Is this possible

[sduerk]

Two days ago I looked at my relatively new yellow tang and he was covered in ick. I assume this was ick by the descriptions that I've read on this site, but I have never seen ick for sure before. Anyway, he was covered in what looked like salt. I placed him in my qt with my cleaner shrimp and now, two days later, I can't find a trace of it on him anywhere. Is it possible that the shrimp did the job in two days?

 

[sebae0]

more than likely i would say no, though the cleaner probably has helped a bit the parasite has gone thru some of its life cycle has become free swimming. it will reattach and you will probably see it again. are you doing hyposalininty in the tank? or just hoping the cleaner will cure it?

 

[fshhub]

hopefully they are not doing hypo int he Qtank, a shrimp could not survive this
It si also highly probably that it was not ick to start with.

 

[krishj39]

Ich has several phases of life, only one of them being on the fish. So, ich can come and go. chances are you are already seeing it again, actually. those cleaners will help out quite a bit, but the chances of them finishing the job are slim. from what i understand, each of those cysts (grains of salt) turn into thousands of "baby ich" (sorry I don't know the technical term). On a positive note, I suppose it would keep your shrimp well fed for a long time.

 

[sduerk]

I'm not doing hypo with the shrimp in the qt. I was going to let him do his thing and then hypo. And how do I know the difference between ick and whatever else you think it is?

 

[hairtrigger]

I agree with everyone, it's probably in a different phase. If you don't want to do hypo you might could try raising the temperature. That often erradicates pesky ich outbreaks. Good luck.

 

[sduerk]

to what temp would I raise it and once again, what else other than ick could it be? and how would I treat that?

 

[peasly1]

did you qt. the tang before it went into the main tank..what else was in there w/ the tang...what size tank....how long has tank been established...what are your water quaility readings...tangs get ich very easily, so its most likely ich it has...I would try w/ out the shrimp, hypo,that should work..if you want to raise the temp,I think its 82 degrees....