some quick advice please!

[fishmom]

My yellow eyed tang seems to have some sort of parasite or bacterial disease. His scales seem to be coming off as he looks like he scraped against the coral, but it is is too many spots for it not to be a disease, especially surrounding his eyes. He still swims ok, but is not eating. I noticed his condition during feeding when he hid behind coral instead of coming out to feed.
I have him quarantined in a 2 gallon hospital tank and just started treating with 1/4 tablet of maracyn 2.
Questions:
1.How often should I change out the water, and how much? I do not have a filtration system in the tank, only an aerator.
2. Since I don't know exactly what disease has affected him, I am considering alternating medication with one day maracyn 2, the next day furacyn, and continue to alternate in this fashion to cover all bases. Is this a good idea?
3. Also, if medication does not appear to be working, should I consider a fresh water dip? I ask because this is the ONLY treatment that has EVER worked for me with a happy ending.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sorry that I originally posted this note in 'fish discussion', but I am a bit stressed and typed and sent and then it was too late.
My original tank is 150 gallons, and I just did a 30 gallon water change about 1 week ago, and up until now, I have not had any problems in a long time.

 

[beth]

Could you give some specific info about what exactly you are seeing? Are the "missing" scales around the head and lateral line?
How long have you had this fish? What type tank do you have? Do you have nitrates in the tank?
It could be HLLE. Do a quick search on this topic to see if that is what you are dealing with. There have been some pics of the disease posted on other tangs.

 

[fishmom]

Most of the missing scales are around the eyes on the head, even though his eyes look normal. I first noticed two days ago his side looked like it had a small 'scrape', but last night he was hiding and when I found him I knew that he was sick.
I have had him about 2 years. I alternate food with flakes and bloodworms soaked in garlic liquid.
Funny, too, because I have not had any problems for a long time and thought this was because of the garlic soakings, which I started doing about 7 months ago after reading about it on this website.
My tank is approx. 150 gallons with a wet/dry filter.
I only have 6 fish in the tank - all community fish.
I looked up the photos on "hlle", and am not sure, but I think it is a strong possibility.
If this is so, will the Maracyn 2 not help?
What should I do?
I will try to get help to take and post a digital photo.
Thanks for all your help.

 

[fishmom]

I only have 4 other fish in the tank - three damsels and one cinnamon clown fish, all of which I have had for about a year.
All look fine.
I will move the tang to a larger environment, probably a 5 gallon bucket with an aerator.
Should I continue with Maracyn 2? Should I mix fresh water with salt water to lower salt in water?
What can I do to help my fish?
I don't know if he'll eat the recommended food in the new environment. Is changing his diet the only thing I can do?
Will the other fish eat the food you are recommending for the tang? I also feed with frozen formula one.
Haven't had the chance to test the water to see the levels, as I am at work now.
Will do asap.
Again thank you for your help and advise.

 

[beaslbob]

first of all I hope he recovers.
I don't know about tangs but two years is a fairly long time for a fish.
I had spots on my yellow tang which had been in the tank only 4 months. He recovered in the display with no intervention on my part. So maybe yours will too.
I noticed from your original post you did a water change. Was that unusual. perhaps some parameters changed.
Good luck and hope he recovers.

 

[beth]

If HLLE is the issue, I feel like it looks that way, then the meds won't really address the problem. You may need to acclimate the fish back to his tank. A 2 gal hosptal tank is just too small of a tang and I'm afraid you are probably making things worse by stressing him out.
With HLLE, you will need to seriously address the fish's nutritional needs as trojan suggested. Additionally, add a grounding probe to your tank, and, also start soaking your fish food in zoecon.

 

[fishmom]

While attempting to take digital photos of my sick yellow eyed tang, I noticed that he has small white specs throughout his body. They do not look 'cotton-like', but are very very small. They do not cover his entire body, but are definitely visible on all areas. Could it be ich? I would hate to put him back in the tank if he could infect my remaining fish. His scales still look like they are coming off in small sections, especially around his head and eyes.
Also, how do people post photo attachments when the maximum allowed is 102400 bytes?
I will do a water change on main tank and put my sick tang in a 10 gallon tank that I can set up. The 10 gallon tank does NOT have a filtration system. How often should I do a water change in the 10 gallon tank and how much water? This part of the 'hospital' process stresses me out more than the sick fish, I'm sure.
I will also go to my LFS and get some zoecon and the recommended food for tangs.
Would a 30 gallon water change on my main tank be sufficient?
I just did a 30 gallon change about 2 weeks ago.
I sincerely appreciate all your advice. I learn so much on your site and it makes me think that my LFS is a house of fools. Their answer to everything is spectrogram.
The tang is my favorite and oldest fish, and I want to do everything possible to save him.

 

[beth]

Have you introduced new fish lately?
To post a pic you can use Windows Paint program, located in the start menu/programs/accessories. Resize it down to the allowable pix size.

 

[fishmom]

I have not introduced any new fish in the tank for about a year. All was going well, and I didn't want to change my good fortune. I have my yellow tank in a hospital tank medicated with Maracyn 2. I think he looks the same, but it's hard to tell in the green water. In desperation, I went to my LFS and they suggested a freshwater dip for 3 mins, buffering the freshwater to raise the ph level. They say this is the most effective treatment for ICH, which I think my fish may have after seeing the 'saltlike' specs on his body. I also purchased methyblu (antifungal & protozoan agent for ich, tail rot, etc.). I don't know what to do - what would be best for the fish. The fish does not appear stressed. I think I am more stressed than he is.
Should I dip him? Should I change hospital tank to medicate with the methyblu? He is not eating.
I tested my main tank and tests seem ok:
PH is 8.3, Ammonia is 0 , Nitrates are 0.
I guess if I do not receive a timely reply, I will dip him and hope for the best. This is the only free time I will have to help him until late tonight.

 

[fishmom]

Good old 'Bugsy' survived the freshwater dip I gave him. I intended to leave him in for 3 mins, but after two minutes he went from swimming around to laying on his side unless I tapped on the bucket, and it was taking him longer and longer to respond, so I took him out after 2 minutes.
He is now in a 10 gallon hospital tank with a sponge filtration system. I have medicated his tank with Furacyn.
After his 'dip', he looked alitle better to me. No more white dots, and his head area seemed like it had less scaling. But this could be wishful thinking or imagination on my part, I'm not 100% sure. I am going to get him some tang-friendly vegetarian food - I think algae strips and try to feed him tonight.
What else should I do?
Was furacyn the right move?
I hope he makes it, but if not, at least I am giving it my best shot.
Any and all advise would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Fishmom

 

[beth]

Hard to believe that your fish got ich just now after you have had him for so long, and you haven't added anything.
All those meds and dips are a waste of time and very hard on your fish, if we really are talking about ICH. Please take a look at the FAQ section at the top of this forum for info on the most effective ich treatment---hyposalinity.
Also, if you can possibly get a pic up, that would be good.