POWDER BROWN TANG PROBLEM

Don't know if you found this post - but I did in my searching for info about "GREENEX"

May not cause a problem - but USE WITH CAUTION.

http://www.krob.com/aquarium/greenex.htm

GREENEX by Aquatronics



Greenex

I purchased this product in 8/01 to cure marine ich on my purple tang. The manufacturer states that this product is invertebrate- and coral-safe, and will not harm the biological filter, when used as directed. I used the product as directed. The next day, my longnose hawkfish was dead, two other fish were acting "twitchy", and a red-legged hermit had died. My mushrooms were also curling up at the edges. Prompt addition of a container of activated carbon probably saved my tank from complete devastation. I do NOT recommend this product for control of ich in a reef tank.
As a side note, this product DID seem to eliminate a flatworm infestation that had been a nuisance.

I subequently used a combined approach to cure my ich / ick infestation.


(combined approach)

My ich outbreak came as a result of not quarantining new fish. This was not a matter of laziness, I just didn't have the equipment to set up a quarantine tank. BIG mistake.
I initially tried to treat with GREENEX in the main tank with disastrous results. I then successfully used the following approach:

1) Remove all fish from the main tank to a quarantine tank. I purchased a small glass tank for this purpose. I suppose you could use anything that holds water. The fish were given a freshwater bath during transfer.

2) I slowly decreased the salinity in the quarantine tank to 1.015 by dilution.

3) Tank temperature was maintained at 85-90 degrees.

4) Garlic oil (available in capsules at health food stores) was added to food.

5) Fish were quarantined for 4 weeks total.

6) Towards the end of the quarantine period, salinity was slowly raised and temperature lowered to normal.

7) All fish except for the Tang were returned to the main tank. The Tang was quarantined for an additional week with the addition of GREENEX to the quarantine tank.

Good luck, keep us informed - I want to "be prepared" (Boy Scout/US Army "Ranger" in me) if/when this stuff ever shows up in my tank...

[glow=red,2,300]ONCE AGAIN I PROMISE (to "self&quot TO NEVER, NEVER, again add anything to tank without quaranteening first.[/glow]

(have been very lucky so far - as all livestock came from only two sources, both very good about checking/treating livestock)

(but now "trust" no one) >

OmarD

 

YEA I FOUND THE SAME WEBSITE IN MY SEARCH THATS WHY I'M WORRIED ABOUT USING IT THANKS OMARD

 

If it is ich, I would suggest a fresh water dip. If you have a clean pail or one ove the containers the LFS guys use to take the fish out of the tanks, fill it with clean fresh water and let it sit in the tank to get to the temperature of the tank water. get the fish out and place it in the fresh water. I did this with my sail tang and coral beauty and you will actually see the ich drop off the fish before your eyes. The tang should be fine. I have read in may places about FW dips for ich on SW fish and from my experiance in worked. At least this way the ich drops off in a seperate tank and doesn't sit in you tank.

 

regarding the dip, do it only for 10 minutes. Less if the fish looks like it may not be doing well. I am not a big fan of adding medicines in my tank and since I don't have a quarantine setup I try holistic type remedies so to speak.
Check out this link if it is ich,

http://www.bestfish.com/tips/052099.html


I can only speak from experience, and I definately worked for me. I think my coral brought it in the tank and I caught it early enough that after the dips they have had no problems ever since. Also I hear if you raise the temp a little higher than normal it speeds up their life cycle and will bring them to the surface quicker. I have noticed that with fresh water ich.

Hope whatever you decide to do works.

good luck.

aic

 

A fresh water dip is a good idea as long as catching the fish doesn't add to the stress and weakened condition of the fish. Same reason as not accepting a fish from the LFS that takes more than 60 seconds to catch. Too much stress = low survival rate. Just something to consider.

 

sadly the powder brown died but thanks for all the help. i found out the store that i purchased the tang from doesn't use copper in there tanks, i think that for the powder brown the copper medication in the store would be important

 

Bummer! My condolences! My LFS doses copper in all of their fish only tanks, never mix the copper tainted water with yours in that instance. Tough lesson, eh? Thanks for keeping us posted.

 

[smiley=furious3.gif] I hate ich.

So very sorry. I wish we could have been more help.

 

yea, i dont much mind the money i can always make more money im more concerned w/ killing the fish. But, im going to wait 3-4 weeks to let the ich go through its cycle, if there is any in the tank, and then get the tang at a  LSF that uses copper.  I like the LFS i go to now, they have the largest selection and the guys are really nice, but i think for the tang at least its better to go w/ the LFS's that use copper

 

The life cycle of ich is 6 weeks by the way.