Curing Ich in Display Tank?

downhillbiker

downhillbiker

New member
I just discovered that several of my fish have ich on them, and was wondering if I should just try to keep them healthy and feed a variety of foods and garlic, or if I should catch all of my fish and QT them and get rid of the ich once and for all.

I am tempted to catch them all as I am finished stocking and it would give me peace of mind if I knew there wasnt ich in the tank. I know it would be difficult to catch them, probably use the lexan trap method.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12617216#post12617216 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kar93
QT is the best option. Hyposalinity for 4-6 weeks. And copper treatment if necessary.
Click to expand...

I did the hypo and copper for 6 weeks last time, and each new fish got QT as well. If i didnt see any sign after 6 weeks they went to display, but this time it would have to be 8 weeks. I'm done messing around.
 
They erased my thread outlining what I have done, but I have seen / heard of success using other methods.

Seems the reef police only see one method as the end all and be all, but if you poke around there are actually strains of ich that are resistant to hyposalinity, and plenty of success stories from other sources using other methods.
 
they erased your thread, thats harsh. there are a handfull of people that take copper and hypo serious. i myself beat ich with garlic( here it goes).
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12617460#post12617460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyputty
They erased my thread outlining what I have done, but I have seen / heard of success using other methods.

Seems the reef police only see one method as the end all and be all, but if you poke around there are actually strains of ich that are resistant to hyposalinity, and plenty of success stories from other sources using other methods.
Click to expand...

can you expand on these methods. how did you treat it?
 
See, this is why I wished they did not nuke my post.

1. PolypLabs - Medic - perchlorate salts added at dawn and dusk for 2 weeks. This stuff is not cheap, but I have heard several accounts of it working for folks. I would not write off this treatment as a hoax in any sense.

2. UV sterilizer - 24/7 during the time of treatment with 1.

3. Garlic / Immuvit / Lipotiv in high quality frozen food and medicated pellet food.

4. Cleaner shrimp - I clearly observed cleaner shrimp grooming fish that were infected.

I believe that the stress associated with catching a fish from the wild and shipping it to the final destination is often the cause of ich.

Now, netting the fish again out of your DT and putting in yet another tank is going to add extra stress.

For me if the fish is eating, keep it in the DT and feed well. I have seen numerous cases of this working out well.

I have not had any visible sign of ich in the tank for about 6-8 weeks now and have added new fish since then. The new fish did not show any signs of ich, and has been in the tank for 2 weeks.
 
IMHO there is no way to rid ich in any tank. I think it is always there but your fish get healty and do not get it. Work on your water quality and the stress level of your fish. A healty fish will beat ick every time were sick or weak fish will not last.
 
I think none of them may work completely, but combined they may add up to something.

I do think the immune system of the fish can be driven to deal with ich, as long as the fish continue to eat, at least in my experience.

I will update if I see ich again in my tank, or on the new fish.
 
i agree with less stress, garlic, good water parameters and they will fight it off, i qt, did copper, did hypo and as soon as i introduced a piece of rock, coral, shrimp, crab, snail, even rock, boom ich again, i had it, so i have been living with ich for about 7 months now with no deaths realted to it, so just try it you will be surprised.. good luck

sana
 
Hey look this “Ich” stuff is controllable. It is not magic as some would suggest. Please look through the online articles, the few critters referred to as “Ich” have well defined life cycles. Don’t let anyone fool you. Take the fish out, treat them. Leave your display free of fish (follow the directions of the online articles). Reintroduce your fish. Quarantine everything that comes into your tank. Live rock, fish, corals, nets….. Keep your fish alive for decades.
 
Last edited:
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12620483#post12620483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by harper
Hey look this “Ich” stuff is controllable. It is not magic as some would suggest. Please look through the online articles, the few critters referred to as “Ich” have well defined life cycles. Don’t let anyone fool you. Take the fish out, treat them. Leave your display free of fish (follow the directions of the online articles). Reintroduce your fish. Quarantine everything that comes into your tank. Live rock, fish, corals, nets….. Keep your fish alive for decades.
Click to expand...

i'm really feeling this is the only way to go. i am done with introducing anything to my tank. done with rock, corals, fish, ect. i think that this may be a worth while investment of time. of course i have a 20 gallon tank and i would have to put:

2" flame angel
2" regal tang
3" tomini tang
2" clown
2.5" royal gramma
2 small damsels

in the QT. that seems like a lot of fish for a 20 gallon tank, but i guess they can make it for 8 weeks.
 
Ok so I have killed more fish then all but a very few people here. If you in fact think this is a worthwhile hobby that you would like to be in a few years from now, please follow the experts. (It gets a lot cheaper when you have fish that are older then your children.) Invest in a separate tank for new fish, then a separate tank for your new corals and Live Rock, and be really careful of nets. Ich is really not hard to eradicate. But it is so much easier to be sloppy….

Honestly there is a lot of BS that one will read about aquariums and all the different critters one can keep in them. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS that is as close to fact as science can bring us is that Ich is very controllable. WE KNOW HOW TO CURE YOU’RE YOUR FISH…FOR SURE! Stay away from the “I put this elixir in my tank and don’t see it any more….” People. Lets get your fish on a cure, and lets keep them alive for decades.

For 20 gal that is a bit of fish…. But water changes go a long way to keeping ammonium down… its only 8 weeks…. Think about a 100% water change every 3 days with treatment price, and those team member being with you for a long time…against buying a load of more fish….
 
Oh you if you go with the 20 gal you will need to keep some of the pesky team (damsels) separated. If it’s a 20 long easy. 20 High a little more of a problem….but mesh should be fine…..really check with your reef club, someone might have a bigger temp tank for ya…
 
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