My clown tang might have parasites please help me

[GT96]

I have a clown tank and it keeps on rubbing on the rocks and it's color is fading and there are deteriating marks on his side
I hope someone can help
Is it parasites????
Also it is in a reef tank and I dont have a quarentine tank, so is there any product reef-safe I can use
Thanks

 

[reefrunner69]

Is it parasites????

It appears as if it might be.

Also it is in a reef tank and I dont have a quarentine tank, so is there any product reef-safe I can use

Not with any reliability. You can set up a q-tank for about 30 dollars or less and you would have it for future quarantine and treatment if necessary. Barring that, you can feed garlic soaked foods and crank up the UV if you have one, or try one of the "reef safe" marketed products, there are none that I can recommend, perhaps someone else can.

 

[Sam]

and it's color is fading and there are deteriating marks on his side

I would also check into Lateral Line Erosion. The symptoms of this are what looks like cracks running across the body of the fish. If this checks out, then treatment needs to be started right away and diet adjusted.

 

[pecan2phat]

If you have no choice than you can try this product. I say no choice because at times it is literally impossible to get a fish especially a tang out of a reef tank stocked with LR and corals without taking half of the contents out. The product is made by Ruby Reef and is called Kick-Ich. It states that it is safe for fish, corals & invertebrates. Contains 5-nitroimidazoles & no copper. I've used this with little success on a FO tank with live sand for treating the parasite. I've also used this in my reef tank with various results. It cause my leathers to close up a bit but with no detrimental lasting effects. It's a bit expensive compared to copper based ich medications and you need to dose 5x for a 15 day treatment & 10x if contamination is heavy. So if you go this route and your tank is large, purchase the larger size or you will be running out to get more. Good luck with the Clown Tang, I've never had any success with them in my 25 yrs of marine fish keeping. Either they never eat or they just stop eating all of a sudden and emanciapate. They always look like they are a species that ships poorly and are in poor condition at the LFS.