Purple Tang w/ ich

[macman7010]

I have a purple tang that i recently acquired that has come down with severe ich. Also its left eye has gotten cloudy, likely a result of the ich. Since I think he has a better chance in the main tank I have opted to leave him in there since he often forages for algae on live rock and eats the nori I supply.

I am dosing the tank with Kich Ich by Ruby Reef. Any ideas on what else might help him, or is a hospitalization needed?

 

[Phyl]

Hey! I'm 7w into my purple tang. 6 weeks into ich treatment via hypo.

Here's the thread where I went through treatment, some pictures, videos and all the advice I got: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=46092

My fish was already in QT when I noticed he had ich as that's where he went when he first came in (knowing their reputation). I started hypo on him about a week after I got him when I realized that he had ich for sure. He's been spot free for 4 weeks now and tomorrow I start the process of raising my salinity. He's done really well. I was also worried about him not having rock in there with him. He really prefers the rockwork to PVC piping. I ended up putting base (so that I didn't have to worry about die off from the hypo process) rock in there with him and he swims all around it. It is so beautiful to watch. He never would have survived if I didn't treat him. It got pretty bad just before I got the salinity all the way down but he turned the corner to good health fast after that.

You might want a refractometer in house as well as a pH meter so that you can begin treating him fast if he takes a turn for the worse. Any chance of a picture? QS & Steve may see something there that affects what they tell you to do.

Good luck. It isn't a trivial purchase to have this happen to!

 

[Salttanker]

I would try to any copper treatments in your main tank if at all possible. A 10 - 20 gallon would be better for qt. Try to pick up some Selcon, or Zoe and soak his food with it to help build his immune system.

Mike

 

[Phyl]

If your not going to QT him then garlic guard and a skunk cleaner would be my next two purchases. Selcon also and make sure you're feeding a good quality frozen food (I'm using Formula 2 for mine).

 

[melosu58]

No copper in main tank if you have corals in it. You will lose all your corals and invertebrates

 

[Brisc0]

I have a 6" purple tang that got some serious ich, he looked albino he had so much. Enter 5 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp and about 1 week of him being pestered to death and he hasn't shown a sign since. This was about a year ago. Tangs stress so easy I would give it a try before you net, change enviornment, treat with medication, net, move back, etc.
Lots of people will say it was a fluke, but he was cured and it was amazing to watch the cleaning stations work. However, your tang will need to be in relative scale with the shrimp or he won't play ball.