I got Ich bad!

[BEWarren]

40 Gal Saltwater with Live Rock. Just got back into the hobby after several years out and am relearning a lot.... I just lost my anenome and all my fish but the clown to ick. The local store recommended buying a neon goby when my first fish got sick, now all are dead.
I don't want to copper treat my tank as I want to keep the live rock. I read a post about heating the temperature up to 84 degrees for 2 weeks to kill off the ich - is this effective? Any other options?
I still have a peppermint shrimp - should I trade in for a cleaner shrimp? I also still have 2 small queen conchs, 6 turbo snails, and 15 blue-legged hermits.

Thanks -
Brian

Originally Posted by BEWarren

I read a post about heating the temperature up to 84 degrees for 2 weeks to kill off the ich - is this effective? Any other options?

That is probabley one of the worst myths in the SW hobby concerning marine ich. It has absolutely no affect on interupting it's life cycle but rather speeds it up. The optimum temperature for C. irritans to reproduce is actually 86°. All it will accomplish is to infect the fish faster. Any temp required to kill the parasite would also kill the fish host in the process.

The best method of treatment would be to set up a proper >>QT<< . Normally I would also suggest hyposalinity as an option but your tanks level of infestation is probabley quite high and the clown itself may not have the time required. Once the QT is up and running, start treatment with copper, preferabley Cupramine by Seachem. It is very effective but does require the Seachem copper test to be monitored properly.

In order for the main tank to free itself of the ich problem, it must remain fallow for at least 4 weeks. The invertebrate animals can stay in the tank as they cannot feed the problem, only the fish are the concern. Never rely on cleaner fish or shrimp to keep the tank free of problem parasites. Only through QT-ing all new additions for 4 weeks prior to introduction to the main tank can you prevent future problems.

Cheers
Steve

[Hara]

That is probabley one of the worst myths in the SW hobby concerning marine ich. It has absolutely no affect on interupting it's life cycle but rather speeds it up.

I respectfully disagree. The only times I have had ich infestation, this has done a remarkable job to rid the fish of the parasite. Yes, it speeds it up, and the lifecycle part where it is ON THE FISH, gets over sooner. My fish did not get reinfested after the parasite had fallen off either. (maybe that was due to the garlic, which also has no scientific backing) either way, it worked for me.

[mansiz]

Hi Hara, you fed your fish with food soak in garlic juice for only when your fish infected with ich or you fed them even after they recover?

Many times temperature has been touted as the cure when in fact is was only a piece of the puzzle. Combined with garlic or actual proven remedies, it can have an certain affect on the problem but should not be considered the cure. There are many, many variables that should be considred.

Health of the fish, feeding/diet, stage of the parasite, amount and frequency of garilc used. salinity of the water. possible use of vitamins and so on. It is also not recommended to raise the temp due to the stress it can cause on the fish itself. Until the proper circumstances are determined neither garlic nor temp should be considered as a treatment, IMO.

It should still be advocated that a proper QT should be used with proven methods. If all new fish are quarantined prior to being placed in the main display tank for the proper 4 week period, they will be of no future concern of introducing parasites.

Cheers
Steve

[Hara]

Mansiz, I use the soaked food several times a week in all my tanks.