Ick on hippo tang?

[justintime742]

I have had this baby hippo tang for close to 3 months. Never showed any issues until this past week. She is frequently scraping on rocks/shells, but other than that is pretty normal. We did have a starry blenny who for whatever reason, attacked all my fish and killed my watchman in my aquarium who was quickly brought back. I have 2x snowflake clowns, 1 solar fairy wrasse (who has white dots on his tail), a watchman and a pistol shrimp, orchid dottyback, a Pygmy African angel, and a biota captive-bred mandarin. None of which show any signs of what the hippo has other than possibly the wrasse? No new additions since the starry blenny other than corals that were captive fragged and coral dipped before introduction. I’ve reached out to my LFS who is pretty good about getting back to me about the situation but haven’t heard back. Any advice welcomed if I have to set up a hospital tank, anything to just not lose any fish or corals in the process, thanks in advance.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Nitrate: 10ppm
Calcium: 450
Alk: 11dkH
Mag: 1250ppm
pH: 8.0


Edit: I have tried to introduce a tomini tang, my LFS replaced my first attempt due to him concerned it may have just been an unlucky one that randomly passed 2 or 3 weeks after being in the tank, and the second one randomly died off a week after introduction, both were eating and swimming no problem, no visible issues or anything that we could figure out. No visible problems. I do have a rock anemone thats in the sandbed, unsure if that could cause an issue, but hasn't proven to be a problem to any other problems. Also have a ECC sherman BTA that host my clowns, and a ECC rainbow inferno BTA.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have had this baby hippo tang for close to 3 months. Never showed any issues until this past week. She is frequently scraping on rocks/shells, but other than that is pretty normal. We did have a starry blenny who for whatever reason, attacked all my fish and killed my watchman in my aquarium who was quickly brought back. I have 2x snowflake clowns, 1 solar fairy wrasse (who has white dots on his tail), a watchman and a pistol shrimp, orchid dottyback, a Pygmy African angel, and a biota captive-bred mandarin. None of which show any signs of what the hippo has other than possibly the wrasse? No new additions since the starry blenny other than corals that were captive fragged and coral dipped before introduction. I’ve reached out to my LFS who is pretty good about getting back to me about the situation but haven’t heard back. Any advice welcomed if I have to set up a hospital tank, anything to just not lose any fish or corals in the process, thanks in advance.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Nitrate: 10ppm
Calcium: 450
Alk: 11dkH
Mag: 1250ppm
pH: 8.0


Edit: I have tried to introduce a tomini tang, my LFS replaced my first attempt due to him concerned it may have just been an unlucky one that randomly passed 2 or 3 weeks after being in the tank, and the second one randomly died off a week after introduction, both were eating and swimming no problem, no visible issues or anything that we could figure out. No visible problems. I do have a rock anemone thats in the sandbed, unsure if that could cause an issue, but hasn't proven to be a problem to any other problems. Also have a ECC sherman BTA that host my clowns, and a ECC rainbow inferno BTA.

It's odd; the hepatus looks like it has black spots on its left side, and white spots on its right side! I wonder if those spots are actually on the glass or in the water, and not on the fish?

The constant scratching is a sign of flukes. You can treat your display tank with praziquantel, that might help:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

 

[justintime742]

I have had this baby hippo tang for close to 3 months. Never showed any issues until this past week. She is frequently scraping on rocks/shells, but other than that is pretty normal. We did have a starry blenny who for whatever reason, attacked all my fish and killed my watchman in my aquarium who was quickly brought back. I have 2x snowflake clowns, 1 solar fairy wrasse (who has white dots on his tail), a watchman and a pistol shrimp, orchid dottyback, a Pygmy African angel, and a biota captive-bred mandarin. None of which show any signs of what the hippo has other than possibly the wrasse? No new additions since the starry blenny other than corals that were captive fragged and coral dipped before introduction. I’ve reached out to my LFS who is pretty good about getting back to me about the situation but haven’t heard back. Any advice welcomed if I have to set up a hospital tank, anything to just not lose any fish or corals in the process, thanks in advance.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Nitrate: 10ppm
Calcium: 450
Alk: 11dkH
Mag: 1250ppm
pH: 8.0


Edit: I have tried to introduce a tomini tang, my LFS replaced my first attempt due to him concerned it may have just been an unlucky one that randomly passed 2 or 3 weeks after being in the tank, and the second one randomly died off a week after introduction, both were eating and swimming no problem, no visible issues or anything that we could figure out. No visible problems. I do have a rock anemone thats in the sandbed, unsure if that could cause an issue, but hasn't proven to be a problem to any other problems. Also have a ECC sherman BTA that host my clowns, and a ECC rainbow inferno BTA.

View attachment 1790437913

Is that safe to use with corals? I’ve tried adding a video but it seems it didn’t want to work so I uploaded a video to youtube:

 

[justintime742]

I grabbed this paraguard as my LFS I refer to is about 1 1/2 hrs out, this was the closest thing I could find for treatment. Currently setting up a hospital tank as I post this. Edit: to add to this, when I look at the hippo before ramp up, the dots are white, as the day goes on they get darker.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I grabbed this paraguard as my LFS I refer to is about 1 1/2 hrs out, this was the closest thing I could find for treatment. Currently setting up a hospital tank as I post this. Edit: to add to this, when I look at the hippo before ramp up, the dots are white, as the day goes on they get darker.

Paraguard is a malachite green analog and formalin. It works well for freshwater ich and Costia, but I've had poor results using it on marine fish.

 

[Uncle99]

Both fish appear to have a few ick spots.
Copper based treatment in QT, with fallow DT is all that’s proven to work.

A bit hard to understand what’s on the glass versus what’s on the fish but I see white spots on fins.

 

[justintime742]

I grabbed this paraguard as my LFS I refer to is about 1 1/2 hrs out, this was the closest thing I could find for treatment. Currently setting up a hospital tank as I post this. Edit: to add to this, when I look at the hippo before ramp up, the dots are white, as the day goes on they get darker.

Paraguard is a malachite green analog and formalin. It works well for freshwater ich and Costia, but I've had poor results using it on marine fish.

Okay, so my only problem is that the only fish store that’s generally local to me is petco. Would this work? If not do you have any recommendations that I could order online? I genuinely appreciate your help and constructive resolutions.

 

[justintime742]

Both fish appear to have a few ick spots.
Copper based treatment in QT, with fallow DT is all that’s proven to work.

A bit hard to understand what’s on the glass versus what’s on the fish but I see white spots on fins.

Yeah my apologies I hope the video cleared anything up. I’m stressing out, currently making up RODI and mixing salt as we speak.

 

[Uncle99]

Yup, that will work well

 

[Uncle99]

Yeah my apologies I hope the video cleared anything up. I’m stressing out, currently making up RODI and mixing salt as we speak.

Don’t get stressed out, icks not a fast killer but needs to be addressed.

Some do nothing at all.

Have some read about treating with copper and follow directions.

Watch ammonia and maintain the prescribed dose for a full 30 days, no carbon.

The tank needs to be fish free for 45-60 days, more is always better.

 

[justintime742]

Yup, that will work well

Do I have to do fallow DT or just the few that show to have it? I only have a 20gal for a hospital tank and am afraid of any fighting.

 

[Uncle99]

Do I have to do fallow DT or just the few that show to have it? I only have a 20gal for a hospital tank and am afraid of any fighting.

If the fish have ick, the tank has ick.

You’ll need to treat everyone + the falllow DT, to fully rid this parasite.

Some fish don’t get infected, this is true, but which ones?

It only takes one!

You could do nothing but will likely lose some, potentially all.

I wish I had a better option.

 

[Uncle99]

You can try treating only those affected and watch others but each time there’s a new infection, you need to restart the clock.

The extended treatment time is going to put a ton of stress on an already stressed fish.

That might end badly.

Some people do ick management. Have a read on that. See if that’s a solution for you.

But again, Copper and falllow is a tried and true method.

I can’t remove my fish without significant damage so I’ve had no choice lately but to do nothing. I was not going to destroy all my corals.

I lost 5 of 12. Guess I was real lucky.

I replaced 4 of them after 60 days no ick.

Have not had ick now in 6 years.

So at the end of the day, you can only do what’s possible for you.

 

[justintime742]

You can try treating only those affected and watch others but each time there’s a new infection, you need to restart the clock.

The extended treatment time is going to put a ton of stress on an already stressed fish.

That might end badly.

Some people do ick management. Have a read on that. See if that’s a solution for you.

But again, Copper and falllow is a tried and true method.

I can’t remove my fish without significant damage so I’ve had no choice lately but to do nothing. I was not going to destroy all my corals.

I lost 5 of 12. Guess I was real lucky.

I replaced 4 of them after 60 days no ick.

Have not had ick now in 6 years.

So at the end of the day, you can only do what’s possible for you.

I am going to treat what I can, I’ve read online over how to do it correctly, but mandarin dragonets are too risky so he’s gonna have to stay and hope for the best. Anyone who’s super sensitive to copper I’m gonna just have to see how it goes, I don’t want to set them up for potentially unnecessary death. Just running back home from grabbing more PVC hides while my RODI is pumping and I’ll read up on in-tank treatment. I have so many beautifully healthy corals, cleanup crews and inverts. I really appreciate everyone who’s helped point me in a direction. My other biggest issue is I have no designated area to really setup the hospital tank, it’ll just sit on the floor cluttering my fish/reptile room.

 

[MuscleBobBuffPants]

You could also go with huge UV C sterilizer to interrupt the life cycle. Many people manage ich instead of eradicate it but it’s a decision you need to make to decide. Look up Humblefish Ich eradication vs management.

 

[justintime742]

You could also go with huge UV C sterilizer to interrupt the life cycle. Many people manage ich instead of eradicate it but it’s a decision you need to make to decide. Look up Humblefish Ich eradication vs management.

As I'm doing research, funny enough I've ran a UV sterilizer with a slow flow rate after my tank finished cycling, and I'm wondering if thats the reason only the tang has the most evident of it as I know they tend to be ich magnets. I'm hoping to eradicate entirely once I manage to find some room for a permanent location for my QT tank. Very informative and again I really appreciate everyone's help.

 

[justintime742]

Is this considered acceptable? Have heater going, currently working on salinity, bubble filter and wave maker. Roughly ~15 gal currently.

 

[Uncle99]

Is this considered acceptable? Have heater going, currently working on salinity, bubble filter and wave maker. Roughly ~15 gal currently.

That’s fine.
Good job
Mandarins have thick slime coats so it should be ok.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is this considered acceptable? Have heater going, currently working on salinity, bubble filter and wave maker. Roughly ~15 gal currently.

Sorry - I was offline overnight. I still think that the diagnosis is kind of open here - ich versus flukes. I went back and looked at the pics and video and I’m leaning towards flukes based on your report of frequent scratching with the fish.