Suggestions for Tackling Ich

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Natterjak

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Messages
81
Location
Dublin, CA
A week ago, I'd noticed my porcupine puffer and flame angel coming down with a few spots of ich. I treated for a week with Greenex, and the spots disappeared, but yesterday the puffer was covered in spots, as was the angel. (There is a yellow tang and a false perc in there as well, that so far look okay.)

I only have a 10-gallon QT, so we bought a 23-gallon rubbermaid container to serve as a QT, and I'm going to put all 4 fish in there and leave the tank fallow for 4 weeks.

I'm trying to decide what course of treatment to take. The problem is, I don't have a refractometer. Best I can do is either a swing arm (what we have now) or a glass hydrometer. Is either of these going to work well enough to safely do hyposalinity? Is there enough time to do hyposalinity? The puffer has the worst of the spots, and so far seems fine, but I'm concerned that he's going to start heading downhill if it isn't taken care of soon, especially since this has been going on for a week now.

The other problem is that I know puffers are sensitive to copper treatments. So I'm really not sure at this point which would be the safer method.

Any suggestions?
 
I went down to the LFS and tried to find some cupramine, and ended up talking to one of the workers there who was convinced that the puffer was being picked on, and that was the cause of the ich outbreak. While the puffer seems to be the one that breaks out first, I've never seen him be picked on. The guy said that even after leaving the main tank fallow and treating the fish, he would bet that the puffer would come down with ich again due to stress.

My question is, for anyone who's gone and QT'd all their fish and left the main tank fallow for 4-6 weeks, have you ever had another outbreak of ich, even when the fish were stressed?

Also, what should I do to maintain the bacteria in the main tank while its fishless?
 
Just put mine back in after a velvet oubreak. I left it fallow for 8 weeks, so far so good. As far as feeding your bacteria, you can throw a raw shrimp in there every few days.
Good luck
 
Natterjak said:
My question is, for anyone who's gone and QT'd all their fish and left the main tank fallow for 4-6 weeks, have you ever had another outbreak of ich, even when the fish were stressed?
Your LFS like many is perpetuating the myth that ick is inherent to all fish no matter what, which is incorrect. It is more than possible for the main tank to be parasite free indefinately provided they are introduced properly. If the fish are treated successfully and the main tank left fallow for the proper period, this will not be a problem in future. You must also ensure that any new fish are properly introduced via quarantine and observed for a 4 week period to ensure no re-introductions. FWIW, Greenex is a poor choice for dealing with C. irritans

Re-occurances are only a concern if the tank is not left fallow for a minimum of 4 weeks (depending on protozoan) and/or the fish treatment was not successful. Fish do not simpley "develope" the parasite.

Also, what should I do to maintain the bacteria in the main tank while its fishless?
As mentioned, adding small amounts of food weekly should maintain the bacteria. The food you would normally feed the fish will be sufficient and only once or twice a week is needed. Also be sure to add the fish back one at a time so you will not overload the display tanks biofilter. Least aggressive first.

Cheers
Steve
 
Steve is right on the money. Ich can only live for 4 weeks with out a host. That includes the full life cycle and their offspring. But for the tank to be ich free, it has to be fallow for the full 4weeks...6 is better. Even if you dont see the ich on the fish they can still be present is small enough amounts to keep the population alive. Add a little stress or injury and you have the right mix for another outbreak. Check out http://www.reef-aquarium.net/resources/disease/ich.html for more detailed info on ich, its lifecycle, and treatment. :wink:
 
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