diseased flame hawk

[barryi]

the flame hawk i have has been in my tank for probably about 3 weeks now. It is in a 37 with a christmas wrasse and a snowflake moray. It is eating fine but has been fed mostly flakes. Its color has faded a bit and it has these white translucent long things on it that are tiny and i am pretty sure they are some type of copepod but they are sucking blood im pretty sure and move around to get to a better spot on the hawk. what should i do to change the color of the hawk and how should i remove the milky translucent things on the hawk that i am positive is not ich.
I dont have a ton of live rock in there but probably 25lbs. (I am goona buy more soon) The tank is about 2.5 months old w/ a deep sand bed and the nitrates are getting up there so is there any way i could bring them dowm and is there a scavenger invert that wouldnt be eaten by the christmas wrasse, eel or hawk? thanks

 

[beth]

Try formalin bathes, 45mins using water from your tank. Be sure to provide aeration during the bath. Every other day, for 3-5 treatments.

 

[barryi]

what is a formalin bath? and by aeration do you mean like a power head?

 

[beth]

Formalin is a parasite medication. Using water from your tank, you use a deadicated bucket, container, whatever, to supply your fish with a treatment bath. Following package directions on the formalin, bathe the fish in bath for 45 mins, every other day, 3-5 treatments. Yes, a small PH, or just an airstone.

 

[barryi]

the hawk died this morning

 

[beth]

Sorry to hear that. Did you do the formalin bathes?
BTW: You should be offering your fish a variety of foods, not just flakes.