black spot ( ich) on my orange shoulder

[marcah]

Guess I needed a new project, Went to a friends house the other day and he had gotten a new orange shoulder that I saw had black spot. I explained to him the course that it takes and could possibly affect other tangs in his tank if not treated immediately. He told me if I wanted him I could have him, figured I had the frag tank ( which is fishless and will be after I finish with the tang) .. Queestion to see which action, I gave him a freshwater bath when I put him in ( on Sat.) gave him another this morning, he eats like a pig and was wondering if I should continue the fresh dips or put him in the main now and let the cleaner shrimp finish the rest off, Or seeing he is eating extremely well I should just not do the dip leave him be and let recover on his own. I am just worried that any new larvae will drop off and get to the substrate if I leave it, hence the freshwater bath to kill it off before it drops off into the tank..
Any suggestions would be appreaciated..

 

[FishyReef]

Could you move one of the cleaners to the frag tank temporarily?

 

[marcah]

thought about doing that so tried catching one, quickly said yeah right and gave up. :grumble:
they climb on me when I am not trying to catch them but when I try are nowhere I can reach..

 

[FishyReef]

Mine go crazy when I feed - maybe try putting a piece of cubed food in a net and then scooping it out when it goes in the net? I've been having to target feed my emerald crab and have found formula one stays together the longest if I'm not dissolving it first, so that would likely hold together in a net.

 

[marcah]

could try to give it a go but everytime I try to catch something that way in my tank my naso and blue jaw trigger go into the net to eat.. If I needed to catch one of them it would be simple.. :D
They see me put the net in the water and think its supper time.. And between the two of them dont leave a spec in the net.

 

[wontonflip]

Well, the freshwater dips will only get the ones that are visible. They are probably already inside, and the dips won't get to them. If you really want to treat, then you'll have to do a full on qt for the black ich. I think Paraguard is the treatment of choice, but I'm not sure. I've used it, but my tang didn't survive the stress.

Otherwise, if he's eating, he could fight them off. But of course it would make the other fish carriers.

 

[marcah]

there is no other fish in the tank and wont be either. That is why I was thinking since eating extremely well that I would wait and see if he can fight it off without putting anymore undo stress on him.. Then move him into the main display in a few weeks if he can fight it off..

 

[chichimom79]

I've heard putting those liquid vitamins on the food helps a lot too. Good luck with him!

 

[wontonflip]

That sounds like a plan. Just don't forget that if you're not treating the actual parasite, when you move him to the main tank, he will infect the other fish, which is fine as long as they're healthy :) They will be able to fight it fine.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah, that's what Gretchen meant. Even if he's not showing symptoms, he will still carry it, so when you move him in with other fish, he will spread it to them. To eliminate it, you have to treat it. The wait and see approach is fine -- most fish don't get sick from it if they are healthy. So keep them happy and healthy and chances are he'll be fine. :)