What is on blue tang?

[blakeu21]

I just got a blue tang yellow belly and a flame back angle. They looked really good in the tanks at the store. I got them home and now a week later I see white spots on the blue tang and possibly some on the angle. I have them in a 105 gallon system that is a mixed reef. I have other fish in the tank with them. I have a fox face, 2 clown fish, bristle tooth tang, scooter Blenny, engineer goby, mandarin goby, and a starry Blenny. What should I do? Is it ich or something else?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just got a blue tang yellow belly and a flame back angle. They looked really good in the tanks at the store. I got them home and now a week later I see white spots on the blue tang and possibly some on the angle. I have them in a 105 gallon system that is a mixed reef. I have other fish in the tank with them. I have a fox face, 2 clown fish, bristle tooth tang, scooter Blenny, engineer goby, mandarin goby, and a starry Blenny. What should I do? Is it ich or something else?

Often associated with stress and skin irritation are mucus cones likely mixed with ich and fish will have to be isolated and treated with coppersafe 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.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off
A quarantine tank can be as simple as a tank from a second hand store or a starter kit from Walmart which most of the needed essentials.

 

[blakeu21]

Oh man this is going to be a process. Do I put all my fish into quarantine? And what size tank would you recommend for that? Also is there any way to not move them to quarantine and cure it in the tank they are in right now?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

That does look like it is marine ich. As @vetteguy53081 said, this species also can develop "mucus plugs" as a response to stress. These look like ich, but larger. The odd thing is that the stress from ich can also cause mucus plugs!

If it is ich, you have two options - treat all of the fish in a medicated tank, or try "ich management" with the fish in place. While ich management seems like a great option, it often fails and you end up losing the fish. Here is a write up that I did about it:

"Ich Management"

Because this topic continues to come up, I wanted to create a sticky thread so that it is more easily referenced. Please understand that I am NOT presenting this as an optimum method for controlling marine ich, just putting it out there for people who want to try it. Also, do not pick and...

www.reef2reef.com

Personally, I would wait a few days and watch the spots. If they increase in number and then spread to other fish, that confirms ich and I would then treat all of the fish in a medicated tank with coppersafe for 30 days. Then, you will need to keep the fish out of that tank for a total of 60 days.

Jay

 

[blakeu21]

Alright thanks for the advice I’m sure I’ll have more questions if it is ich and I have to quarantine. I think im learning a lesson with this one never put a fish into my take without quarantining it. Thanks

 

[blakeu21]

Oh also almost forgot the blue tang has been super stressed and lays down in between rocks and just sits there.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Oh also almost forgot the blue tang has been super stressed and lays down in between rocks and just sits there.

Is it still eating?
Any idea as to why it is stressed?
Is it breathing fast?

My fear is that fish can have multiple problems at the same time, and my telling you to just observe the fish for ich for a day or two is null and void if there is some other issue at the same time.

 

[blakeu21]

Is it still eating?
Any idea as to why it is stressed?
Is it breathing fast?

My fear is that fish can have multiple problems at the same time, and my telling you to just observe the fish for ich for a day or two is null and void if there is some other issue at the same time.

It is eating and from what I have seen it’s not breathing fast. When I go around the tank it seems to hide. It is still new to the tank only about a week in it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh also almost forgot the blue tang has been super stressed and lays down in between rocks and just sits there.

Laying within rocks or playing dead is a trait of theirs. A video will be helpful showing breathing rate and any change in dots from yesterday

 

[blakeu21]

Laying within rocks or playing dead is a trait of theirs. A video will be helpful showing breathing rate and any change in dots from yesterday

Sorry I never responded. I am not currently home but when it’s under the shade or lights not shining on it I can’t see the spots.

 

[blakeu21]

Laying within rocks or playing dead is a trait of theirs. A video will be helpful showing breathing rate and any change in dots from pnew

Laying within rocks or playing dead is a trait of theirs. A video will be helpful showing breathing rate and any change in dots from yesterday

So looking at it today the spots seemed to turned black. There are a few white dots still but mostly black

 

[vetteguy53081]

So looking at it today the spots seemed to turned black. There are a few white dots still but mostly black

Also worms causing black ich
Given the name is caused by turbellian worms and likely the Paravortex version which are smaller and appear as grains of black spots
These worms have a single host life cycle producing several juveniles which can last up to 30 days but rarely do. Best is to treat with Praziquantel better known as prazi pro for two 8 day intervals with a water change on day 9.
other option is formalin based medication such as quick cure or ruby Rally Pro starting with a bath for 45 minutes followed by treatment
Do note that Prazi will lower both oxygen and appetite, so an airstone is recommended for added aeration and monitor water quality during treatment with a reliable test kit
Freshwater dips offer temporary relief and prazi pro will address them

 

[blakeu21]

Also worms causing black ich
Given the name is caused by turbellian worms and likely the Paravortex version which are smaller and appear as grains of black spots
These worms have a single host life cycle producing several juveniles which can last up to 30 days but rarely do. Best is to treat with Praziquantel better known as prazi pro for two 8 day intervals with a water change on day 9.
other option is formalin based medication such as quick cure or ruby Rally Pro starting with a bath for 45 minutes followed by treatment
Do note that Prazi will lower both oxygen and appetite, so an airstone is recommended for added aeration and monitor water quality during treatment with a reliable test kit
Freshwater dips offer temporary relief and prazi pro will address them

Alright I’ll start the treating process as soon as possible. Thanks so much!

 

[JonoH]

Agree with the above, below is my experiance though.

I have 2 Blue Tangs in my tank, both reasonably large, they show no spots/ich 99% of the time... but if i move things around, put my hands in the tank when cleaning etc, they can develop some spots that look like ich - every time it gives me a mild heart attack!
But they are almost always gone within a few hours after - so i have put it down to stress. There are a lot of other fish in the tank also which have never shown any signs of ich.
They also have a tendancy to squash themselves in between the rock and the sand to hide, and can get sand stuck to themselves (which also looks like ich)!

 

[blakeu21]

Agree with the above, below is my experiance though.

I have 2 Blue Tangs in my tank, both reasonably large, they show no spots/ich 99% of the time... but if i move things around, put my hands in the tank when cleaning etc, they can develop some spots that look like ich - every time it gives me a mild heart attack!
But they are almost always gone within a few hours after - so i have put it down to stress. There are a lot of other fish in the tank also which have never shown any signs of ich.
They also have a tendancy to squash themselves in between the rock and the sand to hide, and can get sand stuck to themselves (which also looks like ich)!

That is what I’m at right now because I just got in last week and it look really good at the store. I got it into my tank and in about a day I saw the spots. Yesterday I saw more new spots and I was really thinking it was ich. I got home today and looked at the tank and there was not a single white spot on it. All I did different was left it be and observed and gave some more food to make sure it was eating.