HELP- Tiny White Spots on Hippo Tang

[totter0817]

I just got a hippo tang about a week ago. yesterday I came home and noticed that he has tiny white spots all over him. They are not completely covering the body, hes still swimming and eating. I'm just worried that he might spread it to my yellow tang or other fish. Any ideas on what this is and what can be done?

[italymanru]

to be honest i had the same problem... it didnt spread though... I believe the hippo's have a very week immune system and when stressed will show a lot of symptoms... I treated him with some sulfanthiozole and the symptoms cleared up... the is a chance it has ick and it could spread to the other fish... im sure you will get other replies that might better help but im just saying my fish cleared up and it sounds like the same thing... is he scratching himself against your rockwork a lot? that could mean it is a parasite and he is trying to get it off... feed it algae to keep up its immune system and hopefully someone might tell you a better medicine to use because i know mine is more for bacterial infections but can work for some parasitic diseases as well.... karma

[amcarrig]

Sounds like ich to me. If it is ich and the fish is eating well and behaving normally, leave it alone. If you want to boost its immune system so that it can shake the parasite off, soak it's food in some cod liver oil.

[ShrimpSkin]

Hey totter, I ahd the same thing happen to me and so have many others I discovered after doing some searching on this board. I am no expert but what worked for me was the advice I found on here. It's probably just a minor infection of ich from the new tank stress. I think as long as the hippo is eating and active it will be fine. Make sure it's getting plenty of good veggies like nori and spirulina as well as meaty foods. I use some Kent Garlic Extreme when I feed as well. My hippo cleared up in a few days and has been happy as ever since.

Oh and my cleaner shrimp is priceless in situations like this!

[totter0817]

Well my hippo like to hide in this one tiny little spot, besides that when he is swimming he never seems to scratch up against the rock. But I don't know if he is doing it in his hiding spot. Do cleaner shrimp help? I have one but the cleaner has his "station" set up on one side of the tank and my hippo likes to chill on the other. I'm thinking about possibly getting another cleaner just to clean the hippo. I just don't want to have another loss in the tank so I'm trying to take care of it quickly.

[Tangster]

Feed it a good spirulina flake I like OSI the best and train them to eat Raw Broccoli and that can be soaked in the Cod liver oil.. Far better then Garlic oil for building up the fished immunity system. The Broccoli will last days in the tank so just leave it until the strip it totally clean best cure I ever found for lateral line

[omard]

Hippo's are synonymous with ICK.

Good food, good water conditions will usually clear it up and keep fish from attracting it.

If water params not up to par, consider some quick back to back water changes.

Good luck.


FYI

ICK

(Cryptocaryon irritans)

Marine "Ich" - ATJ's Marine Aquarium Site (Link provided by "gazog" - 3Reef)

Cryptocaryon irritans, Part One of Five - By Terry Bartelme

A Discussion of the Parasite and Treatment Options Part I, By Steven Pro

Marine Ick - Treatment Options Available Part II - Steven Pro

How to Identify & Prevent Saltwater Ich - LiveAqauria.com

Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) - Drs. Foster and Smith

Marine Ich, Cryptocaryoniasis - Webmedia.com

More information on White spot Disease - Fishbase.org

[wastemanagement]

ICK arhhhhhhhhh not on a new HIppo tang impossible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LMAO

Keep up the greens and water quality and he will be fine, Garlic extream worked for me!

[Bogie]

I was in the same boat as you totter. Chem-Marin Stop Parasites didn't work, cleaner shrimp did help, but after a month it still didn't go away. He's just back in the main tank for 2 days now after just over a week in a qt tank with coppersafe treatment. He looks better and isn't scratching anymore, but a lot of people on here will tell you a qt tank will just stress the hippo tang even more. Good Luck and karma 2 U.

[totter0817]

UPDATE:
I went to my LFS last night, I really don't want this poor thing to die. OMARD- thanks for the pics- that is exactly what it looks like, but not that extreme, which I guess is a good sign.

I decided to invest in another cleaner, in case the other one wasn't cleaning him for some odd reason.

My LFS told me to do a couple things, please let me know if you agree or disagree with any of them.

1. Raise the tank temp up a degree. He said this will often times cause the fish to be more relaxed.

2. Use garlic. They were out, so I am hoping to get some later this week. He said this is an awesome immune booster.

3. Cut back on food. He said if I am feeding to much and the cleaner shrimp is eating too much during feeding time he won't be cleaning the fish as much and when you cut back on the feeding they are more reluctant to set up their "station".

4. Do a water change. This way if there was anything he wasn't liking in the param's, a water change will help.

It all made sense to me, if you disagree please let me know.

The hippo tang is still swimming, eating and it doesn't look like the spots are spreading, hopefully I can get him healthy before he dies.