can't believe it....ich again. Well...maybe not..

[quarryshark]

Well for those of you who don't know the history, here goes.
Back last Dec, I brought a fish in my system that had velvet. I got all the fish out for 8 week and to make a long story short, solved the problem.
The in mid May, I brought in some LS from another system and brought a case of ich in with it. Pulled them all (see all below) to 3 different qt tanks again. On the 7th week of qt, I discovered what I thought to be a missing clown in one of my overflow. Had to start the period over again. (main was not really fishless). After another 5 weeks (12 weeks total) I put the fish back in the main and guess what.......ich again.
So after 20 weeks this year of running change buckets and 3 qt tanks with all my fish , I can't do this any more. In addition I promised the wife that after the last time, that was it. So my options are, unless someone has a better idea.
A. Chuck the whole thing
B. Pull all the fish and send them back to the LFS, keeping a invert tank for the next 5-6 months and start over again.
C. Open for suggestion.

 

[steve-s]

Re: can't believe it....ich again. I have about had it.

You have any friends named Murphy 8O

A. Chuck the whole thing

Never an option

B. Pull all the fish and send them back to the LFS, keeping a invert tank for the next 5-6 months and start over again.

If it where me I would actually reduce the fish population to a more managable level. Keeping the angel/heni's and store crediting the rest would allow you to make things a bit easier while still holding onto your more prized fish. Might be an acceptable compramise for your wife?

Did you use hypo or copper this time around?

C. Open for suggestion.

Increase your fallow period to 6+ weeks. The last clown may have been the issue and your timing may have been "off" a bit and the lifecycle of some last Tomont was more than to be expected. They can actually stay encysted for 30 days without any tank activity.

 

[scuba_steve]

i feel that your knowledgeable with all this from your post ect.. but one question i have for you is what type of skimmer are your running ? curious ! also what turnover rate of water are you pumping thru the system!
how bad is the ich? is it only a few fish scratching? or are they covered?
imo your trying to hard ! let things be for a while and see what happens ! imo i think all the moving them around can/will cause more stress then if you left things be unless it was realllll bad case of ick ! keep up on water quality and skimmer performance ! wetter is better imo !
ive had fish with a little ick and they would scratch here and there but it cleared its self up and didnt spread ! bought a coral beauty which had some velvet but a few weeks it gone and didnt spread think the cleaners took care of that ! no way i was gonna tear apart the tank to catch them ! i took the chance and it worked out !
imo fish in a good healthy system can fight off such issues ! i know ill get bashed on that comment but what ever i never qt anything and only losses i have is dumb crap either they jump or that last issue the tank over heated and lost over 3/4 of everything ! need to let nature do its thing ! i also have a ton of water flow in my tanks! in 2 55 gallon tanks with a 30 gallon sump right now im running a mag 9.5 and mag 24(half for the skimmer(diy beckett which i get about a 1/2 gallon of wetter better foam a day) half to one of the 55's) and each have 2 power heads running in them as well ! and still want more but with the new 125 gallon im looking into doing a surge set up ! cant wait !
well thats my thoughts but i wouldnt pull everything apart again ! for what ? it didnt work the first time right? but think your a worry wart heheh not putting you down at all just know how its is i was always freaked as well but stopped and let nature do its thing ! and i do my part and try to keep the best water i can for them

 

[quarryshark]

but one question i have for you is what type of skimmer are your running ?

HSA 250, it does a nice job.

also what turnover rate of water are you pumping thru the system

about 2300GPH with the UV pump working, 1800GPH without it.

how bad is the ich

Havn't seen anyone scratching, but my Heni's and Angel have quite a few white spots (10-20). Could see them the best in the AM. Cleaning station has been busy too. None of the other fish seem to be showing, even the yellow tang is clean..so far.

but i wouldnt pull everything apart again ! for what ? it didnt work the first time right

Good point there, thats why I was considering leaving the tank fishless for the bulk of the winter, basically start over again in the spring. Maybe I can take this time to upgrade my lights and make it a reef instead of a fish and invert system . When I do decide to repopulate, go light on the fish population.
A 210 would be one hell of a reef. 8O
Not sure what I'm going to do this time, gonna take a few days and think about it. I haven't even told the wife yet.
QT all the fish is not an option this time. With what we decided after the last treatment, I got rid of my 40 gallon, to save on room in the basement. I still have 3-10 gallon tanks. I could house the small fish (clowns, royal gramma) but the big fish may have to go.

 

[quarryshark]

You have any friends named Murphy

Better check the family tree. :?

If it where me I would actually reduce the fish population to a more managable level. Keeping the angel/heni's and store crediting the rest would allow you to make things a bit easier while still holding onto your more prized fish

Actually with only 10 gallon qt tanks left, the larges ones may have to go.

Did you use hypo or copper this time around?

Hypo, didn't want to nuke them again after the velvet treatment. The were definately clean...no doubt in my mind.

The last clown may have been the issue and your timing may have been "off" a bit

Thats what I was thinking. After 12 weeks I had had enough of running all those qt tanks. Also was getting pressure from the family to return them to the tank...stupid.. I know better. 5 weeks was walking a tightrope. At the time I also had to go on a couple of business trips...had no one to manage the qt while I was gone. Ain't hindsight wonderful.
Thanks guys.

 

[scuba_steve]

give it some time ! i bet it go away !
if it was my 210 id try for 4000 pluss water flow ! pumps not cheap but after doing alot of reading i think the better route is a surge setup if ya have the room or diy type ! i think ya can get a better setup with a surge for a few reasons which is another thread but with out ph's ya can have less chance of damaged animals !
i think i figured out how to make a surge with out the bubble issue ! will post when done

 

[quarryshark]

Thanks Keith, can't do anything until after Thursday anyway. Got 25 people to cook for, Lots of prep 8O
Got some time to ponder my options. I do want it out of my system though.
Just going to run the UV, lots of garlic, pay the cleaners some overtime and see what happens this week.

 

[dralarms]

Just going to run the UV, lots of garlic

Best idea yet, I'm sorry for you QS but if it makes you feel any better (or not quite so bad) I got it again also. I must have missed something also on my last go around. I've got it in my 46 bow front and the 150. 8O The 150 I'm gonna leave to the uv and garlic, the 46 I'm gonna try (I know I'm gonna get blasted) Kick ich. I've talked to a few people that swear by it. Figured I'd try it on the 46, only have 2 pep's, a few crabs and snails and some lr. Supposed to be safe for everything.

If it don't work then I'll have to take the 46 down again to put all fish in QT. I only have a 29 gal and it's not big enough for the whole crew (be like the clowns at a circus coming out of one of their little cars. ). Every one is eating very well and no signs of anything other than a few spots.

 

[quarryshark]

Oh man, not you too Gerald. Sorry, it doesn't make me feel any better. I feel for you. Between you, me and the Rev we may want to write a book about this if we ever figure it out.
The symptom sound the same as mine, spots but everyone eating. At least its not critical.
Good luck, keep me posted how it goes.

 

[Jchillin]

I feel your pain (check my updated sig). I've lost over half my tank in a little over two weeks. Good luck!

 

[dralarms]

I will QS, you also. I'm ordering a 2 ltr bottle tomorrow, I'm gonna test it in the 46 before chancing it in the 150, Have to do something, I do not want to take all that rock and most of that water out just to try and catch all my fish.

 

[quarryshark]

I've lost over half my tank in a little over two weeks. Good luck!

Sorry.. good luck to you too.

Good luck Gerald, let me know how it goes.
Just talked to the wife, we are going to try and get the 40 gallon back from the LFS and get them out again. Can't do anything until after the holiday though.
I told whats going on and and she said...."its up to you".
So............... here I go again...
Gonna go 8 weeks maybe 9 ot 10 this time. Crank the heat in the main and run the UV 24/7.
Gonna kick its a@@ this time.

 

[dralarms]

Crank the heat in the main

Just not too high.

run the UV 24/7.

Been doing that, only problem is I didn't know you could send the water trhough too fast. I have mine hooked up to my return pump (mag 9.5), lol they are flying through so fast no time to kill em.

 

[quarryshark]

I am running mine at 500gph, (mag 5) very slow. The UV is rated at about 1050 gph .The only problem is I need to keep the cabinet open on the sump to keep the water temp from spiking. The slow flow tends to heat up the water if I close them up.
Got the temp at 82 degrees.
Ya too fast the it won't zap the parasites.

 

[dralarms]

Mine's only a 7 watt, and it's running wide open 8O , This week I'm gonna replumb my return and take it out. Then I'll hang it and just run apowerhead from the main into it and then back into the main. (I think that wil work).

 

[quarryshark]

Ya, mines a 40 watt, pleanty of punch thats for sure.
I ran from my sump to the UV and back to the main. Extra water movement is a bonus.

 

[dralarms]

Yea, but I have to slow mine down. Didn;t know you could get the water too fast.

 

[quarryshark]

come to chat, got a good crowd starting.

 

[dralarms]

Don't know how.

 

[revhtree]

You have got to be kidding me!!!!

I just read this thread, and it makes me sick! My fish are scheduled to come out of ich treatment next Friday.(6th week) This makes the umpteenth time they have been in qt. This is very dishearting for serious aquariust!

I am so sorry to hear Qshark.

I am very serious when I say this: If I get it again, I will trade 100pds of LR a 75g tank, most livestock, and my pumps and sump for a 18g nano. I promise you that.