Battling ich in reef tank.. need advice!

[Billldg]

I will upload photos of the Achilles here shortly. Just got back from dinner. One moment

Please tag Jay, so he will see it.

 

[Colbyblake_]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Id like to wait to see photos/videos before weighing in, as the level of infection has a huge bearing on the treatment possibilities and their outcomes.

Being Easter, you may have issues getting a jump on this though…..

Jay

Hey Jay, thanks for helping me out! I’m attaching two photos of the Achilles tang below. (Note: I just cleaned my skimmer so there’s tons of micro bubbles in the water column right now.) Therefore, the photos make the Achilles look like he has more spots than he actually does.. there’s 7 spots on his left side and 4-5 spots on the right! He’s still eating and breathing normally, not really scratching on rocks…

 

[Billldg]

Hey Jay, thanks for helping me out! I’m attaching two photos of the Achilles tang below. (Note: I just cleaned my skimmer so there’s tons of micro bubbles in the water column right now.) Therefore, the photos make the Achilles look like he has more spots than he actually does.. there’s 7 spots on his left side and 4-5 spots on the right! He’s still eating and breathing normally, not really scratching on rocks…

I am going to have to say Ick, but let @Jay Hemdal respond.

Beautiful juvenile Achilles tang though.

 

[Colbyblake_]

I am going to have to say Ick, but let @Jay Hemdal respond.

Beautiful juvenile Achilles tang though.

Thanks! I got him for a really good price. He was so sick and was basically on his death bed but I decided to take the chance and now he’s fat, happy, and healthy. (Or was :/)

 

[Billldg]

Thanks! I got him for a really good price. He was so sick and was basically on his death bed but I decided to take the chance and now he’s fat, happy, and healthy. (Or was :/)

Their is no was!!! Their is only healthy and fat. You and that Achilles will get thru this.

 

[Colbyblake_]

Their is no was!!! Their is only healthy and fat. You and that Achilles will get thru this.

Let’s hope so! Regardless, I think I’m just going to tear the tank down and get the fish out and quarantine because no fish deserves to have to fight this never ending cycle of ich. This time though, I’m thinking about doing a sponge filter instead of a hang on the back. Try something different, I’ve already got my de nitrate rock ready to go so the tank should be instantly cycled. Hopefully the 40g will be sufficient enough to house the fish for the 76 days that I need to fallow my display

 

[threebuoys]

If you choose to move the fish to a QT, I have had some luck using 1/2 inch mesh to construct a fence which I use to gradually corral the fish into smaller and smaller areas within the tank. Finally, I've either used a large net, or in some cases a clear, 2 liter coke bottle with the top cut off to lure the fish. It's not easy, but, like you, the only other choice I had was to remove all rock from the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Appears as ich but pics a little fuzzy and light a bit blue.
As mentioned , Quarantine will be warranted followed by treatment. Treatment best administered using coppersafe.
You want to/must treat for 30 Full days at 80.5 degrees and monitor therapeutic copper levels of 2.25-2.5 using a Reliable copper test kit- No Api brand.
The display tank itself should be and remain fishless known as FALLOW for 45-60 days . This allows all the cysts and tromont staged parasites to die from no host and complete cycles and die off.
If you dont do a full 30 day treatment- that alone will invite new cysts as you are seeing. When the dots disappear does not confirm they are gone. Place display tank also at 81 deg

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey Jay, thanks for helping me out! I’m attaching two photos of the Achilles tang below. (Note: I just cleaned my skimmer so there’s tons of micro bubbles in the water column right now.) Therefore, the photos make the Achilles look like he has more spots than he actually does.. there’s 7 spots on his left side and 4-5 spots on the right! He’s still eating and breathing normally, not really scratching on rocks…

Tough to say, can’t really see the spots for the bubbles. Some of the larger, more f diffuse spots aren’t ich. I guess I’m used to seeing ich on Achilles though…..
One trick is map out the spots and watch them over 36 hours or so - if they are in the same location, it probably isn’t ich. If the spots come and go and change in number, it is more likely ich.
Jay

 

[Colbyblake_]

Tough to say, can’t really see the spots for the bubbles. Some of the larger, more f diffuse spots aren’t ich. I guess I’m used to seeing ich on Achilles though…..
One trick is map out the spots and watch them over 36 hours or so - if they are in the same location, it probably isn’t ich. If the spots come and go and change in number, it is more likely ich.
Jay

Thanks Jay! If this is ich (which I think it is) what size quarantine tank should I go with? I have a 4 inch hippo, 3-4 inch yellow, 4-5 inch achilles, two clowns and 4 wrasses. I want to give them as little as stress as possible when moving them.

 

[Lavey29]

Without being combative doing this is cruel and it doesn't work.

Here's why if the cleaner cleans your fish then that is where it will want to derive it's nutrition. Your fish will not have enough parasites to keep it full. If the wrasse switches over to prepared food it rarely if ever goes back to cleaning. You would have to starve it out to get to to do that again, and even then it might not work, so why bother. Now you have a fish that you didn't really want to do something it won't do.

I am very against using creatures as a control. If you like the creature and would have bought it regadless of the control then by all means get what you like but if you are just using it for control then you are probably going to be frustrated, and ultimately the creature will suffer.

I agree with you. I wouldn't get a fish based on a singular purpose although we do that with inverts. I have a cleaner wrasse which blends in beautifully with my other wrasses but he also has a useful role in the tank. Personally I think fish with dual roles are better then fish that just swim and look pretty. Would you not agree?

 

[HuduVudu]

I agree with you. I wouldn't get a fish based on a singular purpose although we do that with inverts. I have a cleaner wrasse which blends in beautifully with my other wrasses but he also has a useful role in the tank. Personally I think fish with dual roles are better then fish that just swim and look pretty. Would you not agree?

Agree as long as both roles are in place.

I have two very very cute signal gobies. I bought them because I love them, but they also have a secondary purpose of keeping the amphipod and bristle worm populations down. They can also keep the sand stirred but this is less important to me. If they did not do their "job", I still love them and want them in my aquarium, but as you said having secondary roles is kewl too.

People used to get damsels to cycle their tanks. Then when the fish turned into what it is they didn't want it anymore and the LFSs wouldn't take them back. I can only imagine what happened to those creatures.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Hello and welcome to the channel

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks Jay! If this is ich (which I think it is) what size quarantine tank should I go with? I have a 4 inch hippo, 3-4 inch yellow, 4-5 inch achilles, two clowns and 4 wrasses. I want to give them as little as stress as possible when moving them.

20g minimum- 40breeder ideal

 

[mehaffydr]

I’m wanting to put my fish back in quarantine but the quarantine tank is just not big enough for 3 tangs, 2 clowns, and 4 wrasses. It’s a 40 breeder. I don’t want to stress the fish out when they’ve been in such a massive environment and then being moved into such a small tank. I don’t have room nor the money to set up a 70+ gallon tank just for quarantine. Any thoughts?

Depending on the size of the Tangs a 40 my be enough. @0 gallon longs are cheap at petco or try Facebook marketplace for used tank

 

[Lavey29]

Agree as long as both roles are in place.

I have two very very cute signal gobies. I bought them because I love them, but they also have a secondary purpose of keeping the amphipod and bristle worm populations down. They can also keep the sand stirred but this is less important to me. If they did not do their "job", I still love them and want them in my aquarium, but as you said having secondary roles is kewl too.

People used to get damsels to cycle their tanks. Then when the fish turned into what it is they didn't want it anymore and the LFSs wouldn't take them back. I can only imagine what happened to those creatures.

We have the same approach. Half the fish in my tank have dual roles and i love them for that and the beauty thry bring to the tank also. I would never cycle a tank with a live fish.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks Jay! If this is ich (which I think it is) what size quarantine tank should I go with? I have a 4 inch hippo, 3-4 inch yellow, 4-5 inch achilles, two clowns and 4 wrasses. I want to give them as little as stress as possible when moving them.

The size of the QT needed is less important than the quality of the biofilter. I try to always have some QTs well cycled and ready to go. If you have to set one up on the fly, you are going to have difficulty managing the ammonia. There are all sorts of things you can do: transfer of active biomedia from an established tank is best, followed by bacteria in a bottle (lots of it for bigger tanks). Less effective are ammonia removers (can react with copper) or water changes.

That said, except the clown, these are really active fish, I'd say an 80 gallon tank would be best, and a 50 would be pushing things.....

Jay