Poll / opinion is a tank ever considered ich free?

[mtraylor]

I personally don't think its anything to actually think about or debate. I think the goal is to provide a stable environment. A stable environment promotes health.

 

[alex.mccann99]

I'm going to say yes, I've never had ich. Never quarantined fish, I think it just stresses them out more. I don't keep tangs or "ich" prone fish, but I've Never experienced ich ever in my latest tank that has been up and running for about 2 years.

 

[hart24601]

Not all tanks have fish, so yes those are ich free!

 

[4FordFamily]

Because ich is a parasite/creature and not a pathogen, it can in fact be ich-free.

 

[Paul B]

Because ich is a parasite/creature and not a pathogen, it can in fact be ich-free.

It can be ich free just as it can be polar bear free, duck billed platypus free, Myley Cyrus free etc. I want some things in my tank, especially ich, but not Myley Cyrus. A Platypus would be cool but I would have to increase my clean up crew.

 

[4FordFamily]

It can be ich free just as it can be polar bear free, duck billed platypus free, Myley Cyrus free etc. I want some things in my tank, especially ich, but not Myley Cyrus. A Platypus would be cool but I would have to increase my clean up crew.

I could do without the Miley

 

[Brew12]

I am very confident my tank is Ich free. A few weeks ago I tore down my old system and moved my fish into a 30g Rubbermaid tote, including 3 tangs. They stayed in there with poor temp control and without being fed for 30 hours while I ripped the old system out and got the new one in and set up. As soon as the new system was up to temp all the fish got moved into it.

Not a single sign of Ich on any fish. I'm thinking if that wasn't stressful enough to cause an ich outbreak than nothing is. That said, I'm shocked I didn't break out with Ich. That was a stressful move on me, too!

 

[ihavecrabs]

My tank is ich free.. It's empty

I also hope to keep it ich free by imploring a solid quarantine process. Only time will tell!

 

[DancingShark]

I can't believe all the noes. At this time it's 59 to 60.

But yes I have a Ich free tank. I have QTed everything including sails crabs and corals.

 

[DLHDesign]

I can't believe all the noes.

I'm not sure if it's because people don't understand the understood and agreed upon science of the parasite, or if it's that voting "no" makes them feel better about their lack of QT processes, or ...? No idea; but I agree that the number is startling.
The poll for me is, "is it possible to have an ich-free tank" - not "is your tank ich-free"; an obvious "yes; it's possible" to me. Perhaps some number of people interpreted it as the latter and are voting on the state of their own tanks?

It seems like this is something that could be proven via a controlled test. Start a new tank, QT everything, follow safe practices (no hands in the tank, 10ft from any other non-clean tank, etc.), and then inspect the tank for signs of the parasite (likely several times/locations). Do the same with a control tank (no QT, lackluster safety) and a partial-control tank (limited QT and loose safety standards). Wonder if @Ryanbrs has this on his list of reef assumptions to test?

 

[Paul B]

I collected water from here so I am pretty sure that water is ich free.

 

[Ryanbrs]

I'm not sure if it's because people don't understand the understood and agreed upon science of the parasite, or if it's that voting "no" makes them feel better about their lack of QT processes, or ...? No idea; but I agree that the number is startling.
The poll for me is, "is it possible to have an ich-free tank" - not "is your tank ich-free"; an obvious "yes; it's possible" to me. Perhaps some number of people interpreted it as the latter and are voting on the state of their own tanks?

It seems like this is something that could be proven via a controlled test. Start a new tank, QT everything, follow safe practices (no hands in the tank, 10ft from any other non-clean tank, etc.), and then inspect the tank for signs of the parasite (likely several times/locations). Do the same with a control tank (no QT, lackluster safety) and a partial-control tank (limited QT and loose safety standards). Wonder if @Ryanbrs has this on his list of reef assumptions to test?

I believe two things with near 100% certainty.

1) With properly performed QT methods based on breaking the lifecycle of ich, like the tank transfer method, it is almost certainly possible to prevent the introduction of this parasite to the tank.

2) Almost no one performs the QT methods methodically enough to actually achieve that type of absolute certainty. By almost no one, I mean I have never seen anyone build and meticulously follow a procedure that would make me believe the goal was achieved with near 100% certainty.

In the end, I think this would require a research lab type approach that maybe 1 in 10,000 reefers would actually follow. However, if you accept we are not all perfect but efforts towards that very often have benefits, I think even the weakest tank transfer method will significantly reduce the chances that ich is introduced to the tank. Without that, I think it is a pretty high likelihood ich will be introduced even if it doesn't cause a visually perceptible issue. In this case, we are just relying on maintaining the fish's health and related immune system to not let the parasite overwhelm them.

 

[Paul B]

. Without that, I think it is a pretty high likelihood and we are just relying on maintaining the fish's health and related immune system to not let the parasite overwhelm them.

Thank God for that.

 

[Sleepydoc]

I could do without the Miley

I had a tang named Miley. Kind of miss her...

We are just relying on maintaining the fish's health and related immune system to not let the parasite overwhelm them.

In my mind, this is not an either/or question. The fact that QT methods are not perfect does not mean that they shouldn't be used, and ich and velvet are not the only diseases that can affect our fish. Ultimately, having an ich or velvet free tank is a worthy goal, but having healthy fish should be THE goal.

It's kind of like washing your hands. Just because you don't remove 100% of the bacteria and viruses doesn't mean you shouldn't do it and conversely, good hand washing doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything else we can to keep ourselves healthy. In the end, we need to do both.

 

[Leaellynasaura]

76 day club / copper qt works for me

 

[Crabs McJones]

I wouldn't say Ich free, more or less Ich manageable.

 

[olecaptainj]

Can anyone here with unrefutable scientific evidence show they have an active ich free reef or fowlr tank?

I’d be curious to see such!

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Nope, ich is ALWAYS present regardless of qt. If you have a fish, you have ich.

Care to elaborate. Looks like you missed it when it was asked a while back.

 

[Mark Gray]

I know mine has Ick in it I introduced it I have not added any fish for around a year I guess but no problems

 

[coweyes298]

QT everything wet. I can say my tank is ich free now. Coral has its own QT tank. Same as Chaeto.