I have had my tank for about 9 or so months. Recently added a yellow mimic tang. Today i just noticed this. Is this ich? What do I do?! This is my first time dealing with this. None of my other fish have those spots. I went to a local pet store and a marine employee said he has seen tangs have “fake” ich spots and not to jump the gun with treatment. He suggested waiting until the morning to see if it’s gone.
Please be nice I’m new and just have no idea what to do.
View attachment 332436. Thoughts? I am freaking out
Is your tang still alive and has any of this spread to the rest of your fish yet? It does kind of look like velvet. I only ask because if it was velvet your tang probably would've passed by now.
If it is velvet you will want to quarantine your fish separately from any rocks/ invertebrates and coral. There are various treatment programs for this, but overall you can have them full qt within 14 days if willing to do a tank transfer method with hydrogen peroxide, known as the Hybrid TTM. You can also do copper but it's more stringent and you have to keep it to therapeutic levels, therefore checking the parameters every day. You can molly test for 14 days after either of these methods to ensure all diseases have been cured and no longer around. DO NOT add these fish back into the tank they came from until it runs the proper fallow period, as well as any inverts and corals finish their qt as well.
If you have any inverts and corals you will want to quarantine them separately. Inverts take 76 days to quarantine, depending on what they are. Starfish you can just rinse and the tomonts will fall off. Crabs/Snails/Shrimps/etc.. will need the full 76 days in an isolated system so the tomonts can run their lifecycle and die off. You can not use Copper or the TTM method on inverts or corals as it will kill them.
Corals only take 16 days to quarantine, but you will want to remove them from any of the base plugs, coralrx dip them (some also use bayer pesticides,) and put them ona new clean plug into the new tank. If done with the inverts at the same time they will have to go the entire 76 days qt as well. DO NOT any fish to this system until the 76 days are complete, or you run the risk of the tomonts attaching to the fish, and then you're starting all over. Also, as with the fish do not put them back into the display tank until it has ran it's full fallow period.
Your tank will need to go fallow (fishless) for at least 6 weeks (42 days.) This allows any and all parasites to dies off that would effect your fish, inverts and corals... with the exception of one.
Uronema, a ciliate parasite, will not die off from a tank going fallow. This is a fairly common parasite in the trade, to any fish, but especially to angelfish and damselfish, such as your clown. Once this parasite attaches, it stays on the fish and runs it's entire lifecycle on it until the fish dies. Once the Uronema gets to a point that it creates an ulcer/open wound, your fish is pretty much all but gone.
I have been working with another group in trying to cure Uronema once the ulcer has started, and we are getting some good results back from a specific type of oil and polymer. However, it's a very delicate process and you can easily OD the fish if not careful. We are still in clinical trials.
If Uronema is in your tank, a fallow period will not get rid of it. it can live on the rocks and sand almost indefinitely. The only thing you can really do is sterilize your tank. I would recommend if this ever happens, is to completely dispose of all the sand that is used, and soak everything else, including your tank, in a 10% bleach/water solution.
With your fish, a hydrogen peroxide or formalin bath used in conjunction with the tank transfer method, will kill any Uronema. I've used formalin before, but personally, I prefer H2O2 as it's easier on the fish, and a non carcinogen. Formalin is nasty stuff and there is anecdotal evidence that a fish dipped in formalin will have it's lifespan shortened. 3% H2O2 can be a found at any CVS, Walgreens, or Pharmaceutical isle in your grocery store.
Rinse your inverts and corals with seawater and it's unlikely any Uronema will stay on them. There is never a guarantee.
Remember that macroalgae, such as chaetomorpha, can also carry all these parasites and diseases, but they're really easy to get rid of.
For macroalgae simply wash it off in your sink and then do a freshwater dip on it. Wash it again after the dip and it should be rid of any disease and parasites that would effect your livestock.
If you need any help with any of the quarantining processes and proper dosages, please feel free to reach out.
I have an entire room of marine fish dedicated to captive breeding, as well as a 400 gallon display tank, of which all my livestock has been fully quarantined. I can't risk any brood stock or offspring getting any diseases as it could harm my customer's tanks.
I hope this helps!
. Thoughts? I am freaking out
