HElP ME OUT LION

[supra557]

Lion,
I need your help with my problem... I have not had ick in a very long time and I got these 2 baby blue tangs to go into my FOWLR 180G tank... Well I think they had a slight outbreak before I got them because I got them the day they were delivered to the LFS... I lent out my QT tank to a friend so i was treating the tank with "Stop Parasite" since I was reading that you recommend that and you say it works great...
I used 2 bottles of it and the whole day the ick is not on the fish but when I turn lights off and wake up in the morning it is all over them again... But throughout the day I am watching them and the spots tend to come off only to go back on at night... So last night since the meds or not working I got my QT tank back and put them in there and started the hypo... But trying to catch them I think really stressed them out because this morning the lower half of the body was turning white... And to top it off when I lowered the Salinity I forgot to watch the PH since I was trying to do it before work so the PH went down to 7.7 or so, when I remembered at work I rushed back home and mixed some PH buffer and raised it back up... My wife is testing right now, but do you think I should have just kept treating them even though the spots were still coming back? And how come none of my other fish have it? I feed with Garlic and have a varied diet of everything... They are still eating good but I want to save them, Whats my best solution?
Sorry for the long post

 

[beth]

Yet another testament why not to use quickie cures for ich.
I have never advocated for them, and have frequently debated with those who do.
Please read the FAQ Thread and the posts there on ich and hyposalinity. The topic can be located at the top of this forum.
Don't ever, ever let anyone use your QT when you plan to get fish yourself.

 

[lion_crazz]

Beth, while I do agree that hypo is the best method to treat ich, I have personally used Stop Parasite with wonderful results. I have never personally lost a fish to ich. Everyone has different opinions, and that is mine. I always give people all the info and then let them decide which route they will take.
supra, without knowing your water levels, I cannot tell you why the fish continued to get the ich back. However, I will say that Stop Parasite usually takes about 3 days to get rid of all the ich. You have to remember, you are dealing with blue tangs. This is a fish that is easily stressed. If any of your water parameters are off, there is a good chance they will get ich when you introduce them into your tank. Another thing I will tell you. NEVER, EVER pick up fish from an LFS the day they arrive. If anything, ask the LFS to hold them for you for 2 days so that they can get settled in and you can make sure they are eating well before buying them.
Can you post your water parameters for us? (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, alkalinity/kH, temperature, salinity)
Also, how did you acclimate the fish? For how long?

 

[supra557]

Thanks for the response Lion...
My water levels are pretty good when I acclimated them...
AM:0
NI:0
NA:0
SG:26
PH was at 8.3 but now fluctuating between 8.1 8.4 with the meds and the PH buffer.
AK: right around 3.3
Temp: exactly 78
I know these fish are attached to Ick like crazy but I got them at wholesale and thought I would try to watch them get big as I have done with other fish... I should have waited but I was thinking if they get ick in the LFS tank I can skip that and take them straight home. When I got home I did a 4 hour drip... Right when I put them in I saw it I knew what it was and I knew I should have QT first but that my fault and that probably the reason why they kept it on them... Today was my last day and I have been treating since last Wed. morning. So do I just keep them in Hypo? I went thru 3 bottles of the meds in the main display and none of the other fish have it... Is it easier to keep a larger blue tang or is it all the same? I will say that they are still eating like champs... I go thru a sheet of seaweed about every 10 hours with them... I hope they survive the Hypo...

 

[lion_crazz]

Well, I am glad to see that all your water parameters are ideal and that the fish are still eating. Are you using garlic on the seaweed sheets and in their food?
It sounds like the fish came in with ich. I am not sure if you have them in hypo in your QT yet, but that would be your best bet (if possible). I don't want to see you continue to spend money on the Stop Parasite if that is not fighting it off for you.
Do you have a refractometer to perform a slow hypo process?

 

[supra557]

Yes I have been using Garlic extreme and Vitamins on there seaweed. I put in a little bowl let soak for about 5 minutes and then gently stick it in some of the holes in the rocks. I also put it in the food as well.
I put them into Hypo last night since I was getting frustrated with the meds not working or the kick making a good battle, but yea they are starting hypo and yes I am using a refractometer, I just hope they don't stress to much more out as its taking place. I really hope they make it out, they are very small. Thanks for the quick response Lion. Is there anything else I can do beside watch and wait.

 

[lion_crazz]

Well, your using garlic and vitamins will help greatly! It really sounds like you know what you are doing with your tank (levels are great, vitamins/garlic, refractomter -

)
While they are in hypo, pay extra close attention to your pH and kH. This is very important, because sometimes they fluctuate when you do a hypo process.

 

[supra557]

Yes, I have to keep reminding myself that today since I let it get a little low today... The PH was around 7.8 and totally forgot about it as I was going to work. I apprciate your input very much and will keep this thread updated as the hypo progresses.

 

[lion_crazz]

As well as checking the pH though, keep an eye on the kH as well so that the pH does not fluctuate.

 

[lion_crazz]

supra, I have been doing a lot of research about your problem and was reading through some of my books that I have. From how you explain it, it sounds like this is not ich, but a closely related dinoflagellate. All of the symptoms of your fish match that of having this dinoflagellate. In order to see if it is this or ich though, I need you to look at your fish and the spots with a magnifying glass. I need you to tell me if it has either a yellow or greenish tint to it. If so, it is this dinoflagellate and that would explain why the Stop Parasite did not work, and why it came back onto the fish at night, and fell off during the day.