Achilles Tang with Ich

[lazylivin]

This tang looked healthy when I picked up. No sign of ich. Three days later this is what it looks like. The ich parasite (Cryptocaryon irritans) was present inside of the fish. The white spots is the skins reaction to the parasite as it works itself to the surface. It will look like this for 3-7 days after which if it survives the parasite will leave the fish to reproduce. Since the waters salinity is 1.009 the parasite will not be able to reproduce and die effectively making the fish parasite free. 30 days past the last spot I will begin raising salinity and transfer it to my display tank.

[Wall_Tank]

Wow.....that is what I call a magnet.   Good luck.  Hopefully it is eating well.   I would go more than 30 days.....but that is me.

[andys1982]

I wonder to what degree the quarantine is even necessary.  I'm under the impression that healthy fish have no trouble resisting the parasite.  I've added fish (mainly tangs) with ich to my display several times and the other tank inhabitants had no issues.  I do, however, typically keep smaller systems lightly stocked with cheap fish, so the risk was minimal.

[Wall_Tank]

I know some have kept systems with ich and flare ups are minimal.   But that is not wise.  There are at least 3 users here who have lost an nearly an entire tank to ich.   When ich is in the system, any stress can trigger an outbreak.

[Twizted1]

O wow. I really hope it makes it through. Thanks for sharing that video.

[andys1982]

I guess that's the question.  Were they losing their tank to ich, or was the ich the result of some other issue that was causing the inhabitants to stress?  I've always treated ich like algae to the extent that I have a hard time believing that any system is completely devoid of the components that can cause an outbreak, it's merely a question of whether conditions are suitable for them to thrive.

[Wall_Tank]

A fish with a healthy immune system can fight off the ich and survive, but Ich is definitely what kills the fish.

Ich free systems are possible.......but you have to be brutally patient.

[Travis8896]

I've lost all my fish to an ick outbreak when I introduced a blue tang without quarantining, never again will I not quarantine every fish every time. I can say my tank is ick free after the out break I left my display tank fishless for nearly 5months and now everyfish I get goes through quarantine and hypo just to be safe, its a risk not worth taking.

Brian I hope he pulls through and does good, your always so precise with your methods so I believe he has a very good chance of coming through this!!

[andys1982]

To each their own.  I've been keeping marine fish for 13 years and I've only had marine ich affect fish that are considered highly susceptible and that had visual symptoms when purchased.  Many of these fish have been just fine after they've acclimated.  Others have died and I've written this off as an issue compounded by the ich, not the ich itself. 

As for QT, I've never practiced that either.  The common ideology is that if the parasite is present, it will be caught and treated at QT.  However, it is commonly accepted that fish can carry the parasite for months to years without presenting symptoms, and that being the case and the potential for hypo-resistant strains, what's the point? 

There is much speculation and lack of information regarding this subject.  I would say to claim anything as fact, or failsafe is a bit of a stretch, but this is simply my opinion.

[njrdc]

I always qt after losing all my fish to ich

[Wall_Tank]

This is one subject that is always quite interesting.   I will agree that nothing in this hobby is a perfect science.

[Bucknutz]

After you make it healthy you can ship it to me.

[lazylivin]

Just about 18 hours after I took the video it is looking a lot better. Probably about 2/3 of the bumps are gone. It is eating where it wasn't last night. As long as it doesn't get an infection from the open wounds it should heal up well and be fine. It is sharing quarantine with a peppermint hogfish which I got at the same-time and isn't showing any symptoms

[Wall_Tank]

A tank mate can help the stress level.

[Travis8896]

That's awesome I hope he continues to get better!!!!

[CoralBeauties]

I also lost all my fish to ick once.  My tank and fish were all fine and hadnt added any new fish is quite some time.  I was doing some maintenance and forgot to plug my heater back in and the temp dropped to 70 or so.  After getting things back up to temp within 2 days I had lost every fish I had to ick.  It was harder to tank being I caused the stress that lead to the outbreak. 
I hope it pulls through for you Lazy.  Tangs seem to be really bad about ick.
  Viggen needs to chime up about his fight with ick.  I am pretty sure that he lost most of his tank to ick. 
Jeff

[lazylivin]

Here is the Achilles Tang 2 days later. The ich spots are almost gone, I think it will pull through okay.

[Westeri]

Good to hear and see that he is doing well

[kellyj]

Lazy,
Luckily I haven't had to deal with Ick yet but was wondering if the only treatment you used was lowering the salinity.  Is this method easier on the fish than using medications?  Are some fish less tolerant of low salinity and need to be medicated? 
Kelly

[lazylivin]

Some fish may be less tolerable. The only other highly sucessful treatment is copper, both uncompatable with coral and inverts. UV can help and be used in a reef tank but it is more of a reduction opposed to elimination

[JayMc]

Glad to hear he's improving!  Great looking fish

[lazylivin]

Yesterday all the ich spots were gone so I will start raising salinity on 5/18 and should be able to add to display tank a few days after that.

[Boonjob]

Glad to hear!

These are of my favorite fish