new tang develops white spot

[ryan scott]

Hi I have just purchased a new tear drop tang for my established tank, it is a fairly large fish. It was introduced to the tank 3 days ago.

It has developed considerable white spot

does anyone have any recommendations

should I remove it from the tank and treat it or just leave it in and see what happens?

I also have a lunar wrase that is proving to be a real problem killed my expensive redline shrimp and two gobbies and now keeps on attacking my new clam, I think I will take him back to the shop. Has anyone had this happen?

Many thanks

[super stooge]

my brother had a lunar wrasse which has now caused him to hate any creature even remotly resembling it.

it caused endless mischief in his tank and killed a large redtooth triggerfish and contributed to the death of several other fish. from the moment the poor trigger hit the water the wrasse became hell bent on his demise. it immediatly attacked him forcing it into a corner where it relentlesly pecked at it. by the time we could get the trigger out it was already to late.

the lil bugger was IMPOSSIBLE to catch aswell and stole all the food from my brothers foxfaces

[tgfrench]

Getting the sucker out of the tank may be a trick but imo it would be a good idea. Though it may already be too late for the other fish as well, but it sounds as if your fish is showing a possible ich breakout.

[Racing1]

This is why you should quarantine fish before introducing them to your main display as it may take days for a disease to show. I would remove it to quarantine if possible. Sounds like it may have ich. Once in quarantine you can treat the fish.

As for the lunare wrasse, this is why you need to study up on a species before purchasing them. They are very aggresive fish and are recommended for aggresive fish tanks. He will continue to harass new additions and fish already in the tank. I would try to get him out or plan on him bothering all your fish. Its natural diet consists of fish, crustaceans, motile invertebrates, and worms. The diet in an aquarium, should include a variety of feeder shrimp, marine flesh, frozen meaty preparations for carnivores, and flaked foods.

Good Luck

[ryan scott]

the fish seems to have improved heaps and becoming more social
Finding it very hard to catch the wrase they are very smart!!

[super stooge]

u could try a trap. a very simple one u could try would to be to cut the top off a cleaned coke bottle. then turn it around so its back inside of itself. put sum food inside of it and hopefully the wrasse will swim in and get it and not be able to get out. there are more complicated traps out there but this may be a good place to start

good luck

[Skier1]

Try to find a trap via your local club or LFS. In our area, at least one LFS rents a nice acrylic trap on a small fee/day basis.

[cmejaf30]

hopefully those white spots never come back. ich does that a lot...people make the mistake of thinking that it is gone when it is really just going through one of the stages of its lifecycle. look in the fish disease/treatment threads for some good reading on ich.

[capn_hylinur]

I had a similar problem trying to catch a clarkie---tried everything--finally two guys and two nets worked
(my last resort would have been a small shop wet vacuum)

[christyum22]

looks like ich ...u can buy a neon goby or a cleaner wrasse if u cant catch it hopefully they can clean them off

[tgfrench]

maybe clean it off but not cure it

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by tgfrench
maybe clean it off but not cure it

you are correct--4-6 weeks in a qt with hyposalination if you want to cure it.

[ryan scott]

if the ich (white spot in aussie) clears off what chances would you give the fish? with out a QT as i dont have one! I have been told that white spot is always in your tank but UV keeps it under control or if a fish such as this one is stressed then an out break can occur

[cmejaf30]

that is a big myth that "white spot" is always in your tank. Ich is brought into your system tagging along on some other fish. it is not always in your system. UV will keep it under control but it's not something you should depend on. And ryan, if you are working on that big of a reef system and don't have a QT you should rethink the hobby. Why spend all the money on the whole system if you're not willing to spend another $50ish on a 10g QT, HOB filter, and heater. just wondering where your reasoning is. A QT is an absolute must for anyone that wants to keep any kind of fish. I learned the hard way as well...nothing depresses you more than losing your entire stock of fish in a week. GET A QT AND DO HYPO ON EVERY FISH THAT YOU INTRODUCE! (Except rays and sharks...they can't handle the hypo along with inverts). Do the research on the fish that you want to get to make sure it can handle hypo...some don't. but just please, get a QT.

[dclaghorn]

HEAR, HEAR!
Ryan, you've got to do it. I just lost my whole tank because I was too cheap to buy a $50 QT (after dropping $5k on my set up). Lost 3 tangs (1 yellow, 1 powder brown, 1 tomini), 3 clowns (two maroons, one false perc), 7 blue green chromis, 1 flametail blenny, 2 pajama cardinals. Do this in the morning, please. I am fish-less for the next 2 months - just an empty tank with a FEW corals and clam to show my holiday guests... All to save $50...

[cmejaf30]

case...in...point.

dclaghorn...i'm sorry to hear about your loss. how long did this occur over? what fish did u add to your DT that introduced the parasite? too bad you couldn't have gotten a QT and saved some of them...sorry again dc...hope things work out in the future!

As a side note, if you restocked two (MAYBE three) in a decent sized QT (I have three going through hypo right now on a 29) you might be able to add fish right before the holiday season. Just a thought to try and cheer you up. Chin up!

[Freed]

I just now am going to be bringing a fish out of QT. I got it from a LFS about 5 weeks ago. one week after being in QT ich showed up and is now dead after treating with hypo. I do this with all fish, inverts, corals before putting in main tank. Please read my "interests". Cannot describe how important it is to QT before putting in main tank...



Ryan, you must now take all fish out of your main tank and QT for no less than 4-6 weeks if you want your fish to be ich free as well as your main tank.

[reefergeorge]

Originally posted by christyum22
looks like ich ...u can buy a neon goby or a cleaner wrasse if u cant catch it hopefully they can clean them off

You should leave the cleaner wrasse in the ocean were they can do their jobs. They usually die in the aquarium from lack of food.

[cmejaf30]

yes neon gobies and cleaner wrasses are like a cheap escort...it'll look good but it won't take care of what REALLY needs to be done. don't fall into the 'cleaner' trap

[dclaghorn]

Gone in a week and a half. I think it happened when I bround in a powder brown and yellow tang (given the proclivity of tangs to succumb to the parasite...) Either those or two maroons bought 2 few days before the tangs. One thing I did wrong though was the day after getting the tangs, I stirred up the tank doing some pretty aggressive algae scraping and sifting the substrate. That probably stressed the new fish, latent ich popped up, fish got weak, a few sucked into the powerheads (Seio M1500s), and the rest just flat out died. I actually watched my blenny die right in front of me.

Am getting QT this week, so, yeah, I guess if I fire that up next week, keep some copper in it, I could get a few fish in there in time for Christmas guests...

[dclaghorn]

And, I will likely add about two little neon gobies this go round. Will stay away form the cleaner wrasse. My LFS won't even buy them just 'cause once the ich's gone, the wrasses go soon after...

Thanks for the cheering up,
Dave

[ryan scott]

i have gone and purchased a QT all in one tank today and transferred the tang and added medication.

so see how it goes

Caught that wrase as well a little bait did the trick and he has gone back to the shop.

Hmm as far as your comments cmejaf30 we all have to learn and that was the reason for this post to ask for a little help not to get a un-helpful responce.
I think I will stay in the hobby thanks.

[Freed]

Ryan, as stated above, moving just the one fish to a QT will do nothing to erradicate the ich from the main tank. Put it back in the main tank after you QT and then you will more than likely be back to square one with at least that fish if not the rest of them coming back down with ich.

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by Freed
Ryan, as stated above, moving just the one fish to a QT will do nothing to erradicate the ich from the main tank. Put it back in the main tank after you QT and then you will more than likely be back to square one with at least that fish if not the rest of them coming back down with ich.

agreed you have to hope at this point that the rest of the fish have built up their immunity system to a point where they will be able to survive the ich when they get it------again to be clear here

nothing prevents fish from getting ich if exposed but-------

balanced diets, use of garlic products like garlic guard, and vitamin supplements can build up immunity systems so fish are able to survive outbreaks of ich and other diseases.

Your tank will become ich free after no signs of the disease for 3-6 months but you must quarantine EVERYTHING you buy for that tank from now on-----------and I would not buy anything else for the main tank for that period of time---
eg a fish can come out of theqt and get re exposed to the ich in the main tank.
Its a tough reefers punishment to have to take but unfortunately you are faced with it at this time.
I hope the rest of the fish make it.

[dclaghorn]

my LFS says that all wild-caught fish have it. It's just inherent, with cysts essentially hanging out in the fish's mucus until a period of stress arises. This is why some fish, like the tangs - which are easily stressed, are more prone to it. Their immune systems just can't keep it at bay. Makes sense to me.

I am going to continue the 5-nitroimidazole treatment of my display tank with a lot of water changes, and run a copper-containing QT henceforth.