Do SPS corals eat ich?

[fishresponse]

I've heard this once before and would like clarification on whether it is true. The premise is that the free floating tomites would get eaten by the SPS corals and thus cause a dominated SPS tank to "cure" itself faster than the 8 week fallow period.

Thoughts?

 

[Mrscribbled]

What?! So are you saying that fish won't get ich cause the coral will eat it? Or that a fishless tank will be fallow less because the coral will eat the ich? Either way the free swimming stage will only live 48 hours without a host. It's the dormant stage that attaches to substrate, and takes up to 12 weeks to hatch, that the fallow period is required. Wheather coral, diatom filter, uv filter, or ozone is present a 12 week fallow is required.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Just when you thought you've heard everything...........but, ridding a reef of ich is a giant PITA, so folks will grab anything that sounds hopeful. Whoever your heard this from is either joking or should be keeping pet rocks.

 

[fishresponse]

Not that it makes any difference, but I was told this by someone who had a fully stocked thriving SPS dominated reef. About 700 gallon tank. The tank owner claimed the SPS corals would eat the tomites thus eradicating ich from the tank. I'm not saying its right, but just that I heard and wanted clarity.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Not that it makes any difference, but I was told this by someone who had a fully stocked thriving SPS dominated reef. About 700 gallon tank. The tank owner claimed the SPS corals would eat the tomites thus eradicating ich from the tank. I'm not saying its right, but just that I heard and wanted clarity.

Re-reading my post (something I don't do often enough), I think I could have been a little less sarcastic. However, that's like asking my ex M-I-L to be a little less ignorant. The disease forum sees a constant stream of possible cures for ich that border from the possibly enlightening to the absurd. most are a desperate grasp at anything that may prevent the job the hobbyist faces eradicating ich. Here's a slightly more civil reply:

There are possibly some corals that may eat some ich tomites, but some isn't good enough. There are several reasons why the coral-eating-tomites theory can't eradicate ich. Basically, every single tomite and theront, etc.) would have to be eaten by the coral before it found a fish host. Tomites emerge from the substrate, usually at night, and that's right where the fish sleep. Here's a good reference: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196