Daily water changes for ich

[Newsmyrna80]

So my DT has a very mild infestation of ich. I read the tank transfer threads and decided to do it. I also read http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/ . This article suggests doing daily water changes to eliminate handling the fish. The protocol calls for doing 50% water changes every day siphoning the bottom of the tank. Also states to use sand so the tomonts have something to adhere to and will be siphoned up with the sand. Steven Pro, the author, said he finds it just as effective as the tank transfer. Has anyone done this?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Pro knows his stuff; but this method just can't get ALL of the ich in ALL of its forms. Assuming that all of the cysts are in the substrate is a mistake, IMO. There is just too much circulation in any tank to find all of the ich. Lots of folks have siphoned off a bare substrate before dong TT. But just the fish moving around is enough to get cysts off the bottom and into the water column. IMO. the method Pro describes is more like a plan to control ich, rather than eradicate it.

 

[SpartaReef]

Aren't all fish exposed anyway? Wouldn't the best method be to limit stress as much as possible to help the fish's natural immunities?

 

[mikeyVR4]

Doing 50% water changes daily will be more expensive than just moving all your fish to a QT tank and waiting for Ich in the DT to die out.

Plus, if you siphon the sand bed too much you will be killing and removing a lot of good bacteria.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Pro knows his stuff; but this method just can't get ALL of the ich in ALL of its forms. Assuming that all of the cysts are in the substrate is a mistake, IMO. There is just too much circulation in any tank to find all of the ich. Lots of folks have siphoned off a bare substrate before dong TT. But just the fish moving around is enough to get cysts off the bottom and into the water column. IMO. the method Pro describes is more like a plan to control ich, rather than eradicate it.

I agree...I'm still sticking with the tank transfer. Thanks for the help!

 

[MrTuskfish]

Aren't all fish exposed anyway? Wouldn't the best method be to limit stress as much as possible to help the fish's natural immunities?

This will help, but will not eliminate ich. I'd suggest reading this thread, by a real expert on the subject:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Doing 50% water changes daily will be more expensive than just moving all your fish to a QT tank and waiting for Ich in the DT to die out.

Plus, if you siphon the sand bed too much you will be killing and removing a lot of good bacteria.

The protocol calls for a QT, not the DT.

 

[mikeyVR4]

The protocol calls for a QT, not the DT.

You are referring to 50% in the QT?

 

[Newsmyrna80]

You are referring to 50% in the QT?

Yes, the fish are placed in a QT and 50% water changes are done daily. Click on the link on the first post for full details. The main tank is left fallow.

 

[mikeyVR4]

Yes, the fish are placed in a QT and 50% water changes are done daily. Click on the link on the first post for full details. The main tank is left fallow.

Nice. I am on my first week with the QT treating for Ich and I just did a 14% water change in a week. I checked my water parameters daily and everything was fine. I just added 14% of the Copper Power back into my QT.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Nice. I am on my first week with the QT treating for Ich and I just did a 14% water change in a week. I checked my water parameters daily and everything was fine. I just added 14% of the Copper Power back into my QT.

Good luck! Hope all goes well... Ich is such a pain!

 

[MrTuskfish]

Good luck! Hope all goes well... Ich is such a pain!

Ich is really no big deal if you use a good QT regimen from day 1.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Ich is really no big deal if you use a good QT regimen from day 1.

Was trying to give words of encouragement and support