Sick Hippo Tang

Jetbkk

Jetbkk

Member
As some of you that follow my tank chronicle might know, I was just on holiday in Bali/Komodo and found out from my niece who was watching my tank that the fish are sick. Several of my favorite fish have died over the last week --- Harlequin Tusk, Yellow Tang, and many of my Anthias (especially Bartlett's). I just got home and as it is night time most of the wrasses and other fish are hiding under the sand so it is hard to assess just how bad things are --- however what I can see is looking pretty grim.

My Hippo Tang is really having a tough time. My first thought was to just flush him, but he is actually swimming around fine but is clearly annoyed and having a very hard time with white spots or Ich, etc. Here is a photo. Could any of you let me know what you think it is and what I should do about this? I can see that my clownfish are looking normal, so they haven't been affected (yet). The rest I can appraise in the morning.

I don't have a QT tank, so that complicates things. Is this disease in the water, or is it passed from fish to fish?

Thanks for any thoughts on what to do. In 2 years I've never had any disease problem at all and this time I have been absolutely slammed by it.

sick_taNG.jpg
 
dmatt88

dmatt88

Has been struck by the ban stick
Dude u gotta get a qt. Even a small one if not that dudes a goner.

...........mmmmmmm clams.
 
T

TylerHaworth

Active Member
Oh my wow that is absolutely terrible.

Hopefully lessons will be learned and a proper QT process is implemented in the future.
 
Jetbkk

Jetbkk

Member
So if I get it into a QT, then what? How do I treat it?

does this mean the problem is in my tank or on the fish (and spread from fish to fish)??

This is really depressing. He was one of my first fish and I've had him for 2 years, first in my 50g and now the 230. This started with the Powder Brown going all funky and dying very quickly and the others are dropping like flies except a few that look normal.

Yes, I should have a QT, but that wouldn't change this outbreak as it happened while I was away on holiday.
 
T

TylerHaworth

Active Member
The problem is in your tank, thus all must be treated.

This looks like velvet to me, it's much more catastrophically fast acting than ich, and must be treated immediately.
 
PSU4ME

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
wow that tang is covered! the disease section is a graet place to answer all treatment questions. Looks like cupramine is going to be your best bet but you need to get a HT tank running fast.

All fish will need to be treated then your tank will need to go fallow for 8-10 weeks to kill off the ich in your tank, then you can begin adding back fish after you QT them.

Also, posting in the disease section will allow Lee to help answer new questions you have but read the stickies first, 90% of everythign you need to know is already there!

good luck
 
modulok

modulok

Active Member
I don't understand, did you niece add anything to your tank? (Besides food) How would that outbreak develop if nothing was added?
 
fishguy4

fishguy4

Member
u never know. sometimes it seem to just happen it could have been inside him the whole time but maybe it just decided to show itself
 
PSU4ME

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
I agree, something had to happen to trigger this or it is a big coincidence....... I would be interested to know what went on while you were gone. Did you test the water?
 
Jetbkk

Jetbkk

Member
The change point that I could see was after I ripped out half my tank to take out the coral eating Moorish Idol. I also had to do a salt brand change to H2O from Reef Crystals. Shortly after, the Powder Brown Tang got sick and died after a few days. I added some Disbar Anthias before leaving and noticed one was dead in the bag when I got home. The others appeared to be fine. On Saturday morning as I was leaving for the airport, 4 (not just the new ones) were found dead and thus the carnage continued.

Update for this morning: All my Wrasses look 100% normal right now, as well as my 2 Clown Fish. The Blue Tang is hiding but doesn't look as white today. I'll check on it later if it comes out. There is one sole surviving Anthias, a Lyretail, which looks good as well (for now).

I'm going to see the LFS today and see if they can help me with a QT solution.

I will also do a big clean up today - change water, clean the skimmer, and test all the levels.
 
Jetbkk

Jetbkk

Member
It seems as though my Tangs and Anthias have been the most susceptible to this problem and also a Cardinal Fish (that I had for 2 years) and Harlequin Tusk.

This has really been devastating :-(
 
Z

zsea123

New Member
Hypo salinity treatment worked for mt hippo tang. You have to get a qt. The issue with it is that is takes time and a lot of patience. My tang was good in 4 weeks. Once i put him back in display he sprouted some new spots. This is why you have to treat all the fish in the tank, and give time for ich to die off in tank. Usually 6 weeks is enough time, hence time and patience. This is probably your best bet to save your fish. From my experience tangs require top notch water conditions, space, and diet. Beautiful fish but hellishly hard to keep. Good luck!!
 
C

Clownfishfan

Member
TylerHaworth said:
Everything you need to know is in the Disease/Treatment section.
Click to expand...

That's a horrible answer, he asked we can atleast answer.

Get a quarantine ,it needs to be large enough to keep your largest fish atleast half way comfortable. Fill it up with water from the main tank,put some sponges in the sump of your main tank for a day or 2 then put them in the qt (it helps keep it cycled,but only do that right at the beginning so you don't re-introduce the disease),bring the salinity down to 1.009 (over a period of 48 hours)and keep it there for 4 weeks after the last spot is gone ,the main tank must stay completely fallow for 10-12 weeks (don't add anything except food,anything including coral could bring in the disease again)for the disease to die off. It Aldo helps if you can make your own food and add a clove of garlic to help kill the parasites and boost the fishes immune system.
 
sk8rdn

sk8rdn

Has been struck by the ban stick
Clownfishfan said:
That's a horrible answer, he asked we can atleast answer.

Get a quarantine ,it needs to be large enough to keep your largest fish atleast half way comfortable. Fill it up with water from the main tank,put some sponges in the sump of your main tank for a day or 2 then put them in the qt (it helps keep it cycled,but only do that right at the beginning so you don't re-introduce the disease),bring the salinity down to 1.009 (over a period of 48 hours)and keep it there for 4 weeks after the last spot is gone ,the main tank must stay completely fallow for 10-12 weeks (don't add anything except food,anything including coral could bring in the disease again)for the disease to die off. It Aldo helps if you can make your own food and add a clove of garlic to help kill the parasites and boost the fishes immune system.
Click to expand...

The reason he pointed to the stickies is because that is complete with all accurate information, from an expert. Whereas your post is not. While the effort is applauded, there are some big hang ups that you are passing along erroneously.

Jetbkk:
Please, read the stickies on QTs, ich, hypo and/or copper treatments, as well as on nutrition. Lee is awesome, and very knowledgeable. If you have a question on disease ID (as there have already been 2 guesses in this thread) or process clarification, post in the disease forum so Lee can see it.

....Secret Super Hero....
 
C

Clownfishfan

Member
fishguy4 said:
wait wat do u mea by making ur own food? and how do u put garlic in i have always wanted to do that
Click to expand...

Easy, mix all the foods you want to add into a blender (dont blend very long it doesnt hold together well if you do)add good amount of shrimp to it so it sticks together and freeze. Use a garlic press to crush the clove of garlic into a whole bunch of little tiny peices and blend it together with all the rest of the foods you would like to add.
 
Jetbkk

Jetbkk

Member
Thank you everyone for all your suggestions and opinions.

An update: My Hippo is still hanging in there. Man is this fish a fighter. He is desperately trying to eat but it is clear that he can't see. He smells the food and swims all over trying to get it. Even with target feeding it is difficult for him, but he did eat a little last night.

Today I am going to bring him to an LFS for a proper QT. I hope this guy will pull through, he's been fighting so hard.

I will update on how it goes..
 
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