Ich Help!

[Jack22]

My sail fin tang got a bad case of ich. I noticed it yesterday and unfortunately he was dead by morning. Now my tank is infected.

My LFS highly recommended Ich-X. They said it works great and is reef safe. I'm a little skeptical because Of what I've read online.

On the other hand I've read some good things about Ruby Reef Kick-Ich. All of the reviews said it didn't harm any coral or inverts.

Does anyone have experience with either of these products in a reef tank?

I have a 10 gal quarantine tank, but I don't think it would support 8 fish for 30 days while I wait for my display tank to be naturally rid of Ich.

How effective is a UV sterilizer in preventing things like this?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Schism]

My sail fin tang got a bad case of ich. I noticed it yesterday and unfortunately he was dead by morning. Now my tank is infected.

My LFS highly recommended Ich-X. They said it works great and is reef safe. I'm a little skeptical because Of what I've read online.

On the other hand I've read some good things about Ruby Reef Kick-Ich. All of the reviews said it didn't harm any coral or inverts.

Does anyone have experience with either of these products in a reef tank?

I have a 10 gal quarantine tank, but I don't think it would support 8 fish for 30 days while I wait for my display tank to be naturally rid of Ich.

How effective is a UV sterilizer in preventing things like this?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Best advice would be to find a tank on craiglist for the cheap a 40 breeder would probably be plenty large you can probably find one or a size close for the same price as that medication. Or just get a 20g and have 2 QTs running.

Quarantine for atleast 4 weeks with hypo and your fish and display will be ich free at the end. No risk and guaranteed results, dont buy into the miracle ich cures. Doing it the right way the first time will save you time, money, livestock and frustration.

 

[Jack22]

Thanks for the help. Do I have to go hypo salinity in both tanks or just the QT tank with the fish in it?

 

[Jack22]

What can I do to insure I don't contaminate my tank when adding fish in the future?

 

[Schism]

Thanks for the help. Do I have to go hypo salinity in both tanks or just the QT tank with the fish in it?

Only hypo in the QT tank, but has to be all fish, the display tank must be fishless, i would give it six weeks to be safe reef tanks cant handle hypo or copper.

 

[melosu58]

Read these

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro

 

[tonedogz]

What can I do to insure I don't contaminate my tank when adding fish in the future?

QT all fish you purchase for at least 3 weeks and you'll never have this problem again.

 

[Jack22]

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Jack22]

The owner of my LFS told me that if I add a UV sterilizer to my tank and run it at the proper flow to kill parasites it will kill the Ich in my tank and I don't need to quarantine my fish or treat with any other medication. Is this true?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

The owner of my LFS told me that if I add a UV sterilizer to my tank and run it at the proper flow to kill parasites it will kill the Ich in my tank and I don't need to quarantine my fish or treat with any other medication. Is this true?

No, it's not true. It can help prevent ich, just like boosting your fishes immune system with adding garlic to their food, but will not eradicate ich from
your system. Some aquarists simply "deal" with ich in their system, actually I would say most do lol, but the right way is to treat the fish in QT, let the tank run fallow to rid it of ich, and QT all fish in the future prior to adding them to your tank.

 

[tonedogz]

Thats the biggest bunch of bull i've ever heard. UV will only destroy what passes through it its highly unlikely that thousands of ich would be killed before killing the fish. There is no substitute for qting the fish.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

They're just trying to get the sale on the UV sterilizer unfortunately, or are just uneducated about what they should be experts in...

 

[Jack22]

After doing some research on UV and listening to the opinions of some members I did decide to purchase a UV sterilizer. I think it will be beneficial for several reasons. However, I did not buy it from the store that gave me that advise. It was $100 cheaper online.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I wasn't saying NOT to get a UV sterilizer, however there are many debates about them. I was just saying that the advice from the LFS was untrue regarding killing the ich.

 

[Jack22]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any offense. I really appreciate all the advise from everyone. I just figured it couldn't hurt to add one.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any offense. I really appreciate all the advise from everyone. I just figured it couldn't hurt to add one.

No offense taken I just didn't want you thinking I was against UV sterilizers... Just what you were told. It happens all too often people get bad advice from stores, which is what drives this forum lol

 

[tonedogz]

Hey Jack you need to make sure that all the water flows through the uv before it goes back to the tank for it to be effective

 

[Jack22]

QT all fish you purchase for at least 3 weeks and you'll never have this problem again.

Should I treat the QT tank with anything when quarantining a new fish or just watch for signs of any infection for 3 weeks?

 

[tonedogz]

Should I treat the QT tank with anything when quarantining a new fish or just watch for signs of any infection for 3 weeks?

Don't add any meds unless needed. Just keep a watchful eye

 

[Jack22]

Hey Jack you need to make sure that all the water flows through the uv before it goes back to the tank for it to be effective

I'm a little confused about what you mean? I don't have a sump so I got a little Rio submersible pump to put in the tank. It feeds directly into the UV and the return from the UV empties right back into the tank. It does about 100gph max.