Hippo Tang

[Juthunter28]

My hippo i just got is showing signs of some sort of parasite... It keeps rubbing up against things and flipping out.....then it goes back and starts to eat algae.....is this normal for a hippo.....or is it a parasite....what should i do... a freshwater dip??? i have an invert in the tank but my yellow tang and my coral beauty both had a parasite that made their color go away and gave the yellow tang sores last week...i did a freshwater dip on them and now they are fine....should i do it to the hippo? or is this normal behavior for a hippo...

[MonoSebaelover]

No, it is not normal. Sounds like the beginnings of ich. I would do a freshwater dip or quarentine him and do hyposalinity (lower salinity). You could also try putting a Cleaner Shrimp in the tank and that should help. Anyway, definitely start treating before it takes over the blue and the other two. Hope this helps.

[benjen]

Instructions on Hyposalinity:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html

Info on Ich life cycle:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html

If you have ich, your whole tank has it. If you just want the fish to get better in the short run, remove all stress and try feeding them garlic. If you want to permanently get rid of it, keep all fish in hyposalinity for six weeks, so the parasites (including the ones now incysted in your tank) all die. Then from now on, always quarantine everything for six weeks, fish in hyposalinity, everything else away from fish.

You'll want them in a quarantine tank for this, or all inverts in your tank will die.

[Juthunter28]

I will do a freshwater dip on him tommorow.....and that should be it...its not ich because no white spots have ever shown on any fish.l....i think its a worm parasite because when i did the freshwater did to my yellow tang last week a big black worm thing fell off him and looked like the worm in the pictures....thanks for the help....i will start to quarantine for now on but i dont have a quarantine tank available right now......all my other fish are fine...so im doubty its ich....its got to be some sort of a parasite.....but thanks for the help....ill let you know how it turns out.....