Ich treatment. Please Help!! PART II

[ryshark]

I had the exact same problem with my Blue Tang a little over a week ago and I also used the Ich Attack daily. The very next day after Ich Attack the white spots started to look more like blotches. The 3rd day the blotches looked more brown color and were fading away. 4th day the blotches started to disappear. The 5th day they were pretty much gone. The 6th day it was completely gone. 7th day the fish looked great and this was the last day I added the Ich Attack treatment.
Now for THE CATCH. On the 9th day I did my 25% pwc and put all new filter media, everything seemed good. The 10th day the white spots came back, and with a vengance, about 5-times worse than initially.
So the person on the first Ich treatment thread that said it looks better with Ich Attack and then they come back was absolutely right. However, I'm going to give the Ich Attack the benefit of the doubt and start the process all over again. But this time around I will continue to medicate a week or more after the tang looks fine in case there are still some free swimming ich parasites.
Now THE QUESTION. I just put all brand new Chemi Pure Elite in yesterday so about $24 worth of it. Do you think I can save it by putting it back in the container? Or should I throw it away?
As I'm writing this I feel like there are little bugs on my hands just from the thought of sticking my hands in that water. I know its just in my head though. I have a feeling I will be doing hyposalinity after the first of the year. :x

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Read up on the life cycle of ich. Read the articles that were given here...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=102937

What you describe is the normal life cycle.

1. Little specks show up.
2. Fish may fend it off and heal up the wounds.
3. Now nourished, ich hides away in your tank and reproduces.
4. 7-10 days later, ich comes back in exponentially larger numbers and attacks fish again.
5. Go back to step 1, but with more little specks.

The "meds" you used don't do anything. You could've done nothing, and witnessed the exact same thing happen to your tank.

The ChemiPure is the least of your concerns. You need to get your Tang in a QT, use known effective treatment (hyposalinity or copper, preferably hypo), and let your main go fishless for 6-8 weeks to break the life cycle and starve out all the ich. Save your money on doing the herbal treat again, and just bite the bullet.

 

[cmor1701d]

Why till next year? Your livestock may not survive that long. Start the HYPOSALINITY treatment this week in a QT tank.

 

[ryshark]

Ihave a 10gal empty tank. Is it big enough for 3" tang
2x 1" ocellaris
3x 1" chromis
2" sgt mjr damsel?
I only have live rock as bio filtration, how can I jump start QT?

 

[cmor1701d]

It's tight but anything is better than nothing. Add some small PVC elbows and joints as hiding places. Prepare 5 gallon pails of SW for 2x daily 20% PWC to keep the parameters in check till you get a bio-filter going. I keep a small HOB with a biowheel around for that. I keep the biowheel in my sump when the QT is not running.

Try to pick up a 30 gal tank or even a 20 gal Brute tub at Lowes to use for that many fish.

 

[melosu58]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/sp/feature/index.php

 

[ellisz]

The ammonia will be uncontrollable with that many fish in a 10 gal QT tank IMO. You would need some media from a well established tank to even have a chance. Daily water change to remove waste as well.

Get a large rubbermaid if you have to. A QT tank does not have to be a glass tank. It makes it easier to inspect the fish but in a pinch, they will do.