Ich

[redsea]

So I believe I have ich. I can't treat in my display tank because I have coral. If I set up a 10g QT, do I have to cycle it? My DT that has ich is a 34g. Thank you!

[Fishguy2727]

In saltwater it is not ich, it is white spot.

What fish has white spot?

There are effectively no good treatments of white spot in reef tanks. The safest thing I have seen is to use freshly pressed garlic to soak the food in. The allicin in garlic can kill parasites. I have heard some examples of New Life Spectrum Thera+A treating marine white spot because that formula has so much garlic in it.

IME quarantine tanks don't work 90% of the time. Stress causes illness and QTs are a great way to cause stress. The smaller volume causes lower water quality. The lack of stability since it is not a long term established tank, sparse decorations, etc. all cause extra stress on the fish. IME it is better to leave them in the DT, do some extra water changes to keep water quality up, and feed well so they are fat and happy (don't overfeed and pollute the tank though).

What is the nitrate concentration?

[carey]

Here is a quick article on ich and how to treat it and how it works.

Marine Ich or White Spot Disease

[Coolsp22]

Ich showed up for me so I began a 20 gal hospital/QT tank. Moved all fish in, got my cycle over and started cupramine. That was a month ago, just one more and all fishies can move back home. For now on everything wet goes to QT first.

[zoom760]

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

[slitherbomb]

Originally Posted by Fishguy2727

In saltwater it is not ich, it is white spot.

What fish has white spot?

There are effectively no good treatments of white spot in reef tanks. The safest thing I have seen is to use freshly pressed garlic to soak the food in. The allicin in garlic can kill parasites. I have heard some examples of New Life Spectrum Thera+A treating marine white spot because that formula has so much garlic in it.

IME quarantine tanks don't work 90% of the time. Stress causes illness and QTs are a great way to cause stress. The smaller volume causes lower water quality. The lack of stability since it is not a long term established tank, sparse decorations, etc. all cause extra stress on the fish. IME it is better to leave them in the DT, do some extra water changes to keep water quality up, and feed well so they are fat and happy (don't overfeed and pollute the tank though).

What is the nitrate concentration?

I agree with everything said here. I've only experienced marine ich a few times but it has always quickly gone away, never to come back following the steps above.

[FTMMWS]

The best way to deal with ich is to not deal with it at all...Do you really want to go pressing garlic cloves and soaking food every time your fish gets a spec on it(which it will continue to do ) and stress over the fact your tank may be too stressed to add a new fish...Treat your fish in QT,,let the ich in your DT starve and QT from now on
If you know how to QT properly you will have success ....QT's work..
Nice read BTW Carey,i haven't read that one

[redsea]

So I am confused now LOL. Some people say to soak the food in garlic, and feed foods with garlic, but some other people say the best way is to use a QT. I am kinda leaning towards the QT, because I want the ich to die off in the DT.

If I go with the QT method:
How do I go about cycling this tank?
What equipment/meds should I use?


Thank you everyone for all of your help! I really do appreciate it!

[slitherbomb]

Do all of your fish have ich or just 1 or 2?

[redsea]

I think it is all. The only one I am not sure of if he has it is one of my Clowns.

[FTMMWS]

Originally Posted by slitherbomb

Do all of your fish have ich or just 1 or 2?

This is really irrelevant ,,the tank is infested with ich now...

Take a few pieces of LR from your DT and some sand ,,put it into the QT,,( also use the water from DT).This will save your QT from going through any kind of cycle...Place fish in and start hypo...What is your filtration on your DT(you can use the media from that on QT too?..What do you plan to use on your QT?

[slitherbomb]

Healthy fish can fend of the ich parasite though so it would starve so if it was just one or two fish, those can be taken out only. It's kinda difficult taking out any fish out of a tank bigger than 10g without removing every single rock along with it.....

[redsea]

For my DT, I have a 34 Gallon Red Sea Max, so I have two filter pads in the back of the tank. Water overflows into there.

[redsea]

If I moved a rock and sand onto a QT, wouldn't all of the stuff on it die because of the treatment?

[FTMMWS]

You could use one of those pads in an HOB on your QT...
Yes your rock will die(a small price to pay IMO),,don't use all of it,,the remaining LR in your DT will be fine ,,except now there will be no more ich living in it
Bottom line is ,its your tank ,,take the info we all provided and do what you think is best for you..

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

[redsea]

Does any HOB filter work? I will be at Petco in a little bit.

[carey]

I wouldn't put anything in the qt except for some pieces of pvc pipe for the fish to hide in. No sand or rock. You'll be treating the tank anyways so you'll be doing water changes. No need to waste your live rock in my opinion.

[redsea]

Originally Posted by carey

I wouldn't put anything in the qt except for some pieces of pvc pipe for the fish to hide in. No sand or rock. You'll be treating the tank anyways so you'll be doing water changes. No need to waste your live rock in my opinion.

Ok . What is your opinion on the HOB filter? Dies any one work on a salt tank?

[carey]

Any HOB will work.

[redsea]

That's great! And it is still ok to use the carbon and such, right?