My ick problem...

[kikireef]

So I got a blue tang and didn't QT him. He was in my tank for about 2 weeks, swam like crazy and ate everything I put in the tank. He seemed very healthy. I noticed one day that there were 3 specks of what looked like sand/salt on him. I figured it was ick so I took him out and let him swim in fresh ro/di water for about 3 minutes then placed him in a QT/hospital tank. As soon as he was in the QT/hospital tank I didn't notice the spots anymore!? I have been gradually lowering salinity (hyposalinity) and raised the temp to 84 degrees. He still seems great! There are no spots/discoloration at all. He still seems fat and happy!

My question is now coming from the fact that I am having a hard time keeping ammonia and nitrites down even with regular big water changes. I placed the HOB filter in my sump about 2 weeks prior in case I needed to setup a QT tank. Should I keep him in QT and risk death because of ammonia/nitirite? OR raise salinity slowly and place him back into the DT once salinity is back up? I don't want to lose him in QT but I don't want to risk anything in my DT.

[mcoomer]

I would keep the fish in QT. Are you doing water changes with fresh saltwater or from your display? If no other fish have symptoms I'd use display tank water for your water changes. Also, I'd pull a few pieces of rock from they display and put in the QT to help your tank keep up with the load.

[kikireef]

I have been using fresh saltwater. I will try tank water and some live rock. I don't know why I haven't done that.

[mcoomer]

Keep in mind that if the fish gets sick and you treat with meds that rock can't be returned to the display. Don't put your best pieces in there, just some rubble.

[jhentr]

If you didn't QT, then we can also assume the ICH is in the DT. You can try adding DT water into your QT, but you want to watch to see if your tang develops ICH again. If he does, you'll have to start all over again.

I had to battle ICH for about 3/4 of a year last year by trying to balance the act of when to and when not to put a fish back into the DT since the QT wasn't optimal. Just to let you know, either way is a tough balancing act.

I say observe it for a week or two longer in the QT if the fish is fat and happy there.

[kikireef]

Thanks. Everything seems good by looking at him and I pulled him out of the DT within an hour of noticing the dots (I look at the tank at least an hour or two a day). So I am hoping I got him out quick enough. I haven't noticed any problems on the other fish at all. I did give him a freshwater bath for about 3 min which I heard will cause the white dots to pop off (which they seem to have done) I am hoping that would cure him before they got under his skin. I will observe a while longer to be safe...

[returnofsid]

Don't put any of your live rock in the QT tank. The lower salinity will kill off anything living on the live rock. This will create an ammonia spike in the QT. You'll just need to do regular water changes, to keep up with filtration of the QT.