Does my tank have the ich?

[newreefy]

I bought a yellow tang about 3 weeks ago and after a week or so i noticed some white spots on him. I read through previous posts and thought i would try mashing up garlic and soaking it up with nori and feeding it to the tang. I have done this for 4 days now and no improvement (just seems to be getting worse) my water quality is perfect. i also have green chromis that seem to be disapearing as well. The tank has 2 peppermint shrimp as well as hermit crabs and snails. What else can i do to try and cure the disease without harming the snail,crabs and shrimp. The tank only has live rock in it right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Brownskinner]

sell everything start again its just going to keep on killing and killing
so when you do dibbs on your hermit crabs!

[rex]

yes, ur tank most likely has the itch...however, the itch is only contracted by disturbing behaviour from the owner.what the hell have u done u sick, sick lonely man

[EmilyB]

If your chromis are disappearing, they are likely dead.

that will cause water quality problems, and water quality problems with tangs = ick

Also tangs have a high demand for algae, as in the wild they graze continually.

You must supply this food for them (nori, spirulina), and also keep up the water quality as a result.

[Aquattro]

First, ignore the ****heads on the board. Second, if the fish is still eating well, he may come around on his own. Keep up on the garlic, maybe a water change and hope for the best.

[AJ_77]

Originally Posted by newreefy

I bought a yellow tang about 3 weeks ago...

Umm, didn't you just put up pics of your brand-new tank about a month ago?

...thought i would try mashing up garlic and soaking it up with nori and feeding it to the tang. I have done this for 4 days now and no improvement (just seems to be getting worse) my water quality is perfect.

Has the tang been eating nori for more than 4 days, or just since you started adding garlic?

Your problems may be related to a very young tank. (Remember Brad encouraging you to take it slow, and enjoy the journey?) As to your water quality being "perfect" - how long since it finished its cycle? A few chromis dying should produce a measureable change in your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels, one after the other. Unless you have a really really hungry cleanup crew.

PS - do you know rex? He seems to be on your case...

[newreefy]

[quote]PS - do you know rex? He seems to be on your case...[quote]

Yes, I know both "rex" and "brownskinner" both of which are immature idiots that i wish i never told about canreef. I apoligize to everyone on the board for their ignorance.

But back to the ich......the tank is fairly new but it has been done the cycle for about 2 months now. (i know it is probably a little early for a tang but that is besides the point now) I want my fish to live so i need help!! The tang is still eating well and i have 15-20 hermit crabs and 15-20 snails to help the cleanup along with a fairly decent skimmer. i will keep up with the garlic and water change but is there other additives that i can add to the tank to help out??

Thanks

[Troy F]

Rex if you are kidding around with a buddy (as it appears to me), in the future take it to e-mail or pick up the phone. The kinds of posts I've seen from you do very little but cause problems, kidding or not.

[AJ_77]

Good maintenance and proper feeding are probably the best things you can do right now, as anything major or drastic will put more stress on the tang. A steady, stable environment is as important as anything right now.

But I'm just echoing what others have said before - keep up the garlic and nori, and water quality. I haven't kept tangs (they make ME nervous), but as with other so-called "delicate" fish you have to provide the optimum environment for them to be healthy enough to lick it themselves.

As to your buddies - not your fault. They're responsible for their own behaviour.