ICK!!!!!!!!!!!

[GT96]

I have a reef tank ( 110 gal.) and my fish had ick and died somewhere behind the rocks. I cant see him, but I know he's dead. What do i do now ... I mean should I get the fish out and move everything in my tank, or should I just leave it and wait and just do a large water cycle, also. should i put ick medicing in ( says safe for reefs ) to try and get out anything in the tank. someone help me please

 

[quarryshark]

Absolutely do not medicate the main tank. Get the fish out to a QT and medicate them in a bare bottom tank . You can use pvc elbows for them to hide. Leave the main tank void of fish (inverts are Ok, not hosts) for at least 4 weeks, 6 is better. The parasite will go through its live cycle and die off without hosts. If you don't remove the fish hosts, it will only get worse.
I went through a battle with velvet, effectively erradicating it with the use of Cupermine. I tried hyposalinity to no avail, copper worked great.

 

[GT96]

when I stick my hand in the tank they go behind the rock and wont come out untill Im gone, is there anything else I can do

 

[quarryshark]

Yes, drain part of the water into a new 40 gallon garbage can (or 2)and place the rock in it. They loose the north south option and will make it easier to catch them. I just went through this with my 210 gallon and had to do the same thing. But is it the "only" way to get rid of it.

 

[quarryshark]

Ps: I live is Brunswick Hills, need any help, i'm pretty new at this but have been throught it recently.
Let me know.
Kurt

 

[duaumun]

First, it's ich, not ick. Also, how many other fish do you have in there? Definitely set up a quarintine but no substrate! Good luck getting rid of this pest!

Oh, Hablas espanol?
Hasta la vista senorita!

 

[BreannaBabel]

I think I had ick in my tank its been about 2 weeks. I had a false clownfish I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on what to do with the tank now. The clownfish is dead. I do have a chocolate starfish I was wondering if that is a host of ich. How do i get rid of the disease and what can the starfish cause???

 

[quarryshark]

No, inverts are not hosts your star is fine, only fish. Your best course of action would be to leave the tank fishless for at least 4 weeks, 6 would be better. The parasite cannot live without a fish host. You can also raise the tank temp to 82-84 degrees, this speeds up the life cycle of the parasites.
Good luck!!

 

[wildviolent]

Help! I have a 55gal reef tank-(fish only) and I noticed that my fish were in the first stages of ich- scratching on rocks and a white spot or two, so I treated my tank with a product called "Kick-Ich" that claimed to be reef friendly, and safe to use in treating the whole tank. All of my fish seem stressed sinch i put the medicine in yesterday, but they are all ok- except for my valentini puffer. She is laying on her side at the bottom of the tank and looks like shes hiccuping (sorry-only way to describe) I really don't want her to die, but I don't know why this is happening or what I shoud do. Please help

 

[duaumun]

Well, if you're tank is fish-only, then why does the product have to state reef friendly. I would advise you to set up a quarintine tank, especially for the puffer, with no substrate or sand, maybe just a hiding spot. Then you can medicate them singly.

 

[quarryshark]

They are probably stressed due to the parasite. I would move them all quickly, especially the puffer and treat with a real med like copper or formalin. You can set up a QT with water from you main and get them out.....soon. Any med that claims to be reef safe is not going to kill the parasites.
If the puffer is lying on her side, it may be too late but I would try anyway. You better get the others out, it will get them as well.
How many and what kind of fish??

 

[wildviolent]

Well fish, live rock, and a snail. It's too late though-about 30min after my post my poor puffer died. Now I'm worried that my other puffer and my trigger are going to die too, they are looking worse and worse. Why would this ich treatment hurt my fish like this? Im certain that I did not overdose them, and I've been told (too late) that Kick Ich is a worthless treatment anyway.

 

[wildviolent]

I have 2 damsels, a royal gramma, a mandarin fish, a picasso trigger, and a bennett's puffer that have survived. Only my puffers and trigger were affected, and I working on a QT tank for them. I just hope it works.

 

[quarryshark]

It will work, I just went through it. After losing 4 fish I treated with copper in a QT and everyone else is fine now. I used cupramine and you will need a good copper test kit to go with it. The only thing I am not sure about is using copper with a puffer. Not sure if they are hypersensitive to it.
Anyone??

 

[steve-s]

The only thing I am not sure about is using copper with a puffer. Not sure if they are hypersensitive to it.
Anyone??

They will not tolerate ionic copper but better forms of chelated copper. If copper is absolutely needed, Seachem's Cupramine would be tolerated well if used correctly but be absolutely sure you get the proper test kit that reads for this type of copper.

Cheers
Steve

 

[quarryshark]

Yes, Cupramine is what I use, seems to be tolerated by most fish. Agree about the test kit. I tried several and had to order Seachem's kit online. It worked great.
Thanks!!!

 

[nodoubt471]

speaking of copper based meds, are percula/ocellaris clowns particularly suseptable to them? i was planning on using it in my QT tank, but ive witnessed them floundering in copper treated tanks in my LFS. any suggestoins?

 

[quarryshark]

I treated my 4 Perculas with Cupramine with no adverse effects. They are doing just fine.

 

[Nitrate]

I have a Porpupine, Stars and Stripes and a longhorn that survived Cupramine treatment just fine. No worries if used properly.