Coral safe ick meds

[Jbrodys]

So I just lost my fairy wrasse to ick it was too late by the time I noticed now both my tangs have it. I been using coral safe meds since Tuesday but my orange shoulder seems a lot worse I don't know if he's gonna make it. What can I do.

 

[scottayy]

Make sure it's a proper diagnosis first.. post some pictures?

When this happened to me, the only "for sure" way is to get all of the fish out of the tank into a QT tank and treat with copper. Leave the display tank with corals fishless for a period of time (I chose 6 weeks) to allow the parasites time to die without something to host on.

Right now I'm on like week 3 of having no fish in there. I lost 4 fish because I waited too long to treat them. 2 died in the DT and 2 died a day after treatment started. 3 have survived and are doing really well.

I've never tried any of the "coral safe" meds. From my research, impressions were that they did not work.

 

[Pastor Salty]

Try Kick Ick

 

[Jbrodys]

First one was a few days ago when I started meds. And second is today. I'm gonna have to buy a qt. tomorrow I don't think he's gonna make it though. Should I also put the cleanup crew in qt. also with the meds I have now should I have dosed enough for the sump too.

 

[scottayy]

Definitely looks like white spot.

If you do decide to qt, you have to pay close attention and do water changes because the tank will cycle (bad for already stressed fish!).

If you decide to use copper, it will kill any inverts so don't put them in there. Any other medicine, I don't know.. you will have to read the label.

Just from what I've experienced in the past and seeing those photos your fish aren't going to make it (not trying to be mean!). It is worth trying though.

But having a quarantine tank ready to go on a moments notice is a very, very wise investment!

 

[Jbrodys]

Do I have to wait to cycle the qt

 

[scottayy]

Tough call! Up to you, but I don't think your fish will wait that long.

I didn't cycle mine, but I had filter media to help seed the bacteria and it is only a 10g so I could easily do 90% water changes. If you don't cycle, it will need daily testing and probably water changes for at least the first week.

 

[scottayy]

Just for your info, I used a 10 gallon bare aquarium, 50w heater, hang on back filter, an air stone, and 4" pvc cut up on the bottom to give them a place to hide (don't use substrate on the bottom).

I used CopperSafe chelated copper with an API copper test kit. Daily topoffs to replace evaporation.

Please do a bunch of research before deciding on any treatment and ask people at your LFS.

There are also other methods to try like freshwater dips, hyposalinity, increased temp, other medications, vitamin/garlic supplementation, antibiotics, and combinations of these. Read about them to see if you would like to try them. But from what I understand, copper and a fishless DT is the best bet to get rid of it. QT and coral dipping is the best way to prevent it.

 

[Jbrodys]

K I'm gonna get a 10g after work tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be too late. Thank you so much

 

[kdpuffer]

Good luck, ick can be a real pain in the backside.

 

[scottayy]

You're welcome.
The stress of moving them might kill them too. Be sure to acclimate them properly to the QT.

 

[tonedogz]

kick ich doesn"t work very well as stated by scott get them into a qt tank pronto I used cupramine on my flame angel and it worked great.watch for ammonia spikes in new qt tank if you have to do water changes you'll have to get a copper test kit to check on the copper level. good luck

 

[melosu58]

None of those ick medicines esp. the reef safe brand will work. I perfer to call them snake oils. Let me give you some good info on the QT and the parasite.

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

 

[mr_X]

Don't put any ich meds in your display. Get a QT tank and treat them in there. Those reef safe ich meds don't work.

 

[Jbrodys]

I started qt But tangs did not make it. Other fish are doing well. They didn't show signs of ick though. I couldn't find my yellow goby he was tiny I don't know if he was hiding or maybe he got sick and cleanup crew took care of him. And this morning I looked at dt and realized cleaner wrasse still in there.should I put him in qt too? I also tested ammonia in qt its at .50 need to do water change already but I expected that especially with the tangs not making it.

 

[scottayy]

Yep, if you don't get all of the fish out of there the white spot will have a host and continue it's life cycle.. even if to a small degree.

DT must be fishless for a period of time.

Sorry to hear about your tangs man.

 

[Jbrodys]

K just checked qt and both clowns have it now What do I do now. Meds in tank since Friday.

 

[mr_X]

I would do some water changes to remove whatever is stressing the fish to the point of lowering their immune systems.

 

[tonedogz]

What meds are you using

 

[Jbrodys]

I was using chem marine reef safe though didn't work for me. Now in qt I am using cupramine The one clown not doing well though. Been doing water changes. And I gradually lowered salinity down Its at about 1.015 now. All fish doing well except for the one clown. How long do I leave the salinity down.