Advice for Ich management?

[gordoncheers]

How can I better manage ich in my tank? Are there are medications or food soaks that may be beneficial? Would a UV light help?

 

[SecSeePanda]

How can I better manage ich in my tank? Are there are medications or food soaks that may be beneficial? Would a UV light help?

Run the tank fallow for 6 weeks at least...

If that isn't possible. get a UV with some way to adjust the flow to slow AF

I have UV and keep it on when I add new fish or coral or decide to stir anything up that would cause stress.

 

[gordoncheers]

Any reasons for a slow flow vs a faster flow rate? Also would the UV light affect the population of copepods?

Run the tank fallow for 6 weeks at least...

If that isn't possible. get a UV with some way to adjust the flow to slow AF

I have UV and keep it on when I add new fish or coral or decide to stir anything up that would cause stress.

 

[miroch]

Do you still visually see white spots or have they gone away? When i first got ich 7 years ago i went right out and bought a UV and added garlic and selcon to my food. Just continue to keep a good veriety diet of pellet and fresh/frozen foods and limit stress as much as possible.

 

[Lavey29]

In my opinion, ich is in every tank and as long as you provide a healthy environment with proper diet for the fish, their immune systems stay strong and they do not get ich. Stressed events change this though. I'm not a proponent of UV because you kill good stuff with the bad. Paul B actually puts ich infected fish into his tank to help maintain overall immunity in all his fish.

 

[Griev]

I used the H2O2 dosing method from Humble Fish to eliminate it in my display tank and save my Achilles tang.

 

[Tamberav]

Any reasons for a slow flow vs a faster flow rate? Also would the UV light affect the population of copepods?

ich is hard to kill with UV, you need the biggest one with slower flow to get enough contact time. At the same time you need to turn over the display enough.

It will be expensive and it's possible it won't help at all depending how bad the infection is, etc. Not every drop of water will run through the UV, the ich will still find its way to the rock or sand and back to the fish without traveling through the UV. All it does is MAYBE kill some of the free swimmers if it is the right size and flow.

 

[gordoncheers]

Ah ok thanks. Also does anyone know what these white spots on my corals are? I only recently noticed them when the ich outbreak started.

 

[kevgib67]

I went the ich management route almost 3 years ago. Installed a uv, dosed PolypLab Medic and fed heavily with all food soaked in Vitachem, Selcon and garlic Extreme. I didn’t loose a fish and haven’t seen it again. Was it the combination or just one thing, IDK. Perhaps the ich was reduced enough and the fish were able to maintain good health long enough they were able to build up an immunity.

 

[gordoncheers]

I went the ich management route almost 3 years ago. Installed a uv, dosed PolypLab Medic and fed heavily with all food soaked in Vitachem, Selcon and garlic Extreme. I didn’t loose a fish and haven’t seen it again. Was it the combination or just one thing, IDK. Perhaps the ich was reduced enough and the fish were able to maintain good health long enough they were able to build up an immunity.

How often did you use PolypLab Medic? Looking to get it soon

 

[kevgib67]

How often did you use PolypLab Medic? Looking to get it soon

That was so long ago and I’m old but I believe I just followed the directions, how often and how much per gallon. Good luck and happy reefing!

 

[SecSeePanda]

When I first started my tank I was getting ick any time Id add new fish. the rest would get it but it would go away. the new fish usually died. I installed a UV sterilzer into the back of my AIO with its own pump and I haven't had any problems with ick or velvet since (knock on wood). I was running it 24/7 but started dosing live phyto since that I've only ran it when i add new stuff for a few days OR if i decide its time to clean the detritus out of the rear compartments and let it snow in the display in case i dislodge some nasties...