So i noticed 9 days ago my Blue Hippo Tang had developed some ich spots overnight. The next day he had what looked like pop-eye to me. I went to my LFS and they advised me to use Pimaflex instead of taking the Blue Tang out and quarentine him. Since then the Blue Tang has gotten a little better and my 4 of my 5 other tangs (Tominari, Powder Brown, Sailfin, Kole) which were all ok before and during treatment have just up and died all a day apart after the 7 day Pimaflex treatment. All I have left are a Yellow Tang my Blue hippo (which still has ich episodes every other day which seems to be kept in check by my cleaner shrimp) and a couple damsels and clowns. Im willing to do whatever it takes to rectify this obviously wrong advice i was given. Also all my corals are doing fine except for my cauliflower colt coral. Its normally 23" across and now its all shrunk up like a softball. Could the Pimaflex be effecting it?
Please advise!!!
- Thread starter GRiLLeRS
- Start date
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
Hello!
First of all, your tank is too small for the blue, and, IMO, six tangs in a 125 is too many. Your fish most likely originally got sick because they were stressed due to cramped conditions.
Second, you shouldn't dose anything, even "reef safe" in your main tank. It usually causes more problems than it's worth. I would see if you could find a more suitable home for your blue.
First of all, your tank is too small for the blue, and, IMO, six tangs in a 125 is too many. Your fish most likely originally got sick because they were stressed due to cramped conditions.
Second, you shouldn't dose anything, even "reef safe" in your main tank. It usually causes more problems than it's worth. I would see if you could find a more suitable home for your blue.
My tangs have all always gotten along just fine for the past 10 months they are all best buds. I have extensive rock work which they all have there own designated areas. I agree that I shouldn't have dosed the main tank that was a lapse in judgment based off someones recommendation. I just need to know what to do moving forward from this horrible experience
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ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
I would do water changes and return the blue. And then restock slowly.
Yea the blues been on my list for relocation doesnt have much of a personality compared to the blue I had before him which was eaten by a carpet anemone. a day after the last day of meds i did a 35 gallon water change which was thursday night. When I tested the water before I did the water change everything was good with the exception of .25 in ammonia. My wife just tested it again while im at work and all is 0 with a 7.8 ph and salinity at .28. Would you do another water change so soon i was thinking about doing another 20 gallons on sunday.
Waddi
Shenanigans?
+1 Erin
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
Unless you leave your tank fallow (fishless) for at least six (and possibly eight) weeks, you will always have ich in your tank. The trick to keeping it at bay is keeping happy, healthy fish (not overcrowded, and no one getting picked on.
I would say yes to another water change. But it's also possible your colt just got bumped or irritated by something if everything else looks good.
I would say yes to another water change. But it's also possible your colt just got bumped or irritated by something if everything else looks good.
Any clue as to why the fish are dying though? The blue was the only one with ich but since treatment and the water change I'm losing all the fish that were fine and showed no signs of ich or any other disease. I woke up to a dead tominari this mornin my powder brown died while at work and I just came home to my green mandarin dead?
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
I don't really know. You said your ammonia was testing at .25? I'd go with that.
little_fish
Moderator
Those are all very delicate fish and the stress alone of being in a tank with a sick fish, and in moderately cramped quarters could have been enough to do them in.
Cathic
Fish Wrangler
Not only that, Pimafix Melafix and all those other "fixes" in medicine for reef tanks are in my personal opinion, crap. I would look towards the Pimafix and keep doing water changes maybe run carbon to remove that garbage. Did you skimmer skim well when it was in the water?
little_fish
Moderator
+1 Cathic
Anything that claims to be reef safe only works on the visible stage of ich, they other stages are unaffected
Anything that claims to be reef safe only works on the visible stage of ich, they other stages are unaffected
Skim was normal and Ill start running carbon tomorrow thanks for all the help I really do appreciate it. I don't think the yellow tangs gonna make it through the night. Should I take the remaining 2 clowns 4 damsels and 1 7" engineer goby out and quarantine them? They seem fine but do did the other guys.
Cathic
Fish Wrangler
if you got a tank i would move them out.
