Powder Blue Tang Advice

[Mikemilly245]

Recently picked up a PBT. Seemed to be doing okay at the store so I took the gamble. Unfortunately hasn’t been eating a whole ton, I see him picking at nori clip but not sure he’s ingesting it. And picking at frozen food but not sure he’s getting it all. He’s also very shy so hard to know exactly what he’s eating

Woke up to this. On hand I have
Copper power
Ruby reef rally pro
Kanaplex+metroplex
Should I freshwater dip and wait it out ? Maybe immediately into copper treatment ? Unfortunately I don’t have a bare bottom tank set up so I’m skeptical about that. Hyposalinity maybe ? Do these fish handle that okay? Just curious what you guys would do.

 

[Mikemilly245]

 

[Mikemilly245]

Bump / Im thinking I’m gonna start dropping salinity for hypo, think that’s the best way for my scenario, being a tank with rock and sand I don’t wanna screw with meds

Anything I should know about this specific species and hyposalinity ? I know some fish just don’t take it well

 

[vetteguy53081]

NO hypo as these are mucus cones often from a skin irritation and may be mixed in with ich. You will notice other fish do not show signs. 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.

 

[1ocean]

typical powder blue issue...

 

[Jay Hemdal]

That seems to be a mild case of marine ich. However, the lack of appetite is something else, ich doesn't cause a lack of appetite until much further along in the infection.

Your treatment choices are pretty much hyposalinity or coppersafe/copper power. Which you choose is mostly based on your circumstances. Neither treatment can be done in a tank with corals or invertebrates. Copper treatments are tough to do in tanks with lots of coral gravel and other calcium-based substrates.

Here is a thread on hyposalinity:

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

This thread outlines a copper treatment:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Mikemilly245]

Cool, I dropped salinity over the past 2 days and he looks fine now, have him In with a hippo who had similar issues. May have just been plugs but can’t ever be too sure haha . Thanks again guys

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Cool, I dropped salinity over the past 2 days and he looks fine now, have him In with a hippo who had similar issues. May have just been plugs but can’t ever be too sure haha . Thanks again guys

Just be aware that the ich spots (trophonts) can come and go when the disease first starts up - giving the appearance that it is going away, but then the spots return.....

 

[Isaac Alves]

What is the condition of your two fish now? I'm curious how these situations progress.