Leucosternon ich outbreak

[Shuzuku]

I have a 500 l tank with a bunch of tangs. It's been running for almost 3 months now. The Leucosternon was added almost 3 weeks ago.
The ich he got is slowly starting to get worse and my Magnificent Foxface has some now, as well (he looks like he's healing though!).
I have 4 cleaner shrimp (2 whiteband, 2 fire shrimp), which he's starting to visit. He's very, VERY active and eats very well. Foxface got a freshwater dip, can't catch the Leucosternon to give him one.

My question is, what else can I do? Should I wait it out, get a cleaner wrasse, or just pray?

Water quality is perfect (tested by myself and the shop I get the fish from), I have corals, shrimp, and various fish in it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a 500 l tank with a bunch of tangs. It's been running for almost 3 months now. The Leucosternon was added almost 3 weeks ago.
The ich he got is slowly starting to get worse and my Magnificent Foxface has some now, as well (he looks like he's healing though!).
I have 4 cleaner shrimp (2 whiteband, 2 fire shrimp), which he's starting to visit. He's very, VERY active and eats very well. Foxface got a freshwater dip, can't catch the Leucosternon to give him one.

My question is, what else can I do? Should I wait it out, get a cleaner wrasse, or just pray?

Water quality is perfect (tested by myself and the shop I get the fish from), I have corals, shrimp, and various fish in it.

Thanks in advance!

This is is susceptible to skin irritations and mucus plugs which you are seeing and often you will notice other occupants show no signs but recommended is to remove all fish and treat them as well using coppersafe or copper power for a full 30 days at 2.25ppm which they respond to well and add an air stone and monitor copper level with a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.

 

[Shuzuku]

This is is susceptible to skin irritations and mucus plugs which you are seeing and often you will notice other occupants show no signs but recommended is to remove all fish and treat them as well using coppersafe or copper power for a full 30 days at 2.25ppm which they respond to well and add an air stone and monitor copper level with a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.

Thank you! Will try!

 

[winxp_man]

Sadly Vetts way is the only way. For me anyways. My 150g had an outbreak. QT’ed many fish, and now they are in my new 300 loving life disease free. In regard to ich, velvet and what can be taken down with copper power QT in 30 days.


During the 60 breeder QT….

During the 150 observation for 50-60 days (lost track), while I was building my 300 setup.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have a 500 l tank with a bunch of tangs. It's been running for almost 3 months now. The Leucosternon was added almost 3 weeks ago.
The ich he got is slowly starting to get worse and my Magnificent Foxface has some now, as well (he looks like he's healing though!).
I have 4 cleaner shrimp (2 whiteband, 2 fire shrimp), which he's starting to visit. He's very, VERY active and eats very well. Foxface got a freshwater dip, can't catch the Leucosternon to give him one.

My question is, what else can I do? Should I wait it out, get a cleaner wrasse, or just pray?

Water quality is perfect (tested by myself and the shop I get the fish from), I have corals, shrimp, and various fish in it.

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Sorry, that does appear to be a moderate ich infection. It is unlikely to go away, even with active management on your part. Your two best options would be:

1) Move all of the corals an invertebrates out to a new tank and run the existing tank with the fish in it at hyposalinity of 1.009 specific gravity for 30 days.

2) Move the fish out to a new tank and treatment with coppersafe or copper power for 30 days, and then dont return the fish to the existing tank for a total of 60 days.

 

[MnFish1]

I might try the method as recommend by Jay - i.e. the hyposalinity - as its easier to remove the inverts than the fish in some cases.

 

[mcarroll]

I have a 500 l tank with a bunch of tangs. It's been running for almost 3 months now. The Leucosternon was added almost 3 weeks ago.
The ich he got is slowly starting to get worse and my Magnificent Foxface has some now, as well (he looks like he's healing though!).

This is predictable in a new tank....leaving the tank unprotected (vs pest algae or parasites) is never a good idea.

Having UV and/or a good micron filter on the tank could have prevented the outbreak from gaining critical mass and allowed your fish to recover their health from the trip to your tank before being challenged like this.

It is unfortunate that using this kind of basic protection is still a rarity in 2026....it's so basic.

Adding one or both filters would still be a good idea to minimize the scale of damage, but you're going to have to do something about the currently infected fish.