Any recomendations for my ICH dilema?

[Fizz71]

It looks like the PBT I introduced a few months back has finally gotten ich to the point that it has spread to just about everybody else. The corals are all doing fine, but I'd say 80% of my fish are now infected.

Any suggestions?

It will be tough to net anybody out of this tank and even if I do I have no place to put them. I initially QT'd a few days in a 10g, and I have a dirty 30 from my FW days I might be able to clean..but again...I don't know what to even do at this point.

 

[coralnut99]

The only outbreak of ich I've had in the last 10 years was after adding a few anthias in a 125 that had a smallish purple tang. The tang developed a pretty good case of ich, and I thought I would lose him, but it just went away in about two days. The only thing I did was feed a bit heavier to get the new anthias to eat. My theory's always been that ich is just about ever-present. Healthy, well-fed fish have no trouble fighting it off. I know this doesn't sound very scientific, but feed a bit more(and maintain water quality with a shorter w/c cycle), maybe using a garlic soak. More feeding will reduce any agression-induced stress that may or may not be the cause. Best of luck.

 

[rigleautomotive]

Kevin,havent had ick in many years but i had good luck with the medicated fish foods when I did.The tetra medicated flakes is what i used back then and they were safe with corals.There may be something better now but i am unaware of it if there is.The other thing I would do is add a cleaner wrasse and a cleaner shrimp.

 

[fishinizku]

I tried Kick-Ich about 9 months ago and it did not work. At all. Plus it costs about $30 to treat 45 gal. I ended up moving the fish to quarantine and letting the tank sit fishless for 3 months.

I think this is a good summary if you haven't read it yet:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm

 

[rickyfins]

+1 on Cleaner Wrasse and Cleaner Shrimp. Increased water changes, and medicated food also help. The addition of an appropriately sized UV for system volume will help break its life cycle. Not what you see on the fish, but what is in the meta phase will be killed and prevent further spreading of the parasite.

You don't have to keep the UV running constantly, just while you are treating and trying to cure ich.

Best of Luck Kevin, Let me know how it goes.

 

[Fizz71]

I already have a cleaner shrimp in there..2 actually although only 1 has setup a station.

The only way I'll be able to run my tank fallow is if all the fish get so sick that I can actually catch them. Right now they are all too active and the tank is too large to chase them down.

I'll head down to TFP wednesday for some medicated food and look at UVs. I was holding off on a water change because my WC tub needs a cleaning, but I guess I'll have to live with it and use it again.

Thanks guys.

 

[Ricunger]

How have the fish been doing?

 

[Fizz71]

I think I lost the Blackcap Basslet. My gorgonian and one hammer are not holding up well with the stuff I've been using. I'm dosing the tank with Herbtana and feeding the fish foods soaked in garlic and/or selcon.

So far...no improvement.

I trying to get the PBT out but he's a smary little bastard.

Everybody is eating and acting normal..they just all look like crap.

 

[Fizz71]

Well I managed to catch the PBT today so he's in a 10g hospital tank. I have to get some treatment tommorrow as right now it's just an isolated tank. Any recomendations on treatments now that I don't have to worry about inverts?

I also did a 50g water change and I'm stopping the Herbtana and putting the skimmer back on.... My hammer was not happy with the changes.

I might also lose my male Photon. If he doesn't clear up with the PBT out he may join him in the hospital tank.

 

[rickyfins]

Have you tried a FW dip? That tends to get the big parasites off and relieve some stress while the smaller ones grow to be dipped off a day or so later.

 

[Fizz71]

How long do you leave them dipped in FW? I've heard up to 30 minutes, but only if you take the time to adjust PH and all that. I was looking to just treat the QT with methylene blue or something like that.

 

[rickyfins]

FW dip with adjusted pH for a few minutes. I wouldn't do 30 minutes, that would probably lead to death. I generally put the fish in until they start to look stressed out and then return them to the QT. Most parasites can't take the FW dip as long as the fish can so it is a fairly cheap and easy solution if you have them QT'ed.

 

[coralnut99]

FW dip with adjusted pH for a few minutes. I wouldn't do 30 minutes, that would probably lead to death. I generally put the fish in until they start to look stressed out and then return them to the QT. Most parasites can't take the FW dip as long as the fish can so it is a fairly cheap and easy solution if you have them QT'ed.

This is pretty much the way I've seen it done. I agree not much will hold up for 30 minutes. It's a matter of watching closely, and not pushing it too far. Too far has different time parameters for each case.

 

[rigleautomotive]

I agree,Back in the day,lol.one of the lfs that i went to fw dipped all fish and coral before putting in his system.The guy was very sucessful for the early days of reef keeping .anyway he now runs a public aquarium near canada,upstate NY

 

[Fizz71]

Well it's a moot point. The PBT was dead when I got home. The QT was too much stress I guess. It's sad because he was happily eating and swimming fine before I moved him.

Right now the only fish that really appear to be in danger are my Photons. I can't catch them to dip them so I just need to keep a close eye on them at this point.

 

[Fizz71]

Update....Came home today to find the Mystery Wrasse and the Bullet Fish dead. The thought to be dead black cap is actually alive, but barely, probably won't last the night.

I really wish I had a way to get these photons out to dip and QT but I just can't catch them not to mention my hospital tank already killed 1 fish.

Ugh.

 

[lawmary]

Sorry to hear this Fizz when you have just gotten your tank back up and running.

 

[Fizz71]

All the corals are doing great..I just lost half my fish. I MIGHT be on the road to recovery..knock on wood...the clowns are looking better everyday so I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

 

[coralnut99]

I can't say I lost anywhere near what you lost, but I thought I was headed to the same place for sure. Not ich in my case but external parasites of some sort. Same dilemma, can't tear a reef tank apart (2 in my case) to catch the fish; just way too many corals involved. My system's relatively new too after a disaster last Feb. I finally got it back up in Dec.

Two prop tanks plummed to a common sump, so it just spread between tanks. Here's the interesting part: Only two fish out of 8 total were affected, one died and the second is well on the road to recovery. Four small sunburst anthias never even even got a twitch, the two hawaiian sailfins were happy as clams through it all. The only fatality was a coral beauty. A small Thompson'a tang was virtually covered in external parasites on one side and he's still a bit blotchy, but not flicking on rocks at all now and eats like a horse. Never medicated, or even stepped up water changes. I just stepped up the feeding regimen a bit. I feel horrible for all you lost. It's tough to watch.