about my regal blue tang

[zenrow_8]

I recently got a hippo tang from my aunt - she saw it in a shop, knew I had a saltwater setup, and just went for it. Thing is, she didn't realize how massive these guys can grow. Luckily, I'm planning to convert my 6-foot freshwater to a reef tank in a couple of months, so it should work out. The tang's only about an inch long right now, and it's feeding like a champ - seems to be getting along with the other fish, except for my yellow-tailed damsel, which freaked out when it saw the tang (gonna return that one).

I know hippo tangs are super prone to ich, so I'm wondering how to spot it and prevent it. I've heard there's some trick with garlic - anyone know what I'm talking about?

[lumenox]

I've had issues with ich on my tangs before, but I found a solution that works. You can get Garlic Guard from your local fish store and mix it with some frozen brine shrimp. I did this with my regal tang and it was looking rough, like it was camouflaged with the sand, but the ich was gone in just 4 days.

[brunobear]

I'm not convinced about the garlic method, to be honest. While I know some people swear by it, I've never seen any concrete evidence that it actually works. In my opinion, the key to keeping your tang healthy is maintaining top-notch water conditions and ensuring it's well-fed. Invest in a good skimmer to keep your water clean, and consider adding a UV unit to help eliminate any parasites that might be lurking in the water column. And for future additions, make sure you quarantine them properly - it's the best way to prevent introducing ich into your tank.

[rileyon]

I've heard garlic can be harsh on fish livers if used excessively, it's not exactly their natural environment either. Still, they do seem to have a taste for it, so a little might be okay, just be careful not to overdo it.

[Flynxo]

If you get a UV sterilizer, it can really help keep white spot at bay, just make sure you maintain good water quality and quarantine new fish to be on the safe side.

[zenrow_8]

I've had to do a few freshwater dips on my hippo tang, and this time it's looking worse than before. Since I have inverts in the tank, using copper isn't an option due to its toxicity. I was thinking, would it be possible to take some tank water, put it in a separate bucket, and do a copper treatment on that, then move the tang in afterwards, without transferring any of the treated water back into the main tank?

[rileyon]

You can do a quarantine treatment elsewhere, that's definitely an option. Just be gentle, don't want to stress the little guy. Acclimate it to the new water, don't rush the process.