"Itchy" Yellow Tang?

[effishient]

I just purchased what looks like a healthy yellow tang two days ago. However, I just noticed what looks like a small piece of fuzz on the very bottom of his tail fin. I also noticed the tang trying to carefully brush himself against rocks frequently, as if to scratch himself... or possibly try to get this fuzzy thing off of him. Anyone know what this is or have any suggestions for removing it, or helping the tang out?
If I had a neon goby (on my list to get next) or a cleaner shrimp, I'm guessing that might help, but for now, I don't. Humorously, I noticed the tang actually trying to rub up against my false percula clownfish, as if they could help him somehow.
effishient

 

[teen]

its most likely ick. not fun to deal with, but it is treatable. look around in the disease forum for help.
55 gallons is to small for any tang, and that is probably stressing him out which has led to the ick. i wouldnt add anything to the tank until ur sure what it is. youre most likely going to have to hypo your tank and you cant do that with inverts so dont go for the cleaner shrimp.

 

[smoney]

I think your tang has ich, Is it white spots all over him, or just a little bit. Most likely ich. If its in a 50 gallon tank or less that will stress it out. On the contrary, I think it WOULD be a good investment for a fire or cleaner shrimp. The cleaner shrimp will eat the parasites off of the yellow tang. My tang has had ich before and the cleaner shrimp takes care of the ich quite well. THe yellow tang will even go up to the cleaner shrimp and let him clean.

 

[alyssia]

My cleaner shrimp has never eaten ich off of my fish, I wish it would. If you decide to do hypo you will need to do it in a QT tank if you have any inverts or LR.

 

[oreo12]

if you don't have a qt tank you could try kick ich I have used it 2 times in the past with great sucsecc keep in min that ich will go away for a day or 2 and come back stronger each time try and get it in the earlest stage helps.

 

[effishient]

Wow... 55 too small for a tang? I hadn't heard that before. It is a rather small yellow tang (about 2 inches from tip of mouth to tip of tail). It doesn't look like ich, but I don't have a ton of experience. It is a single fuzzy ball-like thing on his tail and it is the only spot.
I'm not saying it's not ich, but just saying it doesn't look like any pictures of ich I've ever seen. I wish I could get a good picture of it, but he won't stay still long enough. =)
Anyone else have any ideas based on my description? I plan on going to my LFS tomorrow and getting a cleaner shrimp to see how that works.

 

[oreo12]

keep an eye on that tang Mine started in a 54 gal corner then I moved it to my 75 I bought the 54 corner for the live rock and sand I used it untill I got the 75 ready.

 

[smoney]

Well, 55 gallons is toos small, but some of us(cough cough... me) keep them in those tanks, as long as you know the risk that you are taking with stress on the fish and yata yata, its fine. I dont recommend less than 50 gallons. Yeah, my cleaner shrimp cleans my fish really well when they are sick, I personally think they are a good investment. I would see what your lfs says.

 

[effishient]

thanks for the quick replies, guys... I've been doing some reading on the disease and treatment section, and it is possible that my tang has Lymphocyctis. Don't know if a cleaner shrimp will help or not, but it can't hurt, right? =)