achilles tang

[drkegel]

Just bought a 4.5" achilles tang last night, acclimated using drip method. Fish was in awesome shape, no spots, active, eating like a pig.
Anyway, today he has little white spots on his body. Appears to be ich. Eats well. Is it normal for a tang to get ich immediately after acclimation?
I'm thinking of treating with copper. Anyone have any other suggestions?
Also, is there a different place to buy garlic concentrate, other than LFS? That stuff is expensive there. Thanks.

 

[beth]

I would not treat a tang with copper. Tangs have sensative laterial lines and the copper treatment [copper being a toxin] could stimulate other disease problems with the fish.
Hyposalinity is the best treatment for ich, as well as the safest. You should use this method.

 

[drkegel]

Thanks Beth.
After reading the FAQ, that's what I'm in the process of doing in my 10 gal QT. He's been in there about 24 hours, and the salinity is 1.018, down from 1.024. Shooting for 1.009 over the course of the week.

 

[beth]

You really don't need to take a wk to drop the salinity for hypo. 48 hrs is enough time. However, do take a bit more time raising it after hypo [like 4-5 days]. What are you using to measure salinity/specific gravity? If you don't have a refractometer or salinity monitor, use a quality glass hydrometer. Swing arm hydrometer is just not precise enought [for anything in my IMO, not just hypo They off by as much as 3-5 pts!].
With hypo, you must watch your pH, as pH tends to drop as water becomes less saline. Additionally, in a 10gal hospital, temperture stability could be an issue. You may need to get a small heater for a tank that small.
Feed the fish garlic soaked food as well.

 

[drkegel]

I'm using a couple glass hydros to read the salinity. They both read the same, 1.009. I have a 50 watt heater in there to keep the temp stable. My ph has dropped to 7.9, trying to buffer with Kent products. Doing a daily 10% water change to keep ammonia and nitrite at zero. The tang really stresses (color change) when I do it. Running a little Eheim cannister for mechanical filtration, and a small powerhead to circulate the water. I took a couple handfuls of sand from my reef tank for the QT.
The tang doesn't seem to be eating very well. I've offered it a variety of things, all garlic soaked - brine shrimp, formula two (flake and pellet), seaweed selects. It picks at stuff, but seems to spit it out.
I've got a tiny piece of live rock in there for it to pick at, as well as a couple PVC pipes for shelter.
The hardest part is working two jobs and going to school, just doesn't allow me much time to observe him. Every chance I get, I have been observing him.

 

[beth]

I'm sure the pH is stressing the tang. These fish are very sentative to just about everything. Feed the fish sparingly. Keep in mind that in a small tank, a water change can be a big deal. Especially if you haven't brought the change-out water to the same temp as what is in the tank. How aged is your change out water? Tank stablility is just as important as the treatment when it comes to sick fish.
Sounds like you're doing everything right by your tang.

 

[drkegel]

I let the water stand overnight after mixing it and heating it to appropriate temp. It "ages" 12-18 hours or so. There is a PH in there to keep it oxygenated.
I've gotten the ph back up to 8.1. Holding SG at 1.009.
The tang is eating now, but doesn't like to eat while i'm watching. If I leave the room, and peak my head around the door frame, i can see him eat. But if I'm standing in the room, he won't come out of the PVC. But at least I know he's eating.
Feeding garlic-soaked seaweed selects and formula 2.

 

[drkegel]

Just a quick update -
My tang seems to be well. Ich is gone from him, has been for 7 days. Eats like a horse, even when I'm in the room.
He's been in there almost two weeks, going to leave him in there at least a week yet.

 

[drkegel]

Thanks to all the people who helped with advice, particularly Beth.
My tang is healthy, eating fabulously, and is going to be introduced into the show tank on Saturday. I have been slowly bringing the SG back up to 1.025 for the past few days.

 

[beth]

You did leave the tang in hypo for 3 wks correct?? If so, then great! Glad to hear that the big boy is ich free and will be settling in to his permanent home soon!