank full of coral.

Give us more information on your tank so that we can help find the root cause.

Ernie

 

[Ralphyhp]

Try inmunovital from marc Weiss, non toxic for inverts, this stuff cure a Purple tang and a sailfin tang that arrive to my tank with ick. Ralphyhp.

 

[trigger0214]

Do you have a cleaner shrimp?

Will do.. I like the idea. I had a cleaner wrasse in with my Angles and Triggers...Very cool indeed

What are your readings in your tank? (pH, Ammonia, Nitrites, nitrate)

I am only have access to nitrates which read zero on a RedSea test kit. The tank is not entirely new (I have had the rock, gravel, etc, for 2-3 years in FOWLR that had the refugium for 6 months, the tank itself has been a reef for a little over 4 months), so I have not really been on top of monitoring those parameters (I know, I know gettng a good test kit to replace the ones that dried up). The tap water is LOADED with calcium and alkalinity. So I use tap for monthly water changes and top off with DI. Never gotten a bad alklinity reading and the Ca++ is atleast 600 mg/L.

Second, are you seeing a temperature swing from day to night?

Not so much...I do see a slight shift if the weather suddenly gets colder. My refugium is in the basement, which can be kinda drafty. I have a 300 watt and 350 watt heater down there. But it will only shift a degree or two. The tank is pretty much consitent form day/night at 77-78 degrees F.

Any other fish in the tank?

There are....but any obvious major source of stress.

(2) Percula Clowns
(1) Neon Dottyback
(1) Male Japanese Swallowtail angel
(1) Female Japanese Swallowtail angel (This fish does compete with the Tang occasionally for territory...the Tang usually wins. But, I wouldn't think their behavior to be all that aggressive).

There is also a small tiger tail cuke, 3 baby conch snails, 5 peppermint shrimp, 1 fire shrimp, a small clam, and 20 or so turbo type snails.

How big is the tank?

125 gallon, 40 gallon refugium. There is about 700 gph flow through the refugium which houses three differnt types of macros. There is also a Maxijet 1100 in the main tank that comes on for 12 hours a day for circulation.


How much liverock? sand? Are there many places to hide?

There is about 60-70 lbs of live rock at this point. There is also another 40-50 lbs or so of lava rock underneath that for support. I'd say I have about 80-90 lbs of very fine crushed coral in the show tank, and enough to cover 2 inches in the refugium. There are many many places to hide in the main tank.

Admittedly, I have racked up a collection of corals (mostly frags) a little quickly. But everything seems to doing well and alot of them are already growing (pom-pom and elogata xenia, hammers, bubble coral, candycane, alveopora).

 

[trigger0214]

When you say "soaked with garlic" can I do this myself or do I need to buy some of that 'special' garlic medication?

 

[esmithiii]

I have never made any myself so can't help you there. I use the kent garlic xtreeme.

No obvious stresses except the angel. Do you provide a constant supply of nori?

Ernie

 

[trigger0214]

I haven't tried nori with the tang yet....it usually just fell apart before it was eaten. The bok choy that hads been offered had been completely ignored.

Fortunatelly, the fiancee is a sushi freek and we usually have some noreon hand. Will give it a go.

 

[Tanger]

As stated before you need to start with the water quality first. Next I would invest in a pair of cleaner shrimp and attempt to control the outbreak naturally. One major problem I had was temperature swings that would lead to an outbreak. This was controlled by a Medusa temp controller, great investment. Using a UV would also help the issue, I use one on a 12 hour a day basis. Lastly, the garlic trick works great, only need to use it once or twice a week, Kent Garlic Extreme. From past experience the most effective treatment was the temp controller and garlic soaked food. Good luck!!!!!!!

 

[trigger0214]

Thanks for all your help guys....

FYI.. it snowed last night and I checked the temperature in the tank at 6 am this morning. It had dropped significantly to 73-74 degrees F! I picked up another 300 Watt heater that will remain in the show tank (I am building a slotted plastic cover to keep from cooking my snails) to compliment the 300 and 250 watters in basement refugium.


I started the garlic last night....massively strong stuff.


Hope this works....and I am looking for a good test kist and cleaner shrimp.

 

[esmithiii]

Good luck! The temp is probably the culprit.

Ernie

 

[reefann]

You should definatly get some dried seaweed to feed to the tang!! If you had problems with them falling apart try folding it or rolling it up. Also it helps to spend the extra couple dollars and get a nice clip that does not fall of constantly.
JJ
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[esmithiii]

You should definatly get some dried seaweed to feed to the tang!! If you had problems with them falling apart try folding it or rolling it up. Also it helps to spend the extra couple dollars and get a nice clip that does not fall of constantly.

I agree completely. These fish eat constantly in nature. I have never seen a fat, unhealthy tang.

Ernie