blue hippo tang ?

freshmeat · #1 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 03:26 PM

Can anybody tell me whats wrong with my fish his been in the tank maybe 2 weeks and im starting to notice so white dots on his body and on his top fin. I know his probably is stress since he was in another tank with just one other fish and I have 5. My water tested find and everything in the tanks looks healthy coral and fish. Here are some pics not the best since he wouldn't stand still but is the best I can do. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ramon

Blitzburggirl · #2 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 03:33 PM

that would be ich. On it's poster child fish. I've only had it once- on a blue hippo. I couldn't beat it, but there are lots of people on here who have successfully nursed a fish out of it (and out of it and out of it and out of it)

Best of luck to you...

PS I am not a card carrying member of the Tang Police, but do you have a larger tank for him to go to? He looks small from the pic- but they grow fast, and a 40 just won't do it. That could easily be a stressor for him.

HulaDad · #3 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 03:35 PM

Looks like Ick... Don't know much on treating in reef tank though, most medicine's will kill inverts... I would set up a quarantine tank, and treat there... Tangs are Ick magnets...

Hahaha Blitzburggirl, we was posting same time... oops

freshmeat · #4 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 03:51 PM

Well he was in a smaller tank so I though I was doing the fish a favor but I guess not he was in 29 gallon cube I think. I know for sure he was in a cube just don't really know the gallons. Thanks for the info not what i wanted to hear but thanks anyway.

elbowdeep · #5 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 04:21 PM

Did you buy it from someone else or a store?

Not that that matters just wondering. Was it your cube?

Tangs need to be in a large tank. They should never be in a tank that small no matter what there size. I cant view the picture but most likely its ick. If you look at them wrong they seem to get ick. Most likely its stressed from the move the new residence and the difference in water. I would set up a QT tank and try to treat time like that. Maybe find a 20 long and treat. I have used Kick Ick in my tank before with no harm to inverts or corals. Just be sure to follow the instructions and do the full treatment or you just wasted you time.

freshmeat · #6 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 04:51 PM

I have another question if it is ick does it look like grains of salt and are they suppose to be the same size. the reason im askingis because I was looking at him today and it looks like a fungus on one side of his body I try to take a pic but he wont stay still for that long.

freshmeat · #7 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 04:55 PM

Please dont worry I will be making a 120g glass tank before he gets to big. thanks for all the concerns but like I said my tank is twice the size of the tank he was in so I was trying to look out for the little guy. yes I did get it from someone else not a LFS

BeauCajun · #8 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 05:31 PM

+1 with what has already been stated but here's what I did with mine, of course what works for one does not mean it will work for you. I left my hippo in the tank, fed frequent smaller feedings (I fed mine 3 x's a day or at least twice) enriched with garlic, put a new algae strip in the tank daily, kept the stress down as much as possible. There's other treatments as well, fresh water dip, hypo salinity but if it were me, that would be my last resort measure. Sometimes moving/catching him again will cause even more problems, additional stress on the fish.
What other fish do you have in the tank? From your pics, it looks like ich on both sides, when you say fungus, can you describe it a little better? Could it be that he has much more Ich on the one side than the other? Has he rubbed himself and now has a sore place?

rhodawilson1 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 05:45 PM

I have used Kick Ick before in my 90gal reef when my hippo had ick with great success. Didn't hurt anything in my tank and my hippo came thru fine. I wish you lots of luck!

Moosetache · #10 (**permalink**) 01-29-2010, 08:35 PM

I have recently used prazipro.....granted, it was not a full dose, about 1/2 the recommended dosage. Do this as a last resort though. I also have a reef, but I really wanted to save the Hippo Tang I have had since 1". There is also a crystal like powder that you should mix in with the food (its name eludes me right now), but I am sure that someone else on here can fill in my blank.