Heres the situtation...

[cmc3502]

I purchased a yellow tang yesterday and acclimated him to the DT. (thoughts are still pending on the use of a QT tank as a pre DT measure) I thought he was looking good and all before I released him, but then I noticed two small white dots.
For yellow tangs, isnt the ich usually black?
Anyway, I decided I better take him out of of the DT before he infected anyone else... (10 minutes spent in DT). I setup a 5 gallon tank I had setting around and filled it with half DT water and half new water. Placed a heater and a pump for flow in there with a few dead rocks that were in my sump, which might have some bacteria growth.
He's now in the QT tank with copper treatment, but the ammonia is 1.5 or so. I plan on doing a water change when I get home, but what else can I do?
I know the QT should have been setup long before it is actually used for fish, but I had to do something.

 

[earlybird]

It's possible that you're in trouble. Tangs get ich very easily. Black ich is more rare and I've never heard/read that tangs only get black ich. I'd set up a much larger QT even a rubbermaid bin. The more water you have will reduce the ammonia. Regardless you should have water mixing and ready for numerous water changes until ammonia and nitrite are at zero. A fish with ich is stressed and the ammonia will just make it a whole lot worse. It's possible that you may see ich on your other fish so keep a close eye on them. Good luck.

 

[cmc3502]

so just in the 10 minutes he was in the DT, you think he might have let some ich into the tank? I have a few tupperware containers at home... I will set that up tonight. And go and buy some water from the LFS for water changes over the weekend. Should I go home at lunch and check on the guy? He looked fine this morning.. the 2 white specs were even gone already.. but I'm worried about the high ammonia and dont want to come home to a dead fish...

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by cmc3502
http:///forum/post/2626968
so just in the 10 minutes he was in the DT, you think he might have let some ich into the tank?
yup, especially since you say they are gone already. i'm not preaching, but this is why a QT is so vital. you're playing russian roulette by putting any fish, ESPECIALLY a tang, into your DT without observing it first. It's not only for disease, but to make sure the fish is eating, not stressed from shipping then being put in with tankmates that may or may not stress it out further, etc.
you can hope the white spots were just some sand, but it is entirely possible that you infected the rest of the tank.

 

[renogaw]

also, what i would do, is take the tang out of that water and put in a different tote, just in case (transfer method)

 

[cmc3502]

just went home and did a 25% water change.. and the ammonia levels where at .8 and the copper 2.0 (coppersafe)

 

[rcreations]

Now here's a thought... not every white speck on a fish is ich. I'm not saying it isn't ich but it's possible it could have been something else like a speck of sand or other particle. Still, better safe than sorry. But me personally I would not have moved the fish in such a small container after seeing 2 white specks.

 

[cmc3502]

just safe then sorry i guess... He was in the display tank and if it was, I figure the longer I left him there, the more I take the rest of ich getting in there and infecting the others...
Being that the two specks disappeared right off today, I wonder if it was just sand. He's not scraping or anything.. might have been a speck in a new place when I saw him at lunch. I'll watch him for a while, make sure he's eating well and that.

 

[renogaw]

don't forget, if you're using copper, most test kits cannot tell the difference between ammonia and cupramine, and give false ammonia readings.

 

[cmc3502]

as in a higher than it really is, false test? so my ammonia might be lower than .75?

 

[renogaw]

yes, this is why you gotta read the directions really well. if you do copper you really should have a better ammonia test kit, one that tests FREE ammonia (i believe, there's another post somewhere around here that explains it).

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by cmc3502
http:///forum/post/2626958
I purchased a yellow tang yesterday and acclimated him to the DT. (thoughts are still pending on the use of a QT tank as a pre DT measure) I thought he was looking good and all before I released him, but then I noticed two small white dots.
For yellow tangs, isnt the ich usually black?
Anyway, I decided I better take him out of of the DT before he infected anyone else... (10 minutes spent in DT). I setup a 5 gallon tank I had setting around and filled it with half DT water and half new water. Placed a heater and a pump for flow in there with a few dead rocks that were in my sump, which might have some bacteria growth.
He's now in the QT tank with copper treatment, but the ammonia is 1.5 or so. I plan on doing a water change when I get home, but what else can I do?
I know the QT should have been setup long before it is actually used for fish, but I had to do something.
Your tang has ich. Black ich is black. Cryptocaryon irritans is white. You are using coppersafe, not cupramine. Coppersafe readings need to be at 2.5 PPM to have any effect at all. Coppersfe will harm your biological bacteria. Any copper will. Was the QT cycled? If not then you have a situation on your hands. You will have to keep up with water changes yet keep the copper level consistant.

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2627012
putting any fish, ESPECIALLY a tang, into your DT without observing it first.

And even THAT has down sides! My purple was in QT for 3 weeks. No spots, no scratching no nothing! In the DT for 2 weeks before I see them darn spots!!
Back in QT. With ALL the fish from my tank. I shoulda done hypo as a precaution the first time.