Debating Ich Transfer on Corals/Inverts
- Thread starter BigJohnny
- Start date
gone fishin
New member
Just about anything is possible. Some QT some don't.
There is? Seems to me there's a ton of discussions on the topic .... Can an invert carry in ich cysts as hitchhikers, yes; is it likely, probably not. Should one ideally QT all inverts for 72 days, yes; do I, no.
nuxx
.Registered Member
This hobby is so slow...
I QT inverts for 3 months
Probably why the CUC is so terrible in my display haha
Damn Crosshatches...
BigJohnny
Active member
It stemmed from another topic getting sidetracked, I was providing an alternate platform and hoping for some veterans perspectives.
people say that inverts can carry in ich cyst hitchhikers but I have never seen proof of that. I understand the concept but a rock/sand are very different from a snail shell or coral. I also believe that a lot of the people who claim they got ich from corals or inverts actually got it by accidentally transferring some of the water they were in or a piece of live rock the coral is attached to. But either cannot be proven after the fact. That's the problem. Someone needs to do an legit experimental study!
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BigJohnny
Active member
Thanks for that deep insightful commentary haha, so simple yet so true.
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I QT all fish for 2-3 months, but don't with inverts. Never had one bring in a fish disease, though I have have had issues lately with some mushroom die off that I suspect is an imported disease. I probably should QT inverts .....
BigJohnny
Active member
So you believe it's possible to transmit ich cysts on corals/inverts but very unlikely so you don't qt inverts or corals?
That's a common perspective. Although it is a lot more likely to occur if you transfer the water because that can also contain the free swimming trophant which very likely would be there from an infected tank.
I think a dip and rinse is sufficient for ich to eliminate the water from the tank and therefore trophants. I observe qt for hitchikers afterwards however. only for a week though then re dip to kill any eggs that may have hatched.
MellowReefer
New member
So you have changed your mind? You said before you found no evidence that ich could hitchhike on a frag plug or snail and didn't believe it. What changed your mind?
As you requested, I finally stopped debating this on your other threads. So I'm glad you now agree :lol:
Essentially, yes. Now, if you know that a tank has an ich infestation, I would certainly NOT be transferring water to a clear tank. That's almost a guarantee of infecting the latter as well. I might still transfer an invert from an infected tank, but would dip it first (which I do regardless). It's no coincidence, BTW, that most of the better LFS will run their fish and invert systems separately.
It's tricky to know for sure that an invert was responsible for an ich infection. I've been keeping reef tanks for over two decades and have yet to have it happen.
BigJohnny
Active member
Apparently you didn't read what you quoted, because I didnt say anything about agreeing ich hitchhikers can exist on frag plugs or corals.
I'm so glad you were able to control yourself and post on the appropriate thread, however if you expect me to debate with you when your pulling words out of thin air, your mistaken.
Re read what I said again, I edited that post but you have the original one quoted above so can reference that.
BigJohnny
Active member
Yea it is incredibly tricky that's why when people state it like a fact it drives me nuts haha
MellowReefer
New member
Yes you deleted what you said above "yes, 72 days would be ideal". That sounds like you're agreeing it's possible. Now you have backtracked on that by deleting what you wrote. Wow.
MellowReefer
New member
Most of us agree that in theory ich could be transmitted on anything with a hard surface that is wet when we put it in our tank.
It's been said "if you don't QT fish, you're playing Russian roulette, eventually you will run out of luck and get ich". What is the risk? One in five times? One in ten? If you don't QT inverts and corals, there's a risk, but how much? One in 50? You could be lucky for years, I will acknowledge that. But I want to know for sure I keep ich out of my tank, because it sucks to lose a tank of fish.
It's been said "if you don't QT fish, you're playing Russian roulette, eventually you will run out of luck and get ich". What is the risk? One in five times? One in ten? If you don't QT inverts and corals, there's a risk, but how much? One in 50? You could be lucky for years, I will acknowledge that. But I want to know for sure I keep ich out of my tank, because it sucks to lose a tank of fish.
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
imo, the chance is more like being in an airplane crash. my friend, who will not fly, will never be in an airplane crash. Me, on the other hand, who flies a few times a year has a much great chance of being in an airplane crash.
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gone fishin
New member
BigJohnny
Active member
No I didnt delete it to back track i deleted it to say something more productive because it already had been said. Ill say it again, "a 72 day qt period would be ideal", because that would eliminate any chance of ich transmission, regardless of how it got in (like free swimming in the water it came in, which is possible and ive said that before on the other 2 threads you've tried to twist my words on), i never agreed that protomonts attach to inverts or corals. Again, if you think I'm going to debate with you when your putting words in my mouth you are mistaken.
Please continue though, at this point it's just entertainment for me. Your really grasping for straws here bud. Why don't you try and stay focused on actually saying something productive, rather than failing at pathetic attempts to attack me personally. This is the 3rd thread your doing this on, wow is right!
BigJohnny
Active member
First of all, thank you for actually talking about the topic. I'm glad we got past the personal attacks.
QTing of fish is an entirely different topic. The risk of ich transfer on corals/inverts is very hard to quantify however it is obviously significantly lower than with fish since the parasite cannot host corals/inverts. Whether or not protomonts can/are likely to attach is up for debate. The free swimming stage is the most likely to be present since all it needs is water from the tank.
I definitely understand being extra careful because yes, ich sucks! I personally just don't believe it's necessary to go 72 days.
BigJohnny
Active member
OhmmmmmmI was in a Zen moment.
Perth_reefer
Member
In my opinion we do go way over the top when it comes to some things in the hobby. If you want to put everything wet through quarantine for 3 months then by all means and good on you....you will (or should) never have ich in your tank.
I quarantine all fish for at least a month, not just for disease prevention purposes but to fatten them up and get them feeding well before I introduce them to the DT. A healthy, well fed fish will have a much better chance of fighting any diseases that it encounters.
I was told in my LFS about a guy who religiously put everything through quarantine to prevent ich. One day ich popped up in his tank, he was devastated to the point of almost quitting the hobby, he thought he'd done everything right and it still crept into his display.
I quarantine all fish for at least a month, not just for disease prevention purposes but to fatten them up and get them feeding well before I introduce them to the DT. A healthy, well fed fish will have a much better chance of fighting any diseases that it encounters.
I was told in my LFS about a guy who religiously put everything through quarantine to prevent ich. One day ich popped up in his tank, he was devastated to the point of almost quitting the hobby, he thought he'd done everything right and it still crept into his display.
