More sign of ich!!!

[kwan]

Having battled with ich for the past 3 months is really not the way to introduce SW to a newbie. I am totally devastated. I have moved my fish back in the main tank for about a week after 6 weeks in hypo. I have kept the salinity to 1.009 daily when they were in QT and the main tank had been left to fallow for 6 weeks. I have not added any new stock during this time, but I don't understand why my yellow tang is showing signs of ich. My regal and clarkii is still fine. But now I am worry they might catch ich as well.

So, what should I do? I am tempted to just leave him in the main for a couple of days to see if it is really ich and whether the cleaner shrimps can help out. I am not keen to QT him again since he has been in hypo for 3 months now and is certainly not good for his health.

What could have gone wrong? I think the hypo treatment worked fine. Is more likely that my main still has some ich parasite. But I thought 6 weeks was enough to get rid of it.

 

[quarryshark]

Sorry you are having so much trouble. I had similar problems when I got started, but mine was with velvet, there may have been ich as well.
Have you considered copper, specifically cupramine.
After a cupramine treatment and a 8 week fallow period, it did the trick. Perhaps if the tang is stressed, you could remove him to qt and leave normal tank water for a few days to allow him to rest. Then start the copper treatment.
Just a thought.

 

[kwan]

Thanks QS!

I used copper before, but the tang was so stressed out that I had to use hypo again. Cupramine is very difficult to get hold of in the UK. However, I have managed to find a stocklist and bought a bottle of this highly rated medication.

Moving him off to QT with normal tank water might be an idea. I think I shall just leave him tonight and check him again tomorrow before I move him off. And then I'll try out Cupramine. I think it would be better to leave the main tank to fallow for at least 8 weeks.

 

[quarryshark]

Agree with the fallow period. With the cupramine, you really need to get the Seachem multitest kit for copper. At proper levels the med works great and is relatively mellow on the fish.
I believe http://www.marinedepot.com
Carries the test kit. Not sure about UK delivery.
Its a nightmare I know.
Good luck!!

 

[steve-s]

What was used to measure the salinity and if a refractometer, when was it calibrated last?

Cheers
Steve

 

[kwan]

I used a refractometer and I calibrated it before I started hypo. I have just calibrated again and it is consistent with measurements taken before and after.

 

[steve-s]

How often is the salinity checked throughout the process?

Sorry for all the Q's, I'm just trying to figure out your issue. Hyposalinity performed accurately rarely (if ever) fails. Especially after 6 weeks at 16 ppt.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kwan]

I checked salinity everyday. I think hyposalinity was fine. It could be the tank not left to fallow long enough. But surely 6 weeks should have done the job.

 

[steve-s]

6 weeks usually does the trick, that's why I am at a loss unless something during the process was amiss.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kwan]

Well Steve, I don't think I have missed anything out. It is my second attempt at hyposalinity. The only thing that could have gone wrong is the fallow period might have been too short which both of us think should be sufficient.

So having started the SW tank six months ago, my fish have spent 3 months in QT and more on the way. The additional work required to maintain the QT is very demanding and I am about to throw in the towel. Since I have these LR and inverts I can't just strip down the main tank and start over again. Any suggestions?

 

[revhtree]

How many fish do you have?
Is there any way your lfs will take them, and give you some kind of fture credit? (ichless of course)

Not a very good answer to your problem, but I have thought about it myself.

 

[steve-s]

Have you considered this may not be C. irritans?

I know it's going to be near impossible to get a clear pic but try if you can.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kwan]

The thought of not ich has come across my mind. But the symptom is too close to ich and not velvet. Unless there is something similar to salt grain sized spots that I am not aware of. I'll see if I can get a picture tomorrow when the lights come back on. I doubt it though. Is like telling my child to hold still whilst taking their photo.

I have 4 fish left, a yellow tang, regal tang, clarkii, and marron. And I have asked if my LFS would take them back, the answer was no!

 

[tuwhada]

I have a question what if you don't see white spots what if hte fish are just scratching. Is that still ich or is that something else?

Christina

 

[quarryshark]

The thought of not ich has come across my mind. But the symptom is too close to ich and not velvet. Unless there is something similar to salt grain sized spots that I am not aware of. I'll see if I can get a picture tomorrow when the lights come back on. I doubt it though. Is like telling my child to hold still whilst taking their photo.

I have 4 fish left, a yellow tang, regal tang, clarkii, and marron. And I have asked if my LFS would take them back, the answer was no!

It may be velvet. I was fooled into thinking my outbreak was ich until fish starting dropping like flies.
Seriously, I would try the cupramine along with the longer fallow period before you throw in the towel.

 

[kwan]

QS: The spots are not fine enough to be velvet. But I'll make sure. But this is exactly the same symptom in my previous attempt to QT them.

Christina: I would say the first sign of ich is when the fish starts scratching. After a day or so, you will see the white spots developing.

 

[JJFly]

Ich

Try a couple Neon Gobys. They cleaned the Ich off my tang and large tomato clown. Since I put them in my tank, I've not had another problem with Ich.

 

[steve-s]

And when the gobies become infested what then

Stick to proven methods and you will have less (or hopefully no) problems with keeping your fish healthy.

Kwan, if after all your fish where properly treated with hyposalinity for 4 weeks and the tank was left fallow for 6, I am at a loss. C. irritans can simply not survive the 16 ppt salinity for that period. The only thing that makes any sense is the fallow period was not sufficient, the treatment went askew or it's not ich.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kwan]

Steve, I agreed 4 weeks with hypo should be enough. It must be the fallow period not enough.

I have not move my yellow tang to QT yet because he is enjoying the better quality water in the main tank. And he is definitely looking healthier even though he has ich. However, I also observed he is getting help from my cleaner shrimps. The ich has been clearing up , with one or two cropping up each day, but doesn't look like manifesting itself.

Previously I had a couple of neon gobys which I was told by my LFS will control the ich. That was until they got infested and died. So neon gobys are just as vulnerable as other fish. I still believe it is reoccurring ich that I have got.

 

[quarryshark]

Just to play devils advocate, in the event it is velvet and the previous treatment didn't work, why not try the copper treatment? This covers all the bases.