Sick Sohal needs your help Pic attached

[hermitage]

Hey all

I've had a 4" Sohal in QT for 17days now. He was doing great until about 4 days ago when my wife and I noticed him scratching on a piece of PVC. He now has noticeable scrathces all over his body and breathing is rapid. The problem is, I don't know exactly whats wrong with him. Ich, Velvet? No defining symptoms yet.

I feel like I should be treating the tank with something. Just don't know what. Maybe the best course of action would be to sit tight until I can diagnose with more certainty?

The QT is a 30 gal, kept at 80 deg +/- .5deg, spg 1.26, ammonia hovers close to zero, nitrites/nitrates are zero, and PH is 8.3. I do 10 gal water changes daily.

I've been feeding morning and noon Formula one pellets, and alternate night time feedings with mysis shrimp (thawed), and nori soaked in Kent Zoe. He eats all no problem.

One last thing...do I keep him in QT for another 3-4 weeks after
he appears heatlhy again?

Looks like he's going to be in the QT for the long haul.

Thanks for the advise.

Wayne http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/119204Sohal_sick.JPG

[anydarnthing]

I wouldn't treat since he is still eating my Sohal still scratches himself on rocks in my tank and I have had him for 2 years. Most of my tangs get something but they keep eating and plow right through it haven't lost one yet, and I have 2 yellows, 2 Regals, sohal, sailfin, purple, and flame fin. Sohals in my opinion are one of the tougher tangs and they grow very quickly.

[Jerry W]

IME, scratching and rapid breathing ARE defining symptoms, usually of parasites. The upside is that you have the fish uin a quarantine tank. I would begin hyposalinity therapy. Remove the live rock, and lower sdalinity to 14 ppt over two days. See if this helps. You may see the tell tale white spots of crypto at some point early in the process, but these should go away after a few days and NOT return. After the fish has been asymptomatic for three weeks, raise salinity to regular levels. Monitor your pH as it can drop in lower salinities.