Dealing with ich

[Mcmcoker]

So I have been treating ich via hypo in my display tank for six weeks now and I'm more than ready to be done with the process. I started this tank a little over 3 months ago. Yes I know doing it in the dt was not the best idea but I had no other options. I was just at the point where I thought I was ready to start raising the salt again when a few spots showed up on my damsel.( tank only has a puffer a damsel and now dead rock) the puffer has been spot free for 4 weeks. I fresh water dipped the damsel, he then disappeared for 2 days and I thought he might have died but he reappeared this morning. He still has 1 spot left on him. I'm at a point of serious frustration. I started this hobby thinking I was just going to do a fowlr but now I want to move on to doing an awesome reef tank. I'm ready to do it now but obviously can't do anything until the ich is cured. The reason for this post is that in wanting to do the reef tank I will be getting rid of the puffer and damsel. All I want to do is start the reef tank now but even if I get rid of the two fish now I know my tank needs to go fallow for another 6 to 8 weeks. But I'm thinking that since my live rock is dead anyway could I get rid of the two fish and run the tank as freshwater tank for a few days? Would that completely kill the ich still lying in wait in the tank. Then could I add a few new pieces of live rock and add bottled bb to recycle the tank? I just really want to get this show on the road in regards to building my reef haven. I know this might be frowned upon by some but I had a lot of patience doing hypo for 6 weeks and am dreading the thought of possibly having another 10 weeks or more of it. Also maybe all of this was written for no reason. After 6 weeks of hypo could cysts really have survived and implanted themselves on the damsel. Could I be misdiagnosing what I'm seeing on the damsel. Hope someone has the patience to read all this and help lol

 

[Mcmcoker]

Anyone?

 

[ezy33]

IMO start over. Leave your system fish less and cycle it. Maybe a CUC and some soft corals to start once it's cycled. When I see a fish flash I use Kent's Garlic Extreme on the food for a few days. When I see any spots I use in the system per instructions. The trick is to catch it early. The garlic will boost the fishes immune system to help it fight off the infection.
Good luck!

 

[Mcmcoker]

I caught the initial outbreak early and having gone 4'weeks without any new signs of ich I thought I was good to go and after the first day of raising salinity which went from 1.009 to 1.011 a few spots showed up on the damsel hence my frustration. Knowing that even if the spots were to disappear within a few days I still had to go another 4 weeks just to be sure he was clear and another 4 weeks after that to be sure all ich in the tank was dead before I could even begin to start taking steps in the general direction of my reef build was enough for me to just want to give up. Not a good hobby for someone like myself with so little patience lol.

 

[carey]

I feel your frustration and it does suck hard core. If you love the hobby dont let it get you down though, it will eventually be time to start stocking again. The ich, if present on the fish right now needs the full treatment time to be sure its gone, I know you dont want to cut it short and have it surface again in a month or so.

You cant get a small tank and set that up for the ich fish? You just need a tank, heater and some water flow, nothing fancy.

 

[Mcmcoker]

Yes sadly when I started the hobby I started out with a 10gal tank, and all the gear for it but decided it was to small and upgraded to the 36 and sold the 10 on craigslist, doh! Palm to forehead