Going fallow

[Vyper]

Despite buying the best of everything equipment wise and only buying quarantined fish and inverts and starting new tank from new dry rock I still managed to have an ich outbreak 5 months in. I tried to follow everyone’s advice and switch to ich management with no luck as I have lost 2 fish I have had for close to year to ich. A Bicolor blenny and yellow eyed kole tang. Remaining fish are 2 clowns, yellow tang and powder brown tang. No corals we’re introduced so not sure how I got it but nonetheless it is what it is and I am going to drain the tank so I can get everyone out to start quarantine and fallow of the tank. I mainly want to post this for those that decide to take so many peoples advise and let the fish try and fight it off. It doesn’t always work. I have a Cade 1800 and have run 2 separate uv’s from the start. 40 watt pentair running at the flow that should have kept ich at bay and a second 25 watt pentair at speeds for bacteria. Upon seeing first signs about a month ago I immediately slowed the 25 watt to ich speeds to help battle ich. Fast forward a few weeks and it appeared to slowly get worse. Upgraded bulb and power supply in 25 watt to 50 watt ho and man does it glow. You can see the light through the black housing and should destroy the dna of anything coming thr easily. I have always fed my fish very well, mostly frozen twice a day. A mix of rods food and just about everything else frozen mixed in with it. Selcon, amino acids and garlic added to every bottle I mixed up for them. Nori on a clip or two and rotated out with various kinds. My fish were fat and happy with no event whatsoever to trigger the ich which is what blows my mind the most. Newest fish was powder brown at 3 months in the tank. I can only assume powder brought it even though he was fully quarantined and showed no signs for 2 months in display. Daily automatic water changes and parimeters that are always picture perfect. I work from home still so these tanks get a lot of my attention. Kind of become my covid hobby and a very very expensive one at that but has been great for whole family to learn and take minds off of this crazy world. I am going to attempt my own quarantine for the first time following Jays latest quarantine protocols. A lot for researching and additional equipment bought the last 2 weeks x 2 in case someone struggles with the copper I can move to another tank ready to go. I was concerned with stressing them out in quarantine but I am losing the battle in the display and I believe this is the right move to stop the issue.

 

[nereefpat]

Bummer.

What was your source for your quarantined fish, and did they do prophylactic treatment for ich?

Good luck to you.

 

[Vyper]

Yes they do all the right stuff. I don’t want to call them out since there is a small chance it came from my Kole tang or bicolor. They came from my nuvo 40 and it has been running with no issues other than bristle worms for a year and a half. I continue to watch the fish in it very very closely for any signs. That tank still has a pistol shrimp and goby combo, 6 line wrasse, and a pair of clowns Anemone combo. They have all been in that tank for over a year with no new additions. Kole and bicolor were in there for about a year as well. They were supposed to be split up between my wife’s Cade 1500 and mine but now I am debating that move. Hard to quarantine them with copper when they are so healthy with zero signs of anything. my intention are (were) to turn that tank into observation knowing it has never had problems but now…..??

 

[Vyper]

Do people run fish they have had for a year through quarantine when moving tanks even though never been any signs of ich or anything else?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Do people run fish they have had for a year through quarantine when moving tanks even though never been any signs of ich or anything else?

If I had a healthy fish and healthy system, I would not be quarantining a fish between moves in my systems.

 

[Vyper]

That’s what I thought to but now if I move the clowns to my wifes tank of 3 tangs and coral beauty I am a bit worried she may suffer same fate since i can’t prove where the ick came from. I am going to at least hold off until my tank is ready to go in forever from now before I attempt it. I can’t have both big tanks down.

 

[Vyper]

My clowns are frostbite clowns so mostly white. Their back of their spine is getting a pinkish red tint to it. They went into quarantine tank last night due to ick outbreak. Copper is currently at 2.3 ppm. Is this an infection or something starting?

 

[Tamberav]

Do people run fish they have had for a year through quarantine when moving tanks even though never been any signs of ich or anything else?

I did… fish can easily hide disease for years. Especially ich. I am guessing they had it but it became a problem because powders are more susceptible and perhaps provided a perfect host for the ich to multiply.

I had fish.. even tangs (Kole and sailfins) in a tank I absolutely knew had ich but only one or two fish ever had a few dots during times of stress (new additions) while the others never had any signs for years. I am sure if I had added a Achilles or such it would be game over.