blue tang ich help!

[Johnb123]

i have a 70 gallon tank
1. blue tang (ich)
2. 2 clown fish
3. bi color blenny
4. bi color dotty back
5. 4 anthias

also have a coral and cleaner shrimp that could easily be removed for treatment if necessary

what's the best plan of action should i catch all the fishes and treat them with copper in a 20 gallon or what size quarantine tank? or is hypo or transfer method better? how often would i have to do water changes on each of these methods? this would also help my decision making..

take out the cleaner and coral and just treat them in my main tank? i know medicating my main tank is bad but hypo maybe? will there be a lot of live rock die off from 1.009 salinity? a lfs actually told me i could actually use copper in my main display too if it's a fowlr tank but i'm guessing he's wrong?

 

[Sk8r]

Leave shrimp where they are. Frankly, I'd take all fish and treat them with tank transfer protocols, then just observe, and leave the display tank fishless for 72 days. (which is as long as encysted ich has been observed to prove viable). Keep all treatment tanks physically separated from the dt to prevent splash contamination.

Copper is a poison that kills bacteria first, then parasites, then fish...over time. If you're running a cycled tank, copper would kill the cycled bacteria. It is effective against parasites, but risky if overdosed or if treatment tank doesn't have an ATO.

 

[Johnb123]

is 20 gallons enough or do i need bigger? how often will i have to water change from my display to my quarantine because if it's every 3 days i may consider hypo instead since it's already so much work?

why do people cycle their quarantine tanks with shrimp if they just use the water from their display tanks anyway?

 

[snorvich]

is 20 gallons enough or do i need bigger? how often will i have to water change from my display to my quarantine because if it's every 3 days i may consider hypo instead since it's already so much work?

why do people cycle their quarantine tanks with shrimp if they just use the water from their display tanks anyway?

Hypo is difficult to execute properly and may or not be effective. TTM is always effective. I suggest you read this thread for similar discussion.

 

[Johnb123]

copper seems to be the easiest method with more margin for error. just curious if you guys know how many times per week i'd probably have to water change? why do people cycle their quarantine tanks if they take water from their display tanks anyway?

 

[Johnb123]

if i haven't put a sponge in my main display tank for a few weeks to absorb bacteria is the only way to clean my quarantine is to do water changes? and use regular filter sponges/floss?

 

[Johnb123]

another question do you use medication when quarantining new fish or only when fish are sick?

 

[mattcoug]

I recommend, for healthy new fish with no symptoms, do TTM(ich) and pratzi(fluke) treatment, then observe for 1 month in qt(velvet, brook, uronema)

 

[Johnb123]

what if i were to not use medication and just observed them in the quarantine tank?

 

[blacguy]

i had a regal get real bad iche got stressed with some new additions. i soaked mysis in kent garlic extreme, zoe and zoecon. i also soaked small algae sheets in it before hanging in tank. my regal got better over the course of a few weeks. Never had any issues again and never had to change tanks or move corals and inverts. Just boost immune system and they will naturally fight it off. Also make sure to do frequent water changes with a 70g tank id say try to get 2 35 gallon changes in a week for a month or so to help keep tank param in check and fish stress down.

 

[mattcoug]

what if i were to not use medication and just observed them in the quarantine tank?

TTM is not medicine, it is a methodical timed method of moving fish between clean tanks/buckets in a way to get parasites to all fall off the fish.

Prazi is med, but very gentle. You should do Prazi or FW dips - Prazi is the preferred choice. Flukes kill fish, spreads to all your fish, and you typically will not notice symptoms until the fish is close to death - perhaps even 6 months later. So, QT is not an effective way to prevent introducing it to your tank.

 

[snorvich]

TTM is not medicine, it is a methodical timed method of moving fish between clean tanks/buckets in a way to get parasites to all fall off the fish.

Prazi is med, but very gentle. You should do Prazi or FW dips - Prazi is the preferred choice. Flukes kill fish, spreads to all your fish, and you typically will not notice symptoms until the fish is close to death - perhaps even 6 months later. So, QT is not an effective way to prevent introducing it to your tank.

I agree. And by the way, garlic does nothing for cryptocaryon irritans or any other parasite (a post above)

 

[Johnb123]

sorry i meant what if i don't do TTM and just observe them for the month?

so you guys are saying every time you buy a new fish you do the TTM method which you have to change a small tank every 3 days for at least 1 month?

 

[shifty51008]

You cant cycle a tank just by useing water from a cycled tank, there isnt much bacteria in the water colum to do any good. Bacteria is in the rock, sand, and filters.

As for doing ttm every time i get a new fish, no i dont. I qt them 1st and if they show signs of ich within my qt time then i do the tank transfer. Although i havent bought a new fish in years, if i did get a new one i would still qt.

 

[Johnb123]

qt as in do nothing other than have it separated from your main tank until you see any signs of sickness then treat it right?

 

[shifty51008]

Correct, just observe and make sure they are eating good

Also i wouldnt use water from a tank that has known ich in it for your qt.

 

[mattcoug]

sorry i meant what if i don't do TTM and just observe them for the month?

so you guys are saying every time you buy a new fish you do the TTM method which you have to change a small tank every 3 days for at least 1 month?

TTM is much easier than that. Read the sticky for details - but you only need to move ~4 times, 3 days each time. After TTM(~4 moves) then you leave the fish in normal QT for a month. This is the best way to keep ich out of your display.

I *strongly* recommend every fish go through this procedure. Unless you are only stocking $3 chromies from petco, even a single dead fish prevention pays for this and all your effort to keep ich out of your tank.

This economic argument is not even considering the emotional toll of killing your pets, and the humane responsibilities of providing for these animals that are in your care.

 

[blacguy]

the garlic extreme boosts the immune system and attracts finicky eaters to come get food so its a win win. its not meant to directly kill the parasite it allows the fish to naturally fight the infection and if there are no fish that are able to get iche the parasite will die off in the tank. ive used it on tangs with 100% success and its also What 3 lfs stores here in dallas use.

 

[snorvich]

the garlic extreme boosts the immune system and attracts finicky eaters to come get food so its a win win. its not meant to directly kill the parasite it allows the fish to naturally fight the infection and if there are no fish that are able to get iche the parasite will die off in the tank. ive used it on tangs with 100% success and its also What 3 lfs stores here in dallas use.

Sorry, that is not correct despite many believing it to be true. Please read this.

 

[Johnb123]

why is TTM only necessary for 2 weeks? and if the fish shows no signs of ich when i purchased it why not just let it be in the qt without the TTM method?