Opinions please on ich strategy for display tank

[Eddielg]

I have an ich issue with my 48 bowfront. Purchased fish from LFS and did not quarantine (dumb), Anyway, lost the new fish 1 by 1 and two survivors have been stable for the past week and are eating normally, I want to rid tank off all disease by trying hypo salinity, My plan is to start a small quarantine tank and instead of moving remaining fish into QT, I would like to move cleaning crew into small tank while dropping salinity of display tank to kill off ich. In display tank I have live rock with a little algae, no coralline or feather dusters.
My thinking is that I can use water, piece of live rock and some filter material from DT and any ich would eventually die off and going hypo in display tank would rid any remaining ich from fish and tank.
Any risks with this strategy?
Thanks for your assistance
Ed

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have an ich issue with my 48 bowfront. Purchased fish from LFS and did not quarantine (dumb), Anyway, lost the new fish 1 by 1 and two survivors have been stable for the past week and are eating normally, I want to rid tank off all disease by trying hypo salinity, My plan is to start a small quarantine tank and instead of moving remaining fish into QT, I would like to move cleaning crew into small tank while dropping salinity of display tank to kill off ich. In display tank I have live rock with a little algae, no coralline or feather dusters.
My thinking is that I can use water, piece of live rock and some filter material from DT and any ich would eventually die off and going hypo in display tank would rid any remaining ich from fish and tank.
Any risks with this strategy?
Thanks for your assistance
Ed

Use nothing from DT other than filter material as you risk bringing them into QT tank. Coppersafe in QT would be best and have test kit ready to monitor copper levels.

 

[Marco S]

Use nothing from DT other than filter material as you risk bringing them into QT tank. Coppersafe in QT would be best and have test kit ready to monitor copper levels.

The OP is saying he is going to move the cleanup crew into the QT and use hypo in the DT, so copper is not in the picture here, (although it should be for the fish).

I have an ich issue with my 48 bowfront. Purchased fish from LFS and did not quarantine (dumb), Anyway, lost the new fish 1 by 1 and two survivors have been stable for the past week and are eating normally, I want to rid tank off all disease by trying hypo salinity, My plan is to start a small quarantine tank and instead of moving remaining fish into QT, I would like to move cleaning crew into small tank while dropping salinity of display tank to kill off ich. In display tank I have live rock with a little algae, no coralline or feather dusters.
My thinking is that I can use water, piece of live rock and some filter material from DT and any ich would eventually die off and going hypo in display tank would rid any remaining ich from fish and tank.
Any risks with this strategy?
Thanks for your assistance
Ed

I know nothing about hypo so I will not comment on that, but I would strongly recommend leaving the cleanup crew in the DT and moving the fish to QT and dosing the QT with copper and leaving the DT fishless for 76 days. That is the only way I would trust it was totally ICH free. Any other way and you are rolling the dice.

 

[hds4216]

The OP is saying he is going to move the cleanup crew into the QT and use hypo in the DT, so copper is not in the picture here, (although it should be for the fish).


I know nothing about hypo so I will not comment on that, but I would strongly recommend leaving the cleanup crew in the DT and moving the fish to QT and dosing the QT with copper and leaving the DT fishless for 76 days. That is the only way I would trust it was totally ICH free. Any other way and you are rolling the dice.

45 days is typically fine, especially if temperature is raised a bit. 76 is based on one study under extreme circumstances.

 

[hds4216]

Just FYI, some strains of ich are resistant to hyposalinity. You probably don't have that strain, but we can't say for sure, which is why hypo is sometimes a riskier treatment.

 

[Eddielg]

Thank you for all of your reply's. I was hoping to stay away from stressing fish with copper treatment

 

[Marco S]

Thank you for all of your reply's. I was hoping to stay away from stressing fish with copper treatment

While you are rolling the dice...you could choose to focus on getting your fish healthy and maintain the ICH with feeding more and or healthier foods, dosing vitamins, adding a UV Sterilizer etc...

Copper or Hypo are not your only options here. There are people on here that have successful tanks up and running for many years without QT and swear by keeping the fish healthy and having them build up a natural tolerance to ICH and or other parasites and diseases. Do not feel like you have to be forced into any options you do not want. Do your research and reach out to the experts in the options you ultimately decide on goin with.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Eddielg]

Marco,
Thanks for bringing up this option, I feel tank and remaining fish are stable eating and show no signs of ich. But who knows if wave two is coming soon. I have been doing weekly water changes by siphoning the gravel to remove ich larvae

 

[Courtney Aldrich]

Read this thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/45-day-fallow-periods.805213/page-3#post-8682184