Ich Spotting

[cusemarine]

New to this Site, could use some helpful advice.

Tank background: Started the tank 3.5-months ago. Over a month ago added LR while bordering fish at LFS for a week. Constantly check water parameters (ammonia-0, nitrite-0, nitrate~10, dKh~11). Use bio-ball wet/dry filter, protein skimmer, & Eheim mechanical filter. Added the anemone and cole tang last week (think the tang probably had the ich).

Only the spiny box puffer shows sign of the ich (white specs on its fine and a slight mucous haze around its eyes). The remaining fish continue to rub against the LR. t seems that most likely all the fish are affected by the ich but only the puffer is currently showing visible signs.

I would appreciate your thoughts on what I should do. I've read (online) possible remedies and here what I've found (other alternatives are also welcome):

1. Do nothing and continue to monitor the tank hoping the puffer's immune system will overcome the ich's life cycle.
2. Add Kent Extreme Garlic to the tank and add to fish food. Continue to monitor fish.
3. Setup a QT for the fish and lower the SG in the QT to 1.009 for a couple weeks.

If a QT tank is recommended I have never set one up and am not sure of what is needed or how to do it.

 

[quarryshark]

3. Setup a QT for the fish and lower the SG in the QT to 1.009 for a couple weeks.

Bingo, but all fish will need to be removed and the main tank will need to be kept fishless for a 6 week period to allow all the parasites to cycle through and die off.

If a QT tank is recommended I have never set one up and am not sure of what is needed or how to do it.

How many and what size fish do you have? A hospital tank is a bare bottom, basic tank with a heater, filter and some PVC elbows for the fish to hide in. You can use water from the main to get it started, you will be treating the water anyway.
For hypo, a good refractometer is needed, swing arm hydrometers are not accurate enough.

 

[cusemarine]

Here's what I got:

90-gallon marine tank with 1/2 dozen fish (queen angel 3", copperband butterfly 3",spiny box puffer 5", couple clowns 1"-2", and cole tang 3"); 100-pounds live rock, wet dry bioball filter, eheim mechanical filter, total 495 watts lighting w/2-MH, power compacts and lunars, bubble tip anemone; protein skimmer

Proposed QT:
1. 20-gallon tank (is this big enough?)
2. Heater, PVC elbows, refractometer (ok)
3. filter (what kind? hang-on? bio? carbon?)

 

[quarryshark]

1. 20-gallon tank (is this big enough?)

I would go with a 30-40 gallon, or else the water quality will drive you nuts with thisa bioload. Here is a pic of my 40 gallon qt tank from when I treated my entire fish stock.

2. Heater, PVC elbows, refractometer (ok)

Yes

3. filter (what kind? hang-on? bio? carbon?)

Hang on is fine, I used a skilter 250 on my 40 gallon. Carbon is OK unless you are treating with meds.

 

[steve-s]

I would actually suggest a polyfilter instead of the carbon if available to you. It will help with the water quality....

http://poly-bio-marine.com/polyprodinstall3.htm

Cheers
Steve

 

[quarryshark]

I would actually suggest a polyfilter instead of the carbon if available to you. It will help with the water quality....

True, the skilter filters come with a poyfilter and a carbon filter. You can simply remove the carbon if desired or if treating with meds.

 

[steve-s]

Just for clarification incase we are not talking about the same item, filter floss and a polyfilter are not the same. A polyfilter functions in a similar manner as carbon although unlike carbon will remove nitrogenous compounds as well as meds. So if medicating, it must be removed also.

Cheers
Steve

 

[cusemarine]

Thank you all for the advice. I started adding the Kent Extreme Garlic Monday. The fishes condition appears to be stable (not better but not worse) & they are still eating. Last night I was prepared to purchase the required equipment for my QT. Unfortunately I was unable to get to the LFS before closing time. I did however speak with the LFS owner who recommended the following.

Since my primary tank contains only turbo-snails and one anemone I may have better luck treating the ich/parasite chemically. He recommended a non-copper based treatment (No-Ich by Marine) - the link:

http://www.aquariumpros.com/aquaprostore/prods/FSVECOM.shtml

The cost of the chemical treatment followed by carbon filtering is significantly less than the QT and should be less stressful on the fish.

Does anyone have experience with No-ich by Marine or other non-copper based ich treatment? Success/Failures?

 

[quarryshark]

Does anyone have experience with No-ich by Marine or other non-copper based ich treatment? Success/Failures?

Take some time and read through this sick fish forum. Way more failures.
IMO and the opinion of others in this hobby and this forum that have been through the same thing, is you never want to add meds to your main. The quick fix meds that many LFS's push should be labeled quick failure meds.
Unfortunately the seemingly easiest way is not the best way and most likely is doomed to failure. Its ashame that many of these stores still sell this stuff when there is tons of info out there about treatments that consistently do work.
Here is some reading so you can further understand what you are dealing with.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm
(make sure you read through the FAQ's too)
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html