Another Ich post.

[Cliving1]

Hello everyone,

I recently spoke with someone at work that had a saltwater tank (I just moved into town and my tank has been up for 5-6 weeks, no fish yet) but this was nice to meet someone who has a tank too and at work!

Anywho, his tank has been up around 2-3 months (120g FOWLR, I think 5' long?, not sure havent seen it yet). He has 2 green chromis and just purchased a yellow tang over the weekend ( about 2" according to him). He claims he sees the beginning stages of ich, so I figured I would jump on this forum and ask for advice. I have done some poking around and I cant seem to find an exact answer...(and I have never had an ich problem in the past so I cant help)

Copper treatment-Fish only tank but will still be in his live rock correct? so thats a no.

He does not have a quarantine tank, so he cant move the tang and is worried about stressing it out further (if that is indeed a trigger for ich, which I cant determine to much back and forth!)

Hypo-So can he slowly bring the salt level down to 1.009 in his DT? I think this would be the most effective treatment for 6-8weeks?

Last comment sorry for rambling-I have read some back and forth that truly there is always ich in a tank and doing either copper or hyposalinity will work, but there will be some level regardless..

Help!? haha.

 

[Deinonych]

1. Copper is not recommended for use in the DT as the rocks will adsorb the ions, making it difficult to maintain therapeutic dosage.

2. A quarantine tank (QT) is critical to long-term success in this hobby. Stress does not cause ich, it is caused by the ciliate Cryptocaryon irritans.

3. Hypo could be a viable option in the DT, provided there are no invertebrates and the specific gravity is maintained precisely at 1.009. There is at least one strain of Cryptocaryon that is resistant to hyposalinity, so this method is not without risk.

4. Crypto is only present in the aquarium if introduced. A well-executed quarantine protocol can ensure this never happens.

I would recommend that your friend familiarize himself with the disease (and others) by reading the stickies at the top of this forum. The link below is a great primer on Cryptocaryon.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa164

 

[Cliving1]

Thanks for the link, it was very helpful. So no copper, on in a. QT. if he does hypo he can do it in his DT.


But he should invest in a quarantine.

Now if stress isn't a cause, and he didn't have it before, that means the tang from the local store had it??

 

[snorvich]

Thanks for the link, it was very helpful. So no copper, on in a. QT. if he does hypo he can do it in his DT.


But he should invest in a quarantine.

Now if stress isn't a cause, and he didn't have it before, that means the tang from the local store had it??

Have your friend sign on to Reef Central and read. Third or fourth hand information loses while being passed on.

 

[microlady]

Crypto can enter the tank via rock, sand, and possibly inverts. It's very hard to keep it from entering the tank unless you quarantine everything. Most hobbyists do not have that amount of time or money.

 

[Cliving1]

Ok, I was not sure if it was possibly from the tang he brought in, but from your post it could be anything. How do you quarantine live rock or sand? I dont know how to do that and am interested as I did not with the 10 lbs live rock and sand I got for my tank.

Yeah Snorvich your right. I will tell him to create an account and post himself, just thought I was doing him a favor since he seems to want to ride it out but I know it doesnt just go away.

Thanks everyone for the help I guess this is up to him, hopefully he listens and takes the advice on RC!

 

[Deinonych]

While it's possible that cysts can come in with anything wet, it's more likely it came in with the fish itself.

 

[Cliving1]

So just to play devils advocate and be annoying:

How can one prevent ich at all if any of those things can bring it in?

 

[Giovanni]

It is actually faster to cure a fish of ich than to rid rock and such of ich.

With the TTM method you can cure a fish of ich in 14 days.

Non fish wet stuff need to sit for up to 12 weeks without fish.

 

[Deinonych]

A solid quarantine protocol for all fish will prevent the parasite from entering the display. While the risk is low that crypto will come in with inverts, sand etc., it's possible. Most aquarists don't quarantine inverts, but if you're really paranoid (like I am), you quarantine inverts in a dedicated QT for 10+ weeks.

 

[Giovanni]

Not all fish show signs of ich even if they have it. Therefore all new fish need to be treated as if they have ich and treated.

 

[Cliving1]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate you all humoring me I just couldn't get the fact that anything can bring it in, kind of seems an impossible feat to me. I know I dont have a qt for my new tank and haven't put anything in it yet, I am debating how much $ I have to set it up probably should have budgeted. Maybe its time to see my financial adviser (wife) about a loan ..

 

[snorvich]

Not all fish show signs of ich even if they have it. Therefore all new fish need to be treated as if they have ich and treated.

I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough. Most fish in the beginning do not have visual symptoms; behavior, on the other hand, while subtle, is usually a good indicator.

 

[Deinonych]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate you all humoring me I just couldn't get the fact that anything can bring it in, kind of seems an impossible feat to me. I know I dont have a qt for my new tank and haven't put anything in it yet, I am debating how much $ I have to set it up probably should have budgeted. Maybe its time to see my financial adviser (wife) about a loan ..

It's quite simple: fish can bring in the feeding (trophont) stage attached to them, inverts, rock & sand can potentially bring in the encysted (tomont) stage.

As far as a QT goes, it doesn't need to be fancy. A simple 20gal aquarium with heater and filtration is all that is required. Petco runs $/gal sales multiple times throughout the year, so you can pick up a tank or two pretty cheaply.