Fallow

[RuggerReef]

I had a major problem and lost all my fish. I did have some inverts and coral that survived. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong. So I left my tank fallow and it has been that way for about 3 months. Now I am ready to get my tank going again. I know that most diseases will not survive without a fish host, but a friend of mine said that ich could survive in my sand bed. Is there any treatment that I could use that would not bring harm to my coral or inverts?

 

[DasCamel]

After 3 months you should be ok from the Ich cysts. i don't have the exact stats, but you should be good to go. Just add fish back in slowly.

 

[RuggerReef]

Yeah I agree with slowly. Before the fallow period I didn't quarantine and that is going to change!!!!!

 

[snorvich]

You are fine. The ultra safe fallow time for ich is 72 days. Last time I checked, 90 days was greater than 72 days.

:spin2:

Tank transfer followed by quarantine will eliminate all parasites that may come in on your fish.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Some people say that cryptocaryon is "dormant" and always remains in the system. I don't buy that theory. The parasite has a cycle and cannot survive without a host. It's easy to bring in the parasite through inverts such as corals and clean up crew without adding a new fish that could potentially carry crypto.

 

[Spar]

As inferred, ich doesn't technically 'lay dormant'. Some people just get confused by the cyst stage (Tomites), given how long they can sustain before hatching. And the wide range of that time... 3 to 72 days. At least from the studies I have read, that length of time is dependent on water conditions (temp, salinity mostly), rather than waiting for the presence of fish in the area.

 

[snorvich]

As inferred, ich doesn't technically 'lay dormant'. Some people just get confused by the cyst stage (Tomites), given how long they can sustain before hatching. And the wide range of that time... 3 to 72 days. At least from the studies I have read, that length of time is dependent on water conditions (temp, salinity mostly), rather than waiting for the presence of fish in the area.

Also, which strain of cryptocaryon irritans.