PDA

View Full Version : Tangs Keep Dieing from Ich


trebor86
05/24/2016, 04:14 PM
I have lost 3 tangs, all within a week of adding them to the tank, and it looks like the new Purple Tang is showing the first signs of ich. My water parameters were fine when i checked them a couple days ago, i will be checking them again tonight to make sure thigns are still good.

I know ich is in all tanks but how can i reduce the stress level of the fish to prevent the outbreak or to help the fish get through it. Also im still trying to figure out what may be causing the problem to begin with.

Any input is appreciated.

BigBlueTang
05/24/2016, 04:33 PM
I have lost 3 tangs, all within a week of adding them to the tank, and it looks like the new Purple Tang is showing the first signs of ich. My water parameters were fine when i checked them a couple days ago, i will be checking them again tonight to make sure thigns are still good.

I know ich is in all tanks but how can i reduce the stress level of the fish to prevent the outbreak or to help the fish get through it. Also im still trying to figure out what may be causing the problem to begin with.

Any input is appreciated.

Please read the stickies. This is sad.

Ich is NOT present in all tanks, and can be eradicated.

trebor86
05/24/2016, 04:58 PM
Ok, i have read the post and many other posts that have misleading information. There is a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding in this hobby. I have a basic reef tank up and running and do not have a QT tank. I have a couple invertebrates/corals in the tank but they could be moved. What course of action would you guys recommend? Im thinking Hyposalinity but how slowly should i lower the salinity, is it to late for the fish, and will it affect the liverock?

ThRoewer
05/24/2016, 05:09 PM
How big is your tank? 250 gallons should be the minimum for smaller species.
Tangs will always be stressed and suffering if the tank is too small. Even if no ich is in the system they will find some ailment to come down with.

trebor86
05/24/2016, 05:10 PM
I also wanted to point out that i had 3 local fish stores, the ones i buy from, tell me ich is in all tanks and there is nothing that can be done about it. When so many people tell me the same thing i start to believe it.

trebor86
05/24/2016, 05:11 PM
The tank is a 105 rimless.

snorvich
05/24/2016, 06:11 PM
I also wanted to point out that i had 3 local fish stores, the ones i buy from, tell me ich is in all tanks and there is nothing that can be done about it. When so many people tell me the same thing i start to believe it.

You need a different LFS and no tangs in tour sized tank

trebor86
05/24/2016, 07:22 PM
So what do I do at this point?

ThRoewer
05/24/2016, 08:09 PM
I also wanted to point out that i had 3 local fish stores, the ones i buy from, tell me ich is in all tanks ...
It is probably in many, if not most tanks, though certainly not all.

... and there is nothing that can be done about it. ...

This is clearly wrong.

... When so many people tell me the same thing i start to believe it.

Well, not too long ago nearly everybody was believing that the world is flat and that you will fall off if you get too close to the edge - they have been proven wrong.
I could list lots of other nonsense believes that have no foundation in science or even in critical thinking, but that could get me in trouble...

Rumors and believes are no substitute for hard scientific facts.

The tank is a 105 rimless.

Too small for any tang.

MrsReefK
05/24/2016, 08:23 PM
You need a different LFS and no tangs in tour sized tank



+1




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ThRoewer
05/24/2016, 08:30 PM
So what do I do at this point?

Get rid of the tangs.

trebor86
05/25/2016, 04:53 AM
For clarification it's not just tangs that are dieing, also had clowns and other small fish. As far as the tank being to small that should not kill a fish in less than a week. The tang was in a 40 gallon tank at LFS for 5 months with no problem.

Treasure Coast
05/25/2016, 05:32 AM
Feed a bunch, add seaweed clip, add additives to the food and keep stress levels down. No changing rocks and moving things. You need to try to build their immune system to fight off the ich.

dweber618
05/25/2016, 06:07 AM
For clarification it's not just tangs that are dieing, also had clowns and other small fish. As far as the tank being to small that should not kill a fish in less than a week. The tang was in a 40 gallon tank at LFS for 5 months with no problem.

If your fish are stressed, they are extremely susceptible to ich. Adding that many tangs in a tank that isn't much bigger than what it was in, along with a new environment, new fish, etc. Is very stressful.

Edit: sounds like you might be adding fish too quickly, I can't tell from your post, but maybe your bioload can't keep up with the new additions and is adding to the problems your having. I'd plan for only adding one, maybe two fish with a few weeks in between to give time for things to settle in and adjust.

trebor86
05/25/2016, 07:34 AM
I only have 6 fish in the tank including the tang, and they are all small. I have been having issues with fish dieing since the beginning of the tank. I got the rock, and some water, from another tank that I now know has ich.

Also going from a 40 gallon at lfs to a 105 is a big jump.

Nina51
05/25/2016, 07:51 AM
got the rock, and some water, from another tank that I now know has ich.

hope this wasn't a friend!

the way i see it, your only option at this point is to do ttm with every single fish and then set up a qt big enough to be able to observe them for the required length of time (72 days, minimum) that it will take for the ich in your dt to die off.

you'll also need to rehome the tang. no way it won't be stressed in this tank even IF you can get rid of the ich.

Jeff4777
05/25/2016, 08:10 AM
Unless its a type of Ctenochaetus I would return them. You know all it takes is 2 bins from walmart/ home depot, 2 heaters, pvc pieces, air pump/airstone to TTM. After returning the tang you would only have 5 fish to treat anyways

trebor86
05/25/2016, 08:52 AM
Do you think TTM is better than copper in QT tank?

sde1500
05/25/2016, 08:56 AM
Do you think TTM is better than copper in QT tank?

Yes.

Jeff4777
05/25/2016, 09:12 AM
Yeah copper is harmful to fish. TTM finishes in 13 days too. While a fallow period will be 72 days though. You want to QT after TTM anyways for a nice observation period. I've personally done TTM to 9 new fish at once in un cycled water (low to medium bio load fish) without issue. That was with prazi every other transfer and a formalin dip too with no loses. Used a large container and monitor ammonia of course. I've had no issue with adding prime to un cycled water with prazi in it on day 3 of a transfer (Prazi is most effective the first few days). Biggest thing with TTM is to make sure your heater/container completely dry out and do not cross contaminate

lmforbis
05/25/2016, 09:20 AM
Ich is only in a tank if it is introduced. Anything wet you add from a tank with ich can introduce ich to your tank. I think the vast majority of fish stores have ich in their tanks. Many run low levels of copper or low salinity to keep the fish alive until they are sold. This is why a small investment in a QT tank is worth it. TTM is the easiest way I've found to clear ich from fish and is less stress than copper or hypo salinity.
You do have to keep your main tank fish free for the full 72 days.
This will be a recurrent problem if you don't clear the tank now and don't QT future fish.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Deinonych
05/25/2016, 12:19 PM
Ich is only in a tank if it is introduced. Anything wet you add from a tank with ich can introduce ich to your tank. I think the vast majority of fish stores have ich in their tanks. Many run low levels of copper or low salinity to keep the fish alive until they are sold. This is why a small investment in a QT tank is worth it. TTM is the easiest way I've found to clear ich from fish and is less stress than copper or hypo salinity.
You do have to keep your main tank fish free for the full 72 days.
This will be a recurrent problem if you don't clear the tank now and don't QT future fish.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This.

FindingEmily
05/25/2016, 12:24 PM
Just as an fyi, I believe it is now being recommended to leave a tank fallow for 76 days, not 72. Just throwing that out there.

Jeff4777
05/25/2016, 12:34 PM
Its still recommended for a 72 day fallow, its just proven some strains of ich can survive longer. How much longer is unclear. Rumors of dormant cysts lasting near a year.

ThRoewer
05/25/2016, 05:02 PM
Do you think TTM is better than copper in QT tank?

Copper is never a good treatment option for ich as there are plenty of less harmful and effective treatment options against this parasite.
If treating several fish for an active outbreak hyposalinity would also be a viable option. The fish usually clear up within 2 weeks.
To be sure they are clean you can still run them through TTM before returning them to the DT or to a holding tank.

Its still recommended for a 72 day fallow, its just proven some strains of ich can survive longer. How much longer is unclear. Rumors of dormant cysts lasting near a year.

Long lasting cysts seem to be only with certain ich strains and it seem not to happen too often even with those or this would have been discovered much earlier.
The encystment duration for most strains is up to 35 days with the excystment peak being around 6 to 7 days.
If you are willing to take a risk, 6 weeks of fallow might be enough.
If you want to be on the safe side go 3 full months or even more.

krullshards
05/30/2016, 06:47 PM
This post brings up some questions: Are you sure it was ich? How long has your tank been set up? Some of your comments make it seem like this is a new tank. What are your water parameters?

It's easy to get caught up in the debate of tank sizes and the best ich treatment, but while all of that is very valid, I find it hard to believe that your fish die within a week from ich. I saw this poor blue tang at a Petco absolutely coated with ich, but I kept seeing it in there for WEEKS and even pointed out to the employees there that they needed to treat the tang.

So, again, are you sure it was ich?