Ich in reef tank! Help!

[vetteguy53081]

I wanted to clarify what you mean by 4 doses. 4 doses per day as opposed to twice per day? Also, what duration was the treatment course? Manufacturer says minimum 10 days and up to 20 days.

Thank you

I treated 4 total doses over 9 days

 

[mindme]

I treated 4 total doses over 9 days

That's interesting. I did the recommended dosage(2 a day) and it didn't work. I was also treating for velvet.

I've already gone fallow etc, and since I had that stuff I dosed the tank with it while fallow anyway. I QT and treat everything with copper after having to go fallow, so hopefully I don't have to deal with this stuff again, but it's nice to know there is an in tank treatment that works.

I wonder if it's just ich or velvet also.

 

[SifuMemphis]

Here's the thing. Taking your fish out, and setting up a QT is a good idea to ensure ich is taken cared of. You will also need to have your DT go fallow for roughly 76 days (some go slightly higher just in case). During this time frame, you don't add ANYTHING new to the tank, fish, coral, etc etc.

The problem with ich management vs. Ich eradication is this...... If you go with eradication, to ensure you don't infect your tank with ich again, you must QT EVERYTHING that goes into it (Snails, Corals, etc). If you do not do this, I don't see the point in QT route really. Ich Cyst, eggs, etc etc. can be attached on coral bases, snail shells etc etc (unlikely, but possible).

If you aren't able/willing to really QT everything that goes in, I would go with the ich management route. Feed your fish heavy, make sure they are healthy and happy. Run a good size UV light (don't buy cheap ones), and run it at a lower flow to kill parasites floating in the water column.


Good luck with everything

 

[John A!10]

After further thinking I believe my fish got ich from a coral frag. I dipped it and rinsed it. What could Ido to ensure I don’t get ich from coral or inverts?

 

[John A!10]

Another question is will the nitryfying bacteria from my dt die in my qt? I want to use the rock from my sump to cycle my quarantine tank.

 

[John A!10]

My concern is should I remove my fish if I will get ich from a coral or invert. I don’t trust myself in quarantining my corals.

 

[Reefahholic]

My concern is should I remove my fish if I will get ich from a coral or invert. I don’t trust myself in quarantining my corals.

Yeah and it has happened to me with inverts and macro algae. Ich is very hard to keep out of a system. Just like Vermetid snails.

 

[John A!10]

I will do ich management for the moment unless it starts getting worst. I already have polyp lab reef medic and have been using it since yesterday night.

 

[John A!10]

Last question:
How could I add fish with ich management? Won’t they get infected.

 

[ca1ore]

If you are going to be successful with ich management, you will need to do a couple of things (at least). First, you need to reduce parasite pressure in your tank with something like an UV sterilizer. Second, new fish must be in good shape. QT is predominantly thought of as a way to catch disease, but it is also an excellent way to condition a new fish to make sure it is eating and at a healthy weight. A new fish, stressed by it's journey, is likely to be an easier target for the ich parasite.

 

[John A!10]

If you are going to be successful with ich management, you will need to do a couple of things (at least). First, you need to reduce parasite pressure in your tank with something like an UV sterilizer. Second, new fish must be in good shape. QT is predominantly thought of as a way to catch disease, but it is also an excellent way to condition a new fish to make sure it is eating and at a healthy weight. A new fish, stressed by it's journey, is likely to be an easier target for the ich parasite.

I will decide later today. Definitely getting a UV sterilizer.

 

[SifuMemphis]

After further thinking I believe my fish got ich from a coral frag. I dipped it and rinsed it. What could Ido to ensure I don’t get ich from coral or inverts?

Another question is will the nitryfying bacteria from my dt die in my qt? I want to use the rock from my sump to cycle my quarantine tank.

As I mentioned in my post earlier, to prevent it would require you to QT your coral, which isn't too bad. Easy way to maintain is, when you do a water change from your DT, you use that water for the WC in your frag tank, this way you keep both tanks parameters as even as possible. If you are able to, use the same light as well, this way it's less of a stress when you transition from one tank to the other.

 

[John A!10]

I will head to Petco today to pick up a 10gallon tank and filter anything else I need. I will get some bio booster. I’m also adding bio balls and some rocks from my current tank, is that fine?

 

[SifuMemphis]

I will decide later today. Definitely getting a UV sterilizer.

Make sure to not cheap out on one, there are a lot of under powered UVs out there and having a weak one won't do anything. When setting up, make sure to make the flow correct. Too fast won't kill parasites, it has to be under a certain amount of gallons per hour to really be effective.

 

[SifuMemphis]

This is a good watch:



Shouldn't take long but will answer all your questions for coral QT.

 

[John A!10]

As I mentioned in my post earlier, to prevent it would require you to QT your coral, which isn't too bad. Easy way to maintain is, when you do a water change from your DT, you use that water for the WC in your frag tank, this way you keep both tanks parameters as even as possible. If you are able to, use the same light as well, this way it's less of a stress when you transition from one tank to the other.

As far as corals go: I learned my lesson. Never buy from Petco. I will be getting coral from the lfs. They only have coral in ther tank. I know it still might be their but whatever. I’m going to kill the coral in qt.

 

[John A!10]

I’m on a budget I feel like coral qt is too expensive. I’ll add all my fish in with quarantine. Try to get all the fish 1 month after fallow period is over so I can take down the hospital tank.

 

[John A!10]

Should I wait and see? My clown today looks much better. They
Ich only first appeared yesterday, so I dought they fell off already. Could he already be immune and had a minor outbreak? My other fish look fine.

 

[mindme]

Should I wait and see? My clown today looks much better. They
Ich only first appeared yesterday, so I dought they fell off already. Could he already be immune and had a minor outbreak? My other fish look fine.

What you see on the fish is not the actual ich. The white spots are pus spots that form on the fish from it's immune system. So even though the spot was only there for a day, the ich was on it for a lot longer than that.

Also do not put liverock in your QT. It will soak up the copper/meds which will not only make it so your levels drop below medication levels, but it will also make the rock where you can't use it in your DT again. Not to mention you want that rock to be fallow in your DT the entire time.

 

[John A!10]

What you see on the fish is not the actual ich. The white spots are pus spots that form on the fish from it's immune system. So even though the spot was only there for a day, the ich was on it for a lot longer than that.

Also do not put liverock in your QT. It will soak up the copper/meds which will not only make it so your levels drop below medication levels, but it will also make the rock where you can't use it in your DT again. Not to mention you want that rock to be fallow in your DT the entire time.

How about bio balls? I don’t plan on adding the rocks back to my dt, they are in the sump so I have other to replace as well as spare bio balls. How would you recommend to seed the tank with beneficial bacteria, I can’t get dr trims or fritz in time. I only have a Petco nearby to pick up a tank and bio booster bottle. I don’t have time to do water changes each day as well.