How to cure a hippo tang of ick without moving it to a different tank

nport19 · Jan 27, 2015

Hi i am new to this posting thing so here it goes. I have had this small hippo tang for about 2 weeks now and out of no where he appears to have ick. The tank he is in only have hermit crabs, snails and a 2 corals frags in it. It is also a 20 gallon setup that has been running for a little over 2 months now. I don't have a lot of money to be putting into another tank just to cure the tang. If anyone knows anything that may work in my tank to take care of the ick please do let me know.

Lesley · Jan 27, 2015

Do yourself & the fish a favor and take it back to LFS if they will take him. NO hippo tang should be in a 20g, he will continually get ich from the stress of such a small tank.

Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Blue Tang

It is a good idea to research before you purchase a fish and you will see that it is not recommended to put a Hippo into anything less than a 180g.
A lot of newbies make this same mistake & then wonder why fish are sick and dying. Unfortunately a QT tank is a must in this hobby too. Doesn't have to be expensive but will certainly be worth it. Not having a go at you, just letting you know is all.

nport19 · Jan 27, 2015

thanks for the advice. I'm still fairly new to the hobby so i guess this is a learning mistake. Do you have any suggestions on how to make a cheap QT tank?

Lesley · Jan 27, 2015

nport19 said:
thanks for the advice. I'm still fairly new to the hobby so i guess this is a learning mistake. Do you have any suggestions on how to make a cheap QT tank?

How to Quarantine Marine Fish ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

There are lots of different ways to do it, here is a reasonably good article on how to set up a basic QT tank.
You will not be able to get any Tangs in a 20g tank, its really just too small. There are lots of other fish you can get, but just remember to research the fishes requirements, it will stop a lot of problems down the track.
A lot of LFS will sell/tell you anything just to make a sale and many newbies will make mistakes like this without even realizing.
Take it slow, research, ask and read is the best advice I can give you.

nport19 · Jan 27, 2015

thanks for that article. What other fish would you suggest putting in my tank?

Lesley · Jan 27, 2015

nport19 said:
thanks for that article. What other fish would you suggest putting in my tank?

I will post a link to one of the most popular sites around, this will give you good pictures & detailed info regarding what fish you are able to get for your size tank. Just make sure you read, tank size requirements and Aggression details.
I cant honestly help you with this as I run a 300g and don't have the same requirements you do. Why not post on this site and ask the question, I am positive that there are many people running the same size tank you have that will be more than willing to help. This IS and expensive hobby to be in and fish deaths is not something you want to waste your money on because of incorrect information.

Saltwater Fish: Marine Aquarium Fish for Saltwater Aquariums