ich one tiny blue tang

[lmetcalf]

I've got a tiny blue tang with ich. She's really stressed and not swimming, not eating. just sitts on the bottom.

Im stuck... I don't have access to a fish store to buy copper sulfate for 12 hours or so. should i try a freshwater dip or will it kill her given how stressed she is already?

 

[dannyb]

Mmm, If he/she is not eating i would do a fresh water dip. But if he/she is already really stressed, The survival rate is quite low. Hopefully the freshwater dip does good, if you can catch he/she easy with minimal stress, It might be ok.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Fresh water dip would be the best option IMO.

 

[AMDPhenomX4]

I would suggest adding some nori, making sure nothing is picking on it, and leaving it be. My little one in my 180, had a little bit of ich, and after a few days it disappeared. I will do a fallow period after Christmas, although I hate the idea. Dont do a FW dip though, give it high oxygen water, good water parameters, and lots of food.

 

[melosu58]

I personally would not do a FW dip. Never seen any good come from them. Have you tried dried seaweedas someone earlier mentioned. I would do some PWC`s to make sure your water parameters are in check.

 

[roka64]

How big is it?

 

[Innovator]

If she has ich she is stressed regardless. I would perform a 2-10min. fw dip and put into qt. I would then begin hyposalinity.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with the hyposalinity

ATJ's Marine Aquarium Site - Reference - Hyposalinity Treatment

 

[CaptainAhab]

If she has ich she is stressed regardless. I would perform a 2-10min. fw dip and put into qt. I would then begin hyposalinity.

I agree.

 

[lmetcalf]

I really appreciate everyone's input. thanks soo much!

I chickened out on the FW dip. She was lying on the bottom, looking dead and i couldn't bear to put her through any more stress.

Two days ago I put her in QT with hyposalinity, 82 degrees, and a copper formalin complex.

the same day i bought some Garlic Guard (or something like that) and soaked some frozen brine shrimp in it. I sqirted a little bit in front of her with a dropper and she went NUTS for it. Ever since shes been eating well and exploring her QT a little rather than playing dead. She's still really shy but I'm sure that normal.

Roka64: she's pretty little. Minus her tail, she'd fit on a Canadian nickel.

 

[melosu58]

I dont think you can do two treatments at once. Either hypo or formalin from what I understand. You dont want both IMO

 

[Innovator]

There shouldn't be a problem performing hypo with formalin (I wouldn't mix formalin w/copper), the main concern is you want a lower temperature, 76F-78F, and an added airstone when using formalin.

 

[lmetcalf]

I'll i'll turn down the temp a bit.
Every copper treatment i could find (tried all fishstores in the area) had copper mixed with formalin, or just formalin. No copper sulfate which is what i wanted, or chelated copper. I haven't heard great things about formalin so i opted to take the copper formalin mix. The LFS i got it from treats their tanks with it and they said it's worked for them. :S

 

[melosu58]

There shouldn't be a problem performing hypo with formalin (I wouldn't mix formalin w/copper), the main concern is you want a lower temperature, 76F-78F, and an added airstone when using formalin.

I was hoping you would help us out James on this. I`m pretty sure copper and hypo would not have been good but I didnt know for sure with the formilin. Thanks for clearing that up James.

 

[Innovator]

Technically formalin isn't efficient for the removal of ich; mind went blank on this thread. Certain medications I do not like to mix, copper and formalin are two of those. If you go with copper there's no need to hypo, but lowering the salinity to 26-30ppt may be therapeutic . If you do use copper go with Cupramine.

 

[lmetcalf]

I couldn't find just copper, of any sort the copper formalin complex was my only option with copper in it.