What is this on my powder blue tang?

[jlc5608]

I’m somewhat new to having saltwater tanks again and my first time having a PBT. I’ve have this guy for about 6 months now. Everything was good till about a month ago. He started to have white cotton like things on his fins and I treated him for that and cleared up. Now for like the past week it looks like ich. I have clowns in the tank with him and the clowns are looking perfectly fine. Been doing a copper treatment and raised the water temp to 85 but nothing seems to be doing anything. He’s still eating but not as much as he used to and seems to be hiding more now then his normal swimming around the tank. Any help or tips will be greatly appreciated to save my PBT. I attached some pics to try and help.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’m somewhat new to having saltwater tanks again and my first time having a PBT. I’ve have this guy for about 6 months now. Everything was good till about a month ago. He started to have white cotton like things on his fins and I treated him for that and cleared up. Now for like the past week it looks like ich. I have clowns in the tank with him and the clowns are looking perfectly fine. Been doing a copper treatment and raised the water temp to 85 but nothing seems to be doing anything. He’s still eating but not as much as he used to and seems to be hiding more now then his normal swimming around the tank. Any help or tips will be greatly appreciated to save my PBT. I attached some pics to try and help.

This is cryptocaryon which is marine ich and PBT are susceptible more so to ich and velvet.
You will need to place fish in Quarantine tank and treat with Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’m somewhat new to having saltwater tanks again and my first time having a PBT. I’ve have this guy for about 6 months now. Everything was good till about a month ago. He started to have white cotton like things on his fins and I treated him for that and cleared up. Now for like the past week it looks like ich. I have clowns in the tank with him and the clowns are looking perfectly fine. Been doing a copper treatment and raised the water temp to 85 but nothing seems to be doing anything. He’s still eating but not as much as he used to and seems to be hiding more now then his normal swimming around the tank. Any help or tips will be greatly appreciated to save my PBT. I attached some pics to try and help.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

This looks like a mixed bag of issues; there seems to be some marine ich, but the elongate white spots on its snout are mucus cones. Those are caused by stress (including ich).

Do not raise the water temperature! 86 degrees is actually the best temperature for marine ich. That is advice from freshwater ich (a different parasite species) that some people mistakenly applied to marine ich. 79 or 80 degrees is best.

What copper product are you using, what test kit, and what is the current test level?

Jay

 

[jlc5608]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

This looks like a mixed bag of issues; there seems to be some marine ich, but the elongate white spots on its snout are mucus cones. Those are caused by stress (including ich).

Do not raise the water temperature! 86 degrees is actually the best temperature for marine ich. That is advice from freshwater ich (a different parasite species) that some people mistakenly applied to marine ich. 79 or 80 degrees is best.

What copper product are you using, what test kit, and what is the current test level?

Jay

I’m using Fritz Coppersafe. I tested the water and PH, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and alkalinity are good. Took a water sample to the the fish store just to confirm but he used the same test that I use. The guy also tested for copper since I don’t have a copper test at home right now. He did say there is enough copper in the tank. I also showed pics of my PBT to the guy at the fish store and he said he has seen this before in a clients tanks that he takes care of and said that it cleared up on its own in about 2-3 weeks. Said my tang should be ok since he is still eating.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’m using Fritz Coppersafe. I tested the water and PH, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and alkalinity are good. Took a water sample to the the fish store just to confirm but he used the same test that I use. The guy also tested for copper since I don’t have a copper test at home right now. He did say there is enough copper in the tank. I also showed pics of my PBT to the guy at the fish store and he said he has seen this before in a clients tanks that he takes care of and said that it cleared up on its own in about 2-3 weeks. Said my tang should be ok since he is still eating.

Coppersafe works, but since it is so mild, it can take some time. You just need to keep it at the 2.5 ppm level for 30 days to avoid any relapse . The mucus cones/plugs will go away on their own in time, like the store said.
Jay

 

[jlc5608]

Coppersafe works, but since it is so mild, it can take some time. You just need to keep it at the 2.5 ppm level for 30 days to avoid any relapse . The mucus cones/plugs will go away on their own in time, like the store said.
Jay

Thank you so much. Will try that. I have a copper test on the way to keep an eye on the levels.

 

[jlc5608]

Coppersafe works, but since it is so mild, it can take some time. You just need to keep it at the 2.5 ppm level for 30 days to avoid any relapse . The mucus cones/plugs will go away on their own in time, like the store said.
Jay

Great news! My PBT is looking so much better today. Still has a few mucus cones and ich spots but a lot less than there was before. I feel so much better that he’s making such a quick come back. Thank you all for all your help.

 

[Weeb]

Good news.

Keep in mind that Cryptocaryon irritans (Marine Ich) goes through life stages. Hopefully in the proper copper concentration the free-swimming Marine Ich won't re-infect.