Ich or no ich, that is the question!

[kwajtrader]

I bought two baby hippo tangs three weeks ago from my lfs. I quarantined them for two weeks and kept them well fed and monitored them for spots or signs of anything obviously bad. I was afraid to dip or treat them with anything because of they were about the size of a quarter. After two weeks, on Saturday I put them both in my DT. They were both doing really well eating just about anything and then on Tuesday I noticed little white spots on one of them. The spots were about the size of a grain of salt. None of the other fish in the tank including the other baby hippo were showing any spots or signs of illness and still are not. I immediately put him back in the QT and started treating with paraguard. I just checked him tonight and the spots are gone. I’m wondering if I may have overreacted and if it may not have been ich after all. With the spots gone should I keep him in the QT for another two weeks? Is paraguard strong enough? Since he’s about the size of a quarter I’m concerned that if the treatment is too harsh it may kill him. What do you think?

 

[coolsurf]

MI can fool you by looking like it is gone and as soon as you believe it is....it's right back. Tangs are notorious for developing MI.

IMO...Keep following the directions and keep up with the full treatment. Leave them in QT for at least 28 days...that is the full cycle of MI. If everything appears ok, then reintroduce them to your DT.

I add Garlic Xtreme to all my food as a supplement. Even though scientifically it is not proven to definately treat MI, it is believed that garlic does increase the immune system of the fish so it may resist developing it.

 

[kwajtrader]

Thanks, I guess I'll just go back to treating for the full cycle..:boo:

 

[tim8111]

I bet if the tangs are eating within 2 or 3 days the spots will disappear. Tangs are notorious for popping ick when stressed.

If you move them and QT them for 8 weeks and then move them back to the display, they will probably have ick show up from stress.

When I was a hobbyist, my blue regal popped ick anytime I added a new fish or changed something major in the tank.

Just my opinion, could be wrong.

Tim

 

[kwajtrader]

So should I just put him back in my DT? I have a pair of clowns, a flame hawk, a coral beauty another juvenile hippo tang and a lawnmower blenny in my DT all that are doing fine and have been for a while, no spots, out and about and eating. The hippo tang in my QT spends all of his time hiding on behind the heater and only darts out to eat. The QT is bare bottom with a bunch of PVC and a a fake rock.

 

[coolsurf]

My biggest concern would be the others coming down with MI. If all is well and things are looking positive...take a chance but keep a close eye on things over the course of the next week or so.

I still highly recommend soaking your food in garlic as a supplement. (not flakes though) lol.

 

[fish scales2]

I am not the tang police and far from it but 3 Hippos in one tank is asking for problems. The size of a quarter? IME smaller ones do not fair as well as ones that are just a little bigger. Not bashing just concerned about the quidance that your LFS is giving you. Inevetiably they will fight and you will lose at least 2 of them.

 

[kwajtrader]

I may have caused some confusion. I have a total two tangs, both juveniles bought at the same time. One in the DT and on now in quarantine. The tank is a 72g corner tank with a sump. Before pulling the one out the two tangs seemed to swim and hang out together and hang with the pair of clowns, that were also purchased as juveniles.

 

[coolsurf]

Since he is already out, I would still keep him in QT so you don't add any undue stress of back and forth. This is just my opinion. Keep an eye on the rest in your DT and hopefully everyone will end up fine.

 

[fish scales2]

Not so worried about ich normally but Regals that are that small seldom make it, you may have a better chance with them being buddies for a while but there will come a time in which they will have to be separated, I did not mean to come across to hard but I get a bit irritated when people are mislead or LFS sell something they know will not work together. For all I know you may plan to have an entire school of regals which could possibly work. I am not one to normally come down on situations that pertain to Tangs because those that live in glass houses should not throw stones. My 300 has often housed well over 12-15 tangs at any given time. Now there are only 4.

IMO do not medicate just feed small amounts often and your chances will increase. Shorten your photoperiod or leave the lights of entirely for a couple of days.

 

[kwajtrader]

I appreciate all of the advice and take it in the positive manner it was meant. The lfs didn't mention any issues associated with having this pair in the same tank. I'm sure I mentioned my other fish and corals to him as well as the size of the tank. I've only had this tank since January and as I've learned more I've changed my plans many times, like no lionfish in spite of my kids whining, as well as making several mistakes. Assuming they both make it, I'll trade out one if I start seeing issues.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again!

 

[kwajtrader]

With everything said in this thread it makes me wonder if what hippo tangs get is really Crypto. Could hippo's be susceptible to some other type of scale related condition that looks like ich? If it were ich wouldn't it re-host to other fish in the tank? Sorry if this is a real newbie question.

 

[jennm]

I respectfully disagree about 2 Regals having to be separated at some point.

I came into possession of 2 that had been kept together for 4 years in a 75. That was 7 years ago. I kept them together in my 120 for another 5 years, until one passed away (still not sure why - I came in one day and one was dead). I still have the remaining one - no other tangs with him but at this point he thinks he's a clownfish - he hangs with my 7-year old pair of Ocellaris

I do agree that the itsy bitsy ones are often fragile and their survival rate is poor at best. When they are a bit bigger, they fare much better.

And yes, I've seen some blues that develop spots at the smallest disturbance. A client of mine had one they called, "Icky Vicky" - every other week when they changed water, the tang had a few spots the next day - and they'd subside fairly quickly. Fast forward 2 weeks, same thing would happen again. Went on for years - Vicky got over it each time - and no other fish were affected. It did cause panic the first few times it happened though.

Jenn

 

[kwajtrader]

Jenn,

My pair of little hippo's were doing the same thing with my pair of clowns. The four hang out together at the front of the tank and eat just about anything. Based on all of this input I think it would actually be less stressful to put the one hippo back in my DT where he was schooling with the other fish and eating like a pig vs. spending all day hiding behind the heater in my QT.

Thanks again to all for the advice,

Joe

 

[jesspete]

Yep, our hippo gets a few spots when we add fish or re aqua scape. I've even seen a spot or two show up on the trigger during his first month in the tank. I never worry about it though. If it gets really bad, or you notice them not eating, then worry, but definitely stop moving him around now. Go ahead like Coolsurf said and soak food in garlic, make sure you're offering them the algae sheets too. They won't break up in the tank as bad if you fold them several times and leave a little sticking out of the clip. Just don't forget to take it out and clean it up when they're done with it. That stuff STINKS if left in the clip. lol

 

[kwajtrader]

I've got sheets of garlic soaked algae. I didn't think about folding it, that's a great suggestion. The clip stays on the side of the tank about 5 minutes before it gets yanked off. I've also noticed that what's left in the clip really does stink pretty bad after sitting for a day.