Hi guys, I am new to the reef hobby. Sunday I noticed that my fire fish had ich, so the following Monday I set up my 20 gallon with a hang on filter, heater and air stone. I used the water from my display tank, used a couple pieces of LR and one of the sponges from the filter. I removed all my fish and placed them in there, this included the fire fish, 2 saddleback clown fish( had a couple white specs as well) , a bangai Cardinal and an orange spotted watchman goby. I let them get use to the transfer for a couple hours and then dosed the tank with half the recommended dosage of API super ick cure. I have used this medication previously in my freshwater tank and it worked great. Today the firefish and goby have died. The clowns look healthy and the cardinal is breathing a bit heavy and not moving around the tank too much. Do you think my fish are having trouble with the medication or is it the ich that is killing them? My water parameters are spot on. Maybe I was too late in noticing the ich? I did not think it could kill a fish in a few days?
Fish dying from Ich or the medication?
- Thread starter vdubreuil
- Start date
Meds can concentrate to fatal levels due to evaporation. But the problem may have been using a med WITH cycled sponge and live rock, which the med may have attacked, killing bacteria and causing an ammonia spike. I looked up the product, and all I can find involves freshwater ich. Marine ich is another sort; and many freshwater meds are not for use in marine tanks: you'll have to look at the label to see.
Ich can kill real fast ---some strains can---but at other times can lunk along with a few spots and no big deal. The rock and sponge are likely toast at this point. I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. I'd recommend pursuing tank transfer method with the survivors, no sponge, no rock: method described in the Fish Disease Forum. That may help them pull through, as I doubt they would fare well with more meds at this point. TTM is really easier on fish than the medications, some of which are very rough.
Ich can kill real fast ---some strains can---but at other times can lunk along with a few spots and no big deal. The rock and sponge are likely toast at this point. I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. I'd recommend pursuing tank transfer method with the survivors, no sponge, no rock: method described in the Fish Disease Forum. That may help them pull through, as I doubt they would fare well with more meds at this point. TTM is really easier on fish than the medications, some of which are very rough.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
I don't think that API will work for ich. Also with the live rock whatever life is on it the API will kill and will probably cause ammonia to show up (possibly). I would look at some other methods for treating the ich. I have treated ich many times but have never used API for it
Okay thanks, I have used Ali super ich cure for my freshwater and it worked, it is used to treat marine ich aswell. I have been testing my water parameters twice a day and everything shows up fine. Today I brought my dead Cardinal and water sample to my lfs and they said that my fish are suffering from a pathogen that probably diminishes their immune system. He said my dead Cardinal looked healthy and didn't have any flukes or white spots. He also said that ich thrives when a fishes immune system is compromised and that's why I had an outbreak in a few of my fish however that is not what is killing them and neither is the medication. I bought half my fish from Big Als last Friday and everything was fine until this Sunday. So I'm guessing the fish Big Als sold me had some sort of pathogen that is not visible to the naked eye?
Many aren't visible. That's why you should put new fish through tank-transfer before letting them into your DT. Now the DT should stay fishless (inverts are ok) for 72 days before adding another fish. Adding corals is ok, but since many parasites have a stage in rock/sandbed, you risk re-infestation, sort of like a house where you've had an outbreak of fleas. In this case, keep fish out until the parasite (likely) has starved out.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Also signs of ich. Can also mean flukes.
