Help with my blue tang - ich, velvet, flukes??

[Nas]

Hi guys,

I got this fish from Liveaquaria about 20 days ago and after 2 days of being in QT we moved it to the my new DT tank. It had a wound on it's side from trying to go under the rock so I treated the entire tank with Seachem Paraguard for 10 days. Things got better after the 4th day of the treatment. This morning, I wanted to turn on the skimmer and stop the treatment, I noticed these small black marks on the fish. It had a couple of small white spots as well. I don't don't know what it is and how to take care of it. The other fish in the DT don't show any sign of stress or spots. The inverts from the tank are in the QT since I was treating the DT. My DT is a very new tank. I have had it for 2 months now.

Note: As soon as I saw this, I gave her a 5.5 minutes freshwater dip and put her in the sump so it's easier to capture again. The pictures are from the dip.

 

[najer]

@ReefSquad

 

[najer]

Get an air bubbler in there as a start or aim a pump at the surface.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi guys,

I got this fish from Liveaquaria about 20 days ago and after 2 days of being in QT we moved it to the my new DT tank. It had a wound on it's side from trying to go under the rock so I treated the entire tank with Seachem Paraguard for 10 days. Things got better after the 4th day of the treatment. This morning, I wanted to turn on the skimmer and stop the treatment, I noticed these small black marks on the fish. It had a couple of small white spots as well. I don't don't know what it is and how to take care of it. The other fish in the DT don't show any sign of stress or spots. The inverts from the tank are in the QT since I was treating the DT. My DT is a very new tank. I have had it for 2 months now.

Note: As soon as I saw this, I gave her a 5.5 minutes freshwater dip and put her in the sump so it's easier to capture again. The pictures are from the dip.

I couldn’t get the videos to load. What I see in the pics looks like Cryptocaryon further back on the body. The black marks up from could be bruises or they could be marks from flukes (look closely at the dip water for signs of flukes having fallen off). I would strongly urge you to follow a more comprehensive quarantine Protocol- the one I use takes 45 days, but I’ve seen some that go just 30. Two days is actually more harmful than not quarantine because you double bounce the fish. How does it look after the dip?

Jay

 

[Nas]

I couldn’t get the videos to load. What I see in the pics looks like Cryptocaryon further back on the body. The black marks up from could be bruises or they could be marks from flukes (look closely at the dip water for signs of flukes having fallen off). I would strongly urge you to follow a more comprehensive quarantine Protocol- the one I use takes 45 days, but I’ve seen some that go just 30. Two days is actually more harmful than not quarantine because you double bounce the fish. How does it look after the dip?

Jay

Thanks for the response.

It still has those black marks. While dipping, I could see small white particles in the water, but I didn't see anything leaving her. I am going to quarantine her. Do I still need to quarantine the rest of the fish from the DT? or just this one for the time being? and what do I treat her with since I still don't know what she actually have.

Regards,

 

[Privateye]

If you're looking to purchase a little insurance, UV sterilizers can effectively treat and prevent a variety of pathogens, including parasites. When it comes to Crytocaryon specifically though, it depends who you ask if UVs are effective. Published material lists the required UV dose as very high (280 mj/cm2 as I recall) but the work was done by Dr. Burgess in the late 80's. Anecdotal reports from aquarium enthusiasts say otherwise, but I suppose Cryptcaryon, Amyloodinium (marine velvet), and Brooklynella can all look fairly similar on the fish. Some slight differences sometimes, but a microscope will tell you.

 

[Apropor]

In my limited experience, I think all the fish should be quarantined if it’s velvet. Best way to tell if ick or velvet is how quick the fish dies.

 

[Nas]

I understand that they should be quarantined. Now that she has issues, I want to find a way to help her. I don't think letting die and see if it was velvet is the right way to deal with the issue on hand. Thanks for the input though.

 

[notsobigtime]

you stated your tank was only 2 months old. is that post cycle, or from the day you flooded it?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks for the response.

It still has those black marks. While dipping, I could see small white particles in the water, but I didn't see anything leaving her. I am going to quarantine her. Do I still need to quarantine the rest of the fish from the DT? or just this one for the time being? and what do I treat her with since I still don't know what she actually have.

Regards,

Yes, you may need to quarantine everything. You might get lucky though....I’d suggest that you start with the blue tang, and ramp it up with chelated copper over three days. I use coppersafe, but cupramine also works. Follow the label dosing, just take 3 days to ramp it up. If the black spots are flukes or injury, they may need to be dealt with later, but the more pressing need is to ensure there isn’t some protozoan active right now.
Jay