Adding new fish in

[tigre44]

An ich breakout has wiped out all but my 6 line wrasse.
1. How soon should I wait before adding any new fish?
2. I’m adding a Uv unit will that stop Ich in the future?
3. Can ich be introduced with urchins and snails
4. Are all tangs dease carriers or just powder blues

 

[larrysaltisfun]

You’ll need to treat your six line WRASSE in copper or hypo salinity for 30 days. Your display tank will need to remain fallow for 45 days. You can treat with hypo salinity in your display tank only if you have no invertebrates or coral . Whether the wrasse shows it or not, it likely has it or is a carrier.

At the right flow rate a UV sterilizer can help manage ICH But ICH management is a completely different process (and is very difficult to do) then eradication which is described above

Any fish , invertebrate like a snail or urchin or coral can carry ICH into a tank

All tangs can carry ICH. powder, blue and powder browns happen to be very susceptible to it that’s why they are called ICH “magnets“

The fish, medics, Jay Hemdal, Vette Guy, MN fish and W31Olds will likely chime in here and help you with the actual protocols to treat. The protocols for copper and for hypo salinity are also posted on the Reef2Reef site. Good luck!

 

[larrysaltisfun]

And I believe without exception, other than (possibly) biota captive bred fish all new fish will need to be quarantined in copper or hypo salinity before being introduced into your display tank once it is ICH free (fishless for 45 days)

 

[exnisstech]

This should help get you started if you want to QT going forward.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/45-day-fallow-periods.805213/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/

 

[Uncle99]

1. I wait 70 days with no temp changes. More is always better than less. Some go 45. 2-3 weeks more is no big deal for me.
2. No, UV can lower counts of free swimmers only.
3. Conceivably, ick could find is way in on anything wet, but, that risk, while not zero, is low IMM.
4. Tangs don’t carry ick, that’s a myth. But they do see more of their share as their slime coats are thinner making attachments of free swimmers easier.

Healthy well feed tangs (fish) in a low stress environment is always your best defence against this parasite.

 

[slingfox]

You have a chance to restart your tank now. You should consider using a 10g tank from Petco to quarantine the six-line wrasse as well as any new fish or inverts you plan to add. Alternatively, you can purchase livestock from vendors that quarantine their livestock.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

1. I wait 70 days with no temp changes. More is always better than less. Some go 45. 2-3 weeks more is no big deal for me.
2. No, UV can lower counts of free swimmers only.
3. Conceivably, ick could find is way in on anything wet, but, that risk, while not zero, is low IMM.
4. Tangs don’t carry ick, that’s a myth. But they do see more of their share as their slime coats are thinner making attachments of free swimmers easier.

Healthy well feed tangs (fish) in a low stress environment is always your best defence against this parasite.

I’m far from well versed, but I thought any fish could be a carrier. And I think OP may mean contract ICH when he uses the phrase “carrier”

 

[Uncle99]

I’m far from well versed, but I thought any fish could be a carrier. And I think OP may mean contract ICH when he uses the phrase “carrier”

I agree, any fish could be prior infected (“a carrier) with ick. Anything wet could introduce it. A drop of water, a rock, a coral.

The myth refers to the notion that some fish carry the parasite always, but it only shows up when triggered by some environmental change like stress. This part is the myth.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

I’m far from well versed, but I thought any fish could be a carrier. And I think OP may mean contract ICH when he uses the phrase “carrier”

I agree, any fish could be prior infected (“a carrier) with ick.
Very common. The myth refers to the notion that some fish carry the parasite always, but it only shows up when triggered by some environmental change like stress.

Gotcha

 

[vetteguy53081]

An ich breakout has wiped out all but my 6 line wrasse.
1. How soon should I wait before adding any new fish?
2. I’m adding a Uv unit will that stop Ich in the future?
3. Can ich be introduced with urchins and snails
4. Are all tangs dease carriers or just powder blues

Wait 6-8 weeks after last outbreak to reintroduce any fish and quarantine them first. While a UV unit will help, it has to be present before introduction and at least 8-10X the wattage recommended for parasites. People call tangs disease carriers and having 27 of them , if you quarantine them and give them proper space, diet and conditions, they will be no issue. They are more susceptible to parasites than carriers. Place inverts such as snails into display while quarantining fish however it would not hurt to place them even into a 10 gal tank for 45 days prior to introduction into display

 

[MnFish1]

An ich breakout has wiped out all but my 6 line wrasse.
1. How soon should I wait before adding any new fish?

Generally you would treat the wrasse in a separate tank, and leave your tank fishless for 6-8 weeks.

2. I’m adding a Uv unit will that stop Ich in the future?

No - but it might decrease the likelihood/bioload. How do you know your fish died of ich?

3. Can ich be introduced with urchins and snails

It would be rare but ich can land on snail shells and encapsulate and then be transferred into your tank. I doubt this would happen with an urchin but it's possible.

4. Are all tangs dease carriers or just powder blues

Most fish are disease carriers depending on the source. If you look at the science, up to 70 percent of wild fish in Vietnam were found to be infected with ich in a certain area. Certain fish were more prone. Certain tangs were among the fish with the lowest percent infected. Powder blues do seem more prone.

 

[tigre44]

I assume it was ich as the tang was covered with spots however I never saw any of the fish scratch against anything which is one reason I didn’t try to treat until it was too late

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I assume it was ich as the tang was covered with spots however I never saw any of the fish scratch against anything which is one reason I didn’t try to treat until it was too late

Sorry to hear about your losses. Generally, scratching isn't a major symptom of marine ich (Cryptocaryon). The pinhead white spots with sharp margins is the primary symptom, especially if you see spots on the clear portions of the fins (there are also "mucus plugs" that make slightly larger white spots on the body of some species, but not the fins).

I use 60 days at 79 F. as the safe fallow period.

The biggest issue with failed fallow periods is not treating any survivors properly (even if they didn't show symptoms) followed by introducing new fish that carry the disease back into your tank because they were not properly quarantined.