More sign of ich!!!

[kwan]

Guys, just a quick update and more help please!!

Well it turns out after a week that my yellow tang, and clowns are doing great and getting help from the cleaner shrimps. But my regal tang is now covered with ich and refuses any help from the cleaner shrimps.

The question is what should I do now?

1) Shall I leave the regal to see if he'll fight it off?
2) Or shall I QT the regal and leave other in the main?
3) Or shall I just move all fish out to QT and leave main to fallow again? My only concern is that ich might come back again after another period of QT.

I am already feeding them with garlic.

I believe the previous hypo treatment worked, but the ich seems to be from the main tank. So was the fallow period of 6 weeks not long enough?

I am also not too knee on using Cupramine because the effort required to maintain the correct level. Thats because I work away from home during the week so my wife has to take up that responsibility. However, if Cupramine is recommended than I'll go along with that.

I am really tired of this now even though I love this hobby so much. :x

 

[quarryshark]

Well I would pick option 3 and go 8 weeks this time. That worked for me with velvet. The cupramine also worked well, easy to maintain with seachems test kit.
I don't think it will go away on its own, would probably wax and wane until it would eventually take your fish.
Good luck!!

 

[kwan]

During the previous hypo treatment, the yellow tang's health did not look good towards the 6th week. It could be due to long exposure in the low salinity water.

Suppose I use cupramine for two weeks, will that be long enough? After the cupramine treatment, how can I remove the copper? I suppose what I am asking i, will the fish be healthier if kept in normal salinity for long period of time, such as 8 weeks this time.

 

[quarryshark]

I ran if for 2 weeks, it did the trick. To remove just run activated carbon. I kept the spg at normal level, less stress on the fish.
HTH

 

[kwan]

Thanks a lot quarryshark! Just one more question. How often and how much do you change your water when using cupramine?

 

[revhtree]

As often as needed. Just make sure that the new water is treated with cupramine to maintain the level of the copper. You dont want to dilute it. I have been using cupramine on my fish, and they have now lost all signs of ich. Now I am just waiting for the maintank to become ichless.

 

[kwan]

Revhtree, how long are you leaving your tank to fallow for? I think I'll leave mine for 8 weeks this time.

Will the copper give false readings to Ammonia, NO2, and NO3 tests?

 

[revhtree]

It could give a false reading for ammonia. I tested the reading for Nitrite and it was the same for the untreated water.

As for my fallow tank, I am leaving it fallow for 6 weeks.

 

[revhtree]

PS. The Cupramine works!!

Also remember that you can overdose it and kill your fish. You can also underdose it and the ich will not die. Dont worry though. If you can read directions, and have a copper test kit you'll be fine.

 

[revhtree]

Can you post a pic of the Tang that has ich? It would be helpful to alot of people if you did. I forgot to.

 

[kwan]

I don't think I can get a picture at all. He is such a good swimmer and never stay still.