Should I "Ignore" Ich?

[Tnops]

Hello, I've just noticed that my new tang has some ich on it. Non of the other fish in the tank seem to have ich. The tang is behaving normally, swimming and picking algae off rocks although not eating nori or frozen foods at the moment. Doing a fallow period is not possible at the moment. Some posts from forums have said that the tang will naturally fight it off as it is behaving normally. Should I leave it as be unless it worsens or take action immediately (and how)?

 

[Cory]

If its ich for sure, and the fish isn't being bullied and eats well, it will survive. But if its velvet, remove it, if its being bullied remove it. Not eating? Remove it. This also extends to your other fish.

 

[Tnops]

If its ich for sure, and the fish isn't being bullied and eats well, it will survive. But if its velvet, remove it, if its being bullied remove it. Not eating? Remove it.

So if it isn't eating and I remove it then what can I do?

 

[Cory]

So if it isn't eating and I remove it then what can I do?

Id have a quartine thats been setup already to go. But if you dont got one, it might be a problem with ammonia which kills quicker than ick. Do you have a quarantine?

 

[Tnops]

Id have a quartine thats been setup already to go. But if you dont got one, it might be a problem with ammonia which kills quicker than ick. Do you have a quarantine?

No I do not. I would like to have one but we don't have the space for it unfortunately.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi,

I was avoiding this question since it is such a huge one, usually it does not end well. The tang is new, which means it was probably kept in lower salinity to repress any disease signs. once the move was done and in your tank, the stress and upped salinity let the disease come out.

First, do you have pics? Let’s be sure what you are dealing with. You said you can’t go fallow. Can you at least get that fish out into a hospital tank. If not, the next line of defense is to fight with the best diet and environment possible and hope everyone else can resist it.

 

[ReefDragon420]

We have several damselfish and one of the two, two stripe was constantly chasing and picking at the other. It ended up getting weak and ich jumped on. I noticed and quarantined the pink of the tank and within two days 3 of the 5 ich spots had called off the picked on fish. 5 days later it was healed. I have not put the two back together and none of the other fish caught the ich. Watch and see if there is something similar going on ?

 

[Uncle99]

Just keep carful watch, if you have more infections or fish start to “slow” in behavior and/or seem to be overly respirating, you’ll have to do something.

Sometimes it resolves itself, sometimes not.
Sometimes one gets infected, sometimes mostly everyone.
Doesn’t usually end well, you may lose some friends.

If you can’t fallow and QT,you have no choice but to wait it out.

With ick, you must do both to rid that pest for good

Some do ick management which just means they live with it.

Your choice.

 

[Tnops]

Hi,

I was avoiding this question since it is such a huge one, usually it does not end well. The tang is new, which means it was probably kept in lower salinity to repress any disease signs. once the move was done and in your tank, the stress and upped salinity let the disease come out.

First, do you have pics? Let’s be sure what you are dealing with. You said you can’t go fallow. Can you at least get that fish out into a hospital tank. If not, the next line of defense is to fight with the best diet and environment possible and hope everyone else can resist it.

Here are the pictures. The fin damage came with it and has healed quite a bit since I introduced it into the tank. I don't have a hospital tank set up at the moment but I can set one up which has to be cycled... Also there is 0 aggression within all tank mates in the tank. Only aggression noticeable is the cardinal chasing off the other cardinal for 1 second and then going back to buisness

 

[IKD]

This may help also

Ich eradication vs. Ich management

Ich eradication vs. Ich management The purpose of this article is to discuss the pros & cons of ich eradication and ich management, and present the best methods for implementing each. Ich eradication - Simply put, this method means doing everything possible to keep ich out of your tank. That...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Uncle99]

Looks like a mild case of ick.
QT do not require a cycle, but, you must keep ammonia down through small daily water changes and keeping bottom clean. If you have a cycled rock, use it, but not a must.
Simple, filter, heater glass, water, hiding spot.
Since it looks like ick, you could use hypo salinity at 1.009, hypo is effective in ick and easier on the tang species IMM.

 

[Cory]

If it were me id leave it in the tank. Imo quarantine would stress it more than is needed now that its in the tank. Keep us updated. You could also buy a uv sterilizer to help with the ich.

 

[Cory]

Looks like a mild case of ick.
QT do not require a cycle, but, you must keep ammonia down through small daily water changes and keeping bottom clean. If you have a cycled rock, use it, but not a must.
Simple, filter, heater glass, water, hiding spot.
Since it looks like ick, you could use hypo salinity at 1.009, hypo is effective in ick and easier on the tang species IMM.

Where do you get this information that a quartine doesn't need to be cycled? Imo it does and ammonia kills quicker than ich.

 

[Uncle99]

Never cycled a QT once….ever…..
It’s easy to keep ammonia in check with just water changes.
1-3 fish in a 20g bare QT can easily be kept with a daily 10%-20% change and a daily vacum of uneaten foods on the bottom.
My fish spend less than 30 days in the QT.
Then I shut the QT down.
If it’s a long term thing then yes, sure, cycle that, but for short term, it’s easier just to turn the water.

 

[Gtinnel]

Since you don't have a qt or anywhere to put a qt, then other than wait it out and hope for the best you don't really have any other options.

 

[jeffchapok]

I highly suggest getting a UV sterilizer. I manage ich and never see a spot unless my UV bulb burns out.

 

[TxReefer21]

Hello, I've just noticed that my new tang has some ich on it. Non of the other fish in the tank seem to have ich. The tang is behaving normally, swimming and picking algae off rocks although not eating nori or frozen foods at the moment. Doing a fallow period is not possible at the moment. Some posts from forums have said that the tang will naturally fight it off as it is behaving normally. Should I leave it as be unless it worsens or take action immediately (and how)?

Let the tang ride it out get it to eat nori and try to even soak some pellet or flake food in some selcon. If it’s healthy beefy and not being picked on I think you’d b okay

 

[Tnops]

Update: 90% of the ich spots are gone the very next morning! Didn't take any action.

 

[Uncle99]

That’s normal.
The spots fall off, multiple their numbers, then “find” a new host.
That’s the cycle.

 

[Tnops]

That’s normal.
The spots fall off, multiple their numbers, then “find” a new host.
That’s the cycle.

Oh well. Hopefully my fish can fight it off