Yellow Tang with Black Ich - How to Avoid Reinfection?

[kyley]

Hi All,
I have a Yellow Tang in my QT (plain QT with just sponge filters). It has Black Ich. I understand the process for treating it (FW dips, Formalin dips, or alternating). I'll do the first FW dip today.

There's one problem I have with the process though. The tang has been in my QT for a week now. I'm sure the Black Ich is in the water / bottom of the tank. How do I kill off what's in the tank? Otherwise it will just get reinfected! Will either of these completely eradicate it from the tank?
- Hyposalinity (how low)?
- Formalin treatment of the tank?
I can't start a 3rd tank (and even if I did, there's no guarantee the fish doesn't still carry some of the Black Ich into the new tank), so will one of the above work, or is there another option?

Second problem (personal) - I'll be out of town for work for a week and obviously can't treat the fish with dips while I'm gone (and don't have anyone I could ask to do that). So, it will get one FW dip today and one tomorrow (or Formalin). Is there any way to continue the treatment in the tank (without a dip) while I'm gone? Can I have my wife add Formalin to the QT at the rate of 2 drops per gallon every other day (as per the bottle)? Or Hyposalinity?

BTW, if this Black Ich is a Flatworm, would Flatworm Exit or other products have any effect? Thanks in advance!
--Kyle

 

[leebca]

To respond to as many of your questions and concerns as I can see in the post:

1) What we know of this parasite is that it is not easily killed in the tank. It doesn't need to infect a fish in order to survive. So it survives a long time, even without a fish to infect. Some have suggested that a fallow (fishless time) of no less than 10 months will suffice for its removal.

The only way I have found is to use multiple tanks. I give the fish a dip from its origin tank and put into a new, clean QT. The next dip, I take the fish out and perform the treatment and put the fish into a new, clean QT. Each time I give a dip, the fish goes into a new, fresh QT and not/never back into the tank it came from. Before performing the dip, I equate the new tank with the old tank parameters (pH, temp, salinity, alk, calcium, and magnesium content) and don't go through an acclimation process from the dip water into the new QT.

2) The continual dip process works. None other has been found to be as effective. I have no alternative treatment that I know will work while you are traveling. If you can't postpone the trip; if you can't train your spouse; then you might start over when you return.

3) I have not found any other product to kill the parasite with 100% success.

If you have discovered this infection on the fish when you acquired it and while it was in the QT, then you are far ahead of the parasite. If the parasite is in your main display, that will be a major problem.

Travel safely!

 

[kyley]

Thanks for the help, Lee. It makes sense. So I assume the sponge filters would need to be replaced for the new QT in this case? I have no sponges charged, and I only have a 10g (and wife won't allow any more tanks!), which isn't enough for a tang...

With no sand in the QT, do you think the parasites would survive on the glass bottom?

Ugh, I hate fish diseases. I work a lot of hours and just don't have time to deal with them I got a yellow tang b/c they're supposed to be the easiest / hardiest!

The more I think about this, I think my only options are to:
1. Take the fish back to the LFS after a dip, charge new sponge filters, clean the QT, and try another fish later.
2. Attempt eradication with unproven / untested methods in the QT (formalin, maybe hyposalinity, maybe flatworm exit). It seems like those could work if formalin dips and freshwater dips kill the parasite, but I understand they may not... ...and if it's a flatworm, that flatworm exit could work (and is safe).

Edit: I read that PraziPro may help too? I think I'm going to go forward with item 2 and try Formalin for a few doses, then PraziPro (which I usually use on new fish in QT anyway). Maybe it won't work, but I feel it's worth a try.

Thanks again for the help Lee,
--Kyle

 

[leebca]

1. Yes. In this particular case, I'd dispose of the filter and as much of the equipment as you can, after the cure.

2. I think the usually decorated and maintained display system provides the worms with nutrition and environment. I think the bare bottom QT doesn't. However I have not seen any studies to this effect. Only guessing that it would make sense that their lifespan in such a QT would be less.

3. The YT is very disease resistant, but subject to this one particular parasite more than other fishes.

 

[kyley]

Thanks again Lee. I got two freshwater dips in before leaving and added formalin to the QT and will have my wife do that every other day while I'm gone (I have no idea, but thought 3-5 doses of formalin would be sufficient?). When I'm done with that, I'll try PraziPro in the tank (need to do my dewormer anyway). Wish me luck! Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[For the Fishes]

Something to consider: please stop buying wild caught fish. At least then, you won't be hurting wild populations when yours keep dying. Hawaii's wild yellow tang populations in collected areas are 73% lower than those in protected areas. The state now officially calls the aquarium take "unsustainable". Please only buy captive bred fish!
I'm sorry to say but if you do acquire a yellow tang the chances that it will die after a rather short while incredibly high, for now they are just not the kind of fish that can survive outside of the reefs. Sorry if that's a bit harsh but buying a captive bred fish will be much more rewarding as it is well adapted to life in a tank and will last much longer and keep all of its beauty in tact. Thank you for reading!

 

[leebca]

Thanks for your post For the Fishes. You posted to an old thread.

I am also very much in favor for acquiring fishes that have been tank bred and/or tank raised. However, there is a point that I would disagree with, in your post. The Yellow Tang (YT) is not a fish that is 'incredibly likely to die in a few days.'

The YT is a very hearty fish and one of the most easily to adapt to captive life. When acclimated, the fish has been known to live decades in captivity, well beyond its usual lifespan in the wild. As all fish that are acquired, the proper quarantine, is fundamental to that life in captivity. But once properly acclimated and nourished, in the proper captive environment, the fish thrives exceptionally well.

By "state" do you mean Hawaii? Can you provide the reference which claims the YT "unsustainable" for the hobby. This I take very seriously and would like to review the source of this claim. Thanks.

 

[For the Fishes]

Thanks for your post For the Fishes. You posted to an old thread.

I am also very much in favor for acquiring fishes that have been tank bred and/or tank raised. However, there is a point that I would disagree with, in your post. The Yellow Tang (YT) is not a fish that is 'incredibly likely to die in a few days.'

The YT is a very hearty fish and one of the most easily to adapt to captive life. When acclimated, the fish has been known to live decades in captivity, well beyond its usual lifespan in the wild. As all fish that are acquired, the proper quarantine, is fundamental to that life in captivity. But once properly acclimated and nourished, in the proper captive environment, the fish thrives exceptionally well.

By "state" do you mean Hawaii? Can you provide the reference which claims the YT "unsustainable" for the hobby. This I take very seriously and would like to review the source of this claim. Thanks.

You're right about the day thing for some reason I was thinking of Morish Idols while I typed this up. For the state I do mean Hawaii, well Maui to be more specific, and as for all the information can be found on forthefishes.org. It would be really great if you could check it out and I'd really appreciate it. Again in response tangs do tend to adjust better than other wild caught fish my main concern is their life span once they are in a tank, it seems they generally live around five years or so commonly in captivity where as out in the reefs they live about forty years which is a significant difference. I personally really love yellow tangs, they're so beautiful, I just recommend to people to wait till the captive breeding program is successful and buy tangs then just cause I love them so much and want them to live healthy lives wherever they may end up!

 

[leebca]

Glad you cleared that up regarding Idols.

Lifespan is a complex matter. Let's take 100 baby fish in an example. 30 years in the wild and only 10 or less are alive. In captivity 30 years later over 75 are alive.

It isn't only longevity, it's also the numbers. In captivity more fish live longer due to better health and being away from their predators.

 

[kyley]

Hey Guys, somehow I missed the replies to this thread. Anyway, I of course want to get captive bred fish (for fish that are captive bred) and asked my local retailers for captive bred. Unfortunately they weren't able to get them

At any rate, this fish is doing great in my display tank now! No signs of black ich after the FW / Formalin dips (and I also used Formalin in the QT and later PraziPro). Another fish nursed back to health! Take care,
--Kyle

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Another fish nursed back to health!

Hey Kyle - thanks for checking in the the good report !