Mimic tang treatment

[Jessetip10]

Hello everyone, I got a yellow mimic tang or chocolate tang from petco lol don’t cook me. It had this huge gash on its side when I first got it and they gave it to me for free. So I set up a 10 gallon tank and treated the gash with erithromycin or however you spell it. I did as the box instructed treat once wait 24 hours treat again then after the next 24 do a water change. I did that twice and the gash is gone and he was doing great. I noticed while I was treating there were little white dots on his fin and they weren’t spreading so I was like I’ll treat him with copper after the gash is healed. So I woke up one day about a week and a half ago and he had a bad case of marine velvet. Did a water change and treated with copper the velvet went away after 4 days. I’ve had the fish for about 3 weeks now and he’s had copper in the tank for about a week and half. The white dots on his fins are still there he eats like a pig. I’m just wondering what this could be because the copper didn’t take care of the spots on his fins. I was gonna treat him with prazi pro after the copper because the whole reason I thought he got the gash was from scratching crazy because of flukes. He’s doing great minus the white spots but I just need some expert advice I’ve treated fish before but this one has me stumped I don’t have a tank biografía enough for the little guy when he gets adult size but my buddy does and I told him I’d give him the fish once he gets better. The chocolate tang is one of my favorite fish and I want to see him in a big tank but I don’t feel comfortable giving him to my friend if he’s still sick. Any thoughts?

 

[Ben.QLD2]

A week and a half is not long enough for copper treatment. You'll need to do about 30 days at therapeutic level.

Are you testing copper levels daily?

Are you aware that the substrate in your QT will absorb copper and alter levels?

 

[Jessetip10]

A week and a half is not long enough copper treatment. You'll need to about 30 days at therapeutic level.

Are you testing copper levels daily?

Are you aware that the substrate in your QT will absorb copper and alter levels?

I did not know that about the substrate. But yeah the copper ppm when I test is 1.5 should I bring it up to 2.0? I’m not testing daily only before I do a water change and then normally just treat the new water with the recommended level for copper safe when I do a 3 gallon water change on it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello everyone, I got a yellow mimic tang or chocolate tang from petco lol don’t cook me. It had this huge gash on its side when I first got it and they gave it to me for free. So I set up a 10 gallon tank and treated the gash with erithromycin or however you spell it. I did as the box instructed treat once wait 24 hours treat again then after the next 24 do a water change. I did that twice and the gash is gone and he was doing great. I noticed while I was treating there were little white dots on his fin and they weren’t spreading so I was like I’ll treat him with copper after the gash is healed. So I woke up one day about a week and a half ago and he had a bad case of marine velvet. Did a water change and treated with copper the velvet went away after 4 days. I’ve had the fish for about 3 weeks now and he’s had copper in the tank for about a week and half. The white dots on his fins are still there he eats like a pig. I’m just wondering what this could be because the copper didn’t take care of the spots on his fins. I was gonna treat him with prazi pro after the copper because the whole reason I thought he got the gash was from scratching crazy because of flukes. He’s doing great minus the white spots but I just need some expert advice I’ve treated fish before but this one has me stumped I don’t have a tank biografía enough for the little guy when he gets adult size but my buddy does and I told him I’d give him the fish once he gets better. The chocolate tang is one of my favorite fish and I want to see him in a big tank but I don’t feel comfortable giving him to my friend if he’s still sick. Any thoughts?

You stated copper. At what level is the copper and how are you testing the copper levels?
On the copper, is it coppersafe or cupramine?.
Is this a quarantine tank its in? If so, substrate is not typical although may help buffer PH but act as absorbent for copper. .

 

[Jessetip10]

You stated copper. At what level is the copper and how are you testing the copper levels?
On the copper, is it coppersafe or cupramine?.
Is this a quarantine tank its in? If so, substrate is not typical although may help buffer PH but act as absorbent for copper. .

It’s copper safe and yeah it’s a quarantine tank I always use a fresh bag of argonite when I quarantine a fish never had any issues. I’ve treated blue tangs before like this and never have had any issues using a substrate. I use apis copper test kit and the level is at 1.5.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I did not know that about the substrate. But yeah the copper ppm when I test is 1.5 should I bring it up to 2.0? I’m not testing daily only before I do a water change and then normally just treat the new water with the recommended level for copper safe when I do a 3 gallon water change on it.

Change water only if necessary as each time you change water, you are reducing copper unless you add copper to the new water. 1.5 is too low which explains why you see what you are.
You want to run your Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by 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.

 

[Weeb]

Hello everyone, I got a yellow mimic tang or chocolate tang from petco lol don’t cook me. It had this huge gash on its side when I first got it and they gave it to me for free. So I set up a 10 gallon tank and treated the gash with erithromycin or however you spell it. I did as the box instructed treat once wait 24 hours treat again then after the next 24 do a water change. I did that twice and the gash is gone and he was doing great. I noticed while I was treating there were little white dots on his fin and they weren’t spreading so I was like I’ll treat him with copper after the gash is healed. So I woke up one day about a week and a half ago and he had a bad case of marine velvet. Did a water change and treated with copper the velvet went away after 4 days. I’ve had the fish for about 3 weeks now and he’s had copper in the tank for about a week and half. The white dots on his fins are still there he eats like a pig. I’m just wondering what this could be because the copper didn’t take care of the spots on his fins. I was gonna treat him with prazi pro after the copper because the whole reason I thought he got the gash was from scratching crazy because of flukes. He’s doing great minus the white spots but I just need some expert advice I’ve treated fish before but this one has me stumped I don’t have a tank biografía enough for the little guy when he gets adult size but my buddy does and I told him I’d give him the fish once he gets better. The chocolate tang is one of my favorite fish and I want to see him in a big tank but I don’t feel comfortable giving him to my friend if he’s still sick. Any thoughts?

Very difficult to control copper concentration with substrates that interfere. If the substrate is straight silica with no 'fillers' that would be okay.

Are you measuring the copper closely? What copper test kit are you using? What is the copper concentration?

Finish the copper treatment, but if copper levels drop below 1.8 then the fish isn't being treated with copper. Levels of 2.0 and 2.2ppm are preferred for 30 days. After copper, then you can treat for flukes (worms).

Since the fish is eating so well, be sure to feed this fish with the supplements listed in the Supplement section of Fish Nutrition and follow recommendations for using supplements for an ill fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It’s copper safe and yeah it’s a quarantine tank I always use a fresh bag of argonite when I quarantine a fish never had any issues. I’ve treated blue tangs before like this and never have had any issues using a substrate. I use apis copper test kit and the level is at 1.5.

Api copper test kit is likely to give you false reading risking Overdose. I HIGHLY recommend the Hanna Copper kit

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very difficult to control copper concentration with substrates that interfere. If the substrate is straight silica with no 'fillers' that would be okay.

Are you measuring the copper closely? What copper test kit are you using? What is the copper concentration?

Finish the copper treatment, but if copper levels drop below 1.8 then the fish isn't being treated with copper. Levels of 2.0 and 2.2ppm are preferred for 30 days. After copper, then you can treat for flukes (worms).

Since the fish is eating so well, be sure to feed this fish with the supplements listed in the Supplement section of Fish Nutrition and follow recommendations for using supplements for an ill fish.

He's using arogonite and likely no silicate and 2.0 still a little low.

 

[Jessetip10]

Change water only if necessary as each time you change water, you are reducing copper unless you add copper to the new water. 1.5 is too low which explains why you see what you are.
You want to run your Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by 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.

Gotcha will throw an airstone in there and see about getting a better test kit for copper. I’ll bring the level up once I get the new test kit cause now I’m worried about a bad reading.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Gotcha will throw an airstone in there and see about getting a better test kit for copper. I’ll bring the level up once I get the new test kit cause now I’m worried about a bad reading.

Better safe than sorry

 

[Jessetip10]

Better safe than sorry

Thank you for the information you guys have been a lot of help !!!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Do you have any pictures of it, when you diagnosed velvet? Having a gash, then totally healing, then a velvet attack coming on seems unlikely. I'd think when the fish was battling the gash, it would have been more susceptible.

Do you think the fish is healthy enough to perform a fresh water dip ? Wondering if the white are actually flukes.

 

[Jessetip10]

That’s what I was thinking I know flukes are hard to see on the fish but I felt like the fins would show them better because they are almost a translucent yellow color and would show up on that a little better but no I didn’t get a picture of the velvet. But he was covered and it was milky looking and had a lot of raised white lumps on his body more than I could count.

 

[Jessetip10]

Do you have any pictures of it, when you diagnosed velvet? Having a gash, then totally healing, then a velvet attack coming on seems unlikely. I'd think when the fish was battling the gash, it would have been more susceptible.

Do you think the fish is healthy enough to perform a fresh water dip ? Wondering if the white are actually flukes.

But I do think he is healthy enough for a freshwater dip and I’ve thought about it doing one maybe I’ll give it a try and see if anything comes off.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

That’s what I was thinking I know flukes are hard to see on the fish but I felt like the fins would show them better because they are almost a translucent yellow color and would show up on that a little better but no I didn’t get a picture of the velvet. But he was covered and it was milky looking and had a lot of raised white lumps on his body more than I could count.

Without seeing a picture, if the fish was still eating and not breathing too fast at this point, it probably had marine ich that had just gotten to a severe point. True velvet causes very rapid breathing, hanging in water currents, not eating and death in a couple of days or less.

Jay