Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)

[Humblefish]

With TTM, what are your thoughts with cleaning powerhead and heater in vinegar and sharing between qt environments. Ok? That is one reason I went with cupramine initially. The cost (salt, double equipment)ease of care. Will a 5 minute vinegar or bleach soak between QT equipment sufficient? Or should I really invest in more equipment?

Vinegar will get the job done, but it will take more than just a 5 min soak. Take a paper towel doused with vinegar and wipe everything down so no copper residue remains on the equipment. You might need a brush to use on the powerhead.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Vinegar will get the job done, but it will take more than just a 5 min soak. Take a paper towel doused with vinegar and wipe everything down so no copper residue remains on the equipment. You might need a brush to use on the powerhead.

Oh...excellent. I can do that. Little elbow grease never hurt any one.

 

[rhyan]

My yellow tang just acquired ich. I bought him along with a tank from a guy who apparently who never did water changes. What a mistake! I was thinking about putting a neon goby in to eat the parasite. I don't think this is the most efficient way to remove ich, but I don't want to remove the fish if at all possible. I will if that's the only way. Please help!

 

[Humblefish]

If you wish to eradicate ich from your tank, read this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-treat-ich.191226/

If you just want to manage the presence of the parasite, read this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-eradication-vs-ich-management.188775/

 

[reynaldoramon]

So correct me if I'm wrong. I think you wrote that just act of equipment drying kills the parasite. Is that weather you wipe/scrub it off? I cleaned a powerhead best I could, and I'm not sure I can fully clean a hang on back filter's nooks and crannies. Will it drying completely kill the remains of ich?

 

[Humblefish]

So correct me if I'm wrong. I think you wrote that just act of equipment drying kills the parasite. Is that weather you wipe/scrub it off? I cleaned a powerhead best I could, and I'm not sure I can fully clean a hang on back filter's nooks and crannies. Will it drying completely kill the remains of ich?

Yes, drying kills all stages. However, it must be completely dry (very important). So, what you might want to do for your filter's nooks and crannies is run a fan over it.

 

[reynaldoramon]

That's what I did last night. It had been sitting there almost a week and when I picked it up, water dripped out. Not using it during the TTM any more. Just want to have it ready for when I'm done with it.

 

[Humblefish]

That's what I did last night. It had been sitting there almost a week and when I picked it up, water dripped out. Not using it during the TTM any more. Just want to have it ready for when I'm done with it.

This is why I don't like using HOB filters or powerheads for TTM, too many little nooks & crannies to worry about getting dry. Below is a video of how I do it:

 

[125mph]

Why is CP and copper treatment for ich a 4 week plan? Theoretically, after 12 days in medicated tank with CP or copper, shouldn't all the trophants dropped off and the med is preventing free swimmers from reinfecting? So after 12 days, you can transfer the fish to sterile observation tank and they all should be ich free?

 

[Humblefish]

Why is CP and copper treatment for ich a 4 week plan? Theoretically, after 12 days in medicated tank with CP or copper, shouldn't all the trophants dropped off and the med is preventing free swimmers from reinfecting? So after 12 days, you can transfer the fish to sterile observation tank and they all should be ich free?

You are absolutely correct; however not everyone has 2 QTs (setup simultaneously) to use. I can't get most people to invest in even one.

 

[Ashish Patel]

This was the best writeup on Ich ever!...... My blue tang is 10 years old now... first year It would get ich from time to time.. I was scared having lost fish in the past to ich...However, the fish was very healthy and feeding a balanced diet resulted in the ich eventually just disappearing on its own after 1 year.. After reading this I now better understand how ich worked in my system. The Ich was never able to get a stangle hold on my system and by having healthy fish this was going again what ich feeds on..(weak immune system, stress, etc). I think it also helped that did not overstock large fish in a small tank..,More fish = More stress = More ich hosts. In my case I determined that removing all the fish could be more risky so I just let it run its course. I am glad it worked out but I am definitely a fan of QT new fish now.

 

[rich nyc]

ugh. so if you have copper in ur qt would i need to use separate buckets etc?

cannot just wash with water

 

[Humblefish]

ugh. so if you have copper in ur qt would i need to use separate buckets etc?

cannot just wash with water

I use dedicated buckets for QT. If I'm going to start using one for a different purpose, I wipe it out using a vinegar soaked paper towel and then allow it to air dry for at least 72 hours beforehand.

 

[rich nyc]

well being late to the quarantine game and still trying to catch my fire fish which keeps going in my pukani rock I am glad to know. Fortunately I have so many buckets lol

 

[rich nyc]

bad thing is i cant find my favorite coral frag after taking everything apart and getting my fish all out of my tank. 76 days from now Nov 15th arg

 

[Blue Carbon Reefing]

@Humblefish If I am understanding the life cycle correctly. Wouldn't we have to treat fish in Copper or CP for up to 72 days? Why only 30 days? If the free swimming stage is the only stage Copper or CP will work, what if we are battling the strand that takes up to 72 days to release all of its free swimmers? Does the copper effectively kill all of the tomites at the time of the first free swimmer being released?

 

[Humblefish]

@Humblefish If I am understanding the life cycle correctly. Wouldn't we have to treat fish in Copper or CP for up to 72 days? Why only 30 days? If the free swimming stage is the only stage Copper or CP will work, what if we are battling the strand that takes up to 72 days to release all of its free swimmers? Does the copper effectively kill all of the tomites at the time of the first free swimmer being released?

You are correct, copper/CP only kills the free swimming stage. Therefore at the end of 30 days you have two options:

1. Observe the fish to ensure the parasite has been fully eradicated.
2. Move the fish to another QT (at least 10 feet away); thereby transferring the fish away from any unhatched tomonts (in the original treatment tank.)

Most strains of ich complete their entire lifecycle in 30 days or less. In a perfect world we would treat for 72 days just to be sure, but I doubt most fish would survive that.

 

[Blue Carbon Reefing]

Thank you. I am sure that is also why you recommend the 2 week observation period to look for any signs of infestation. Hopefully I am observant enough to notice behavioral signs if the parasite is only in the gills.

 

[Humblefish]

Thank you. I am sure that is also why you recommend the 2 week observation period to look for any signs of infestation. Hopefully I am observant enough to notice behavioral signs if the parasite is only in the gills.

You may not see visible physical symptoms, but behavioral symptoms will usually be noticeable if a fish still has ich:

• Heavy breathing
• Reduced appetite
• Scratching/flashing
• Head twitching
• Erratic swimming behavior

 

[Slayvoff]

So what is the point of products like API's "Super Ich Cure" if you have to go through this whole copper process to eradicate ich?

https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwat...1-5&keywords=api+general+cure#customerReviews