HELP!!!!! I Just can't get rid of my Ick......

[ffb_boi]

I set up my tank in Feb. I let my tank cycle with damsels, crabs and urchins. When my Local Fish Store said I could get bigger and better fish I decided on loins. Then came the problems. My poor lion fish got ick, I called the pet store and they said get MarineMax and MarineCare. So I did and my lion fish died..
I talked to the fish store and they said I should use VitalCoral and it would help deter the ick from sticking to the fish. So I bought the VitalCoral and started using it, and I got another lion fish. And it got ick, So I called the fish store again and they said use KickIck. So I did and that one died too!!! I continued with the kickIck treatment and last friday I got two new lions. They were doing great, until today when I got home they had ICK!!!!! I called the fish store and they said do a water change. I did, but I don't want to lose another fish to this disease, Please Help... [/quote]

 

[Phyl]

Looks to me like you have at least 3 problems... First: Your LFS is TERRIBLE. They lie, misinform and are only out for your money. Lionfish will eat anything that will fit into their mouth including damsels, crabs, shrimp, etc. They'll quickly become expensive fish food. Two: You can't cure ich in your main because anything worth it's weight in cure can't be done in your main and anything done in your main can't kill ich and Three: You're going to have to setup a QT/hospital tank to cure your fishies!

There are two common ways to cure your fish of ich. Cupramine and hyposalinity. I'm not sure which cure your lion is going to need to beat the ich (which one is best for your particular fish) but your next step should be to post in the sick fish forum here so that the guys who run that forum can give this thread the attention that it needs to help you. Your main will need to remain fallow (fish free/inverts are ok) for 6-8w while the parasite lives out its cycle and dies.

Good luck in your battle with ich. I'm fighting it right now and seem to be winning, hopefully you will too!

 

[quarryshark]

Agree with Phyl, that is the way to treat ich and definately try and find another LFS...terrible advise.
Here is some reading on the subjuct.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html

 

[quarryshark]

moved to the sick fish forum.

 

[makana]

hey ffb_boi,
I would slow down if I were you, not only will you waste lots more money at this rate, you will be killing a lot of innocent lion fish. Since it hasn't been long since you setup your tank, I would continue with the damsels for 3 or more weeks, months if possible (where did they go anyway?... in the lion's belly?- I hear they eat damsels 8O ). I know it is hard to resist getting fish, I've been bad about it at times too. Try to establish a very constant and clean water quality. I hear lots of water changes will bring the level of ick in the water down dramatically and the clean, fortified salt water will put less stress on any fish.

In the mean time get some beginner corals, even with low light there are a few that will thrive ...but do your research first, don't ask you LFS!! Or how about some hardy inverts?

 

[robocop]

A little more advice on this ick issue……I’ve had many bout with this parasite and Hypo has worked for me, but the whole fallow tank thing faild quite a few times. On two different occasions I left my main tank fallow adding nothing and leaving nothing but a few inverts in it for 6wks. I QT my fish 4+ weeks before placing them in the tank and each time they got ick a few days after being in the tank. So the third time I waited 10wks fallow and 5wks QT and with the same results. So I said screw it….I’m Hypoing my main tank. I took the inverts out and am treating the main tank and my Flame Angel. It’s only a 30gal tank so it not to bad but the fish is doing fine…no signs of Ick and the live rock itself is holding up though I lost some of the micro organisms with I’m really willing to sacrifice at this point. It’s been about 3wks so I have another 3wks to go so we will see how everything goes when I up the salinity. I’ll keep you posted.

Also, you should read read and keep reading! I made a lot of the mistakes you’re going through when I first started out. It’s hard to resist the temptation to buy, but patience is key in this hobby. Mistakes can get costly and send folks running for the hills. Never trust the LFS! Read on your own and keep coming to this forum.

 

[Snoopybdb]

I am currently battling ick also. Unfortunatly due to lack of room and $ right now i can't set up a qt tank. (by the time it finished cycling the firsh would probably be dead from the ick anyway). I;m using a product that i got at my lfs called stop parasite(reef safe). i have been using is for 2 1/2 days, so far nothing has died, all the levels in my tank have remained the same and no new white spots on my fish! So looks like so far so good! 2 of my fish are white spot free and hte 3rd only has 2 on it. Good luck with the battle.