Tang QT with Ich???

[omajehal]

Fish Medicine Help!!!

Hey everyone. I have a Biota Yellow Tang in QT that I’m fairly certain started showing signs of Ich. I’m getting conflicting directions from the LFS’s in town. So far in QT since the 15th I’ve been treating with PraziPro and monitoring parameters. Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate all look fine on the API tests (I know they’re not the best). Today I’m noticing white dots on him, so I’m thinking Ich.

I have Paraguard on hand and threw in carbon to start removing the PraziPro. One LFS said Cupramine instead, another said more PraziPro (which doesn’t treat Ich???), another said Paraguard with Metro/Focus. Any tips on which route to go and how to implement it? Also, how long do I wait for the carbon to remove the PraziPro before adding something new? I’m planning on a 50% wc once the mixed water gets up to temp.

Thanks!

 

[Brymac1]

In my experience cupramine is much more effective at treating marine ich. I would do the water change, treat with cupramine at 0.5 ppm for 30 days, remove with cuprisorb, then treat with prazipro for two weeks to treat internal paradites

 

[DeniseAndy]

I imagine you cannot get a hold of chloroquine phosphate as this is my first choice. My second being formalin. I am sorry to hear your Biota guy got ich. He must have been mixed at the LFS with wild caught animals. Otherwise, it should not have had any issues (FME).

Follow @Jay Hemdal for treatment options.

 

[omajehal]

I imagine you cannot get a hold of chloroquine phosphate as this is my first choice. My second being formalin. I am sorry to hear your Biota guy got ich. He must have been mixed at the LFS with wild caught animals. Otherwise, it should not have had any issues (FME).

Follow @Jay Hemdal for treatment options.

Yep, I tried my Vet and they had no clue on how to get Chloroquine Phosphate. I got the Tang from the LFS, so I’m guessing you’re right on that account too.

I went to pick up meds and was talked into getting Coppersafe because they didn’t have the test kits for Cupramine. I also bought the Metro/Focus and am planning on doing that too. I’m always overwhelmed with medicating fish, hopefully I’m on the right track.

 

[mike89t]

Have you read this? It might help with how to use coppersafe to treat ich

Current Quarantine Protocol

2023 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 quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before...

www.reef2reef.com

I’m currently following this procedure and let me say a Hanna Copper HR tester is worth the investment.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Yep, I tried my Vet and they had no clue on how to get Chloroquine Phosphate. I got the Tang from the LFS, so I’m guessing you’re right on that account too.

I went to pick up meds and was talked into getting Coppersafe because they didn’t have the test kits for Cupramine. I also bought the Metro/Focus and am planning on doing that too. I’m always overwhelmed with medicating fish, hopefully I’m on the right track.

That does look like a mild case of ich. Without treatment, it will get worse of course.
With Coppersafe, you need to get to a full dose right away. Follow the label instructions, but you need to dose for the actual volume of your tank. For example, a "10 gallon tank" may actually only hold 8.2 gallons. Cupramine will also work.

Skip the metro+focus combination. oral meds can't be effectively dosed that way, in fact, the box says use a 5:1 ratio and inside, the bottle says 1:1 - so even their own instructions don't work. Your dose is totally uncontrolled: you have an unknown amount of medication per food unit and then you don't know the weight of the fish, and can only estimate how much the fish will eat. Metro is REALLY bitter. The old joke is, if you are feeding a fish metro-dosed food and the fish actually eats it, your dose is too low.

If you really want to go that route, there are two files above; a med food calculator and an article I wrote on medicated foods.


Jay

 

[omajehal]

Ok, so I have Coppersafe up to 2.0 ppm and am feeding heavily a variety (seaweed, pellets, & frozen). I did do the Metro/Focus with the frozen, but I’m not sure if he’s eating it. I’m also doing Selcon/Garlic Power with the pellets. I also asked my vet about getting Chloroquine, but that’s going to take a while.

I’m a bit concerned today by the look of his fins though. @Humblefish do you have any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok, so I have Coppersafe up to 2.0 ppm and am feeding heavily a variety (seaweed, pellets, & frozen). I did do the Metro/Focus with the frozen, but I’m not sure if he’s eating it. I’m also doing Selcon/Garlic Power with the pellets. I also asked my vet about getting Chloroquine, but that’s going to take a while.

I’m a bit concerned today by the look of his fins though. @Humblefish do you have any suggestions on what to do?

How long have you been at full strength copper? It typically takes three days beyond that to get some control over ich. Despite what you have heard, Selcon and Garlic have no demonstrated benefit for treating ich. It isn't bad for the fish, it just isn't going to help effect a cure.

As I mentioned, Metro/Focus cannot work - at the proper 5000 ppm dose, it is too bitter and the fish won't eat it, below that, the fish will eat it, but there will be no benefit. Oral Metronidazole is a poor choice for treating ich, it would have to be digested, get into the bloodstream and then be taken up by the trophont. Metro in the water can reach the theronts and kill them more easily.

Don't risk running copper and chloroquine at the same time. The same issue will crop up: you would need to remove the copper and then, the chloroquine takes 3 to 5 days to begin working, so the infection could actually get worse.

As far as the fins go - any other fish in with it?


Jay