Going hypo for ich

[FishTruck]

I am battling ich in a 300 gallon tank right now.

There is only one fish with trophonts (a purple tang) and I am trying to catch him to go into QT.

Three yellow tangs, two wrasses, and a goby look fine.

I will try to QT the fish, or at least the sick ones. QT all of them will be a major undertaking since they will shred each other if housed in close quarters.

As an alternative... what if I pulled out the coral and inverts who are easier to catch, and went hypo in the display? What salinity and for how long? Likely to work?

I am also vacuuming gravel daily and running UV.

 

[OK]

Hypo in the display would kill too many beneficial creatures, Snails crabs, worms, and possibly some bacteria. I would not reccommend it.
Only putting the one fish in QT will be a waste. If one is infected all are infected, they don't need to be showing spots to be infected.
My suggestion is to QT all fish, even if they are QT'd in rubbermaid tubs. I perfer the 3 day transfer method and hypo in treating ich. You must also let the display tank sit fallow for 6 weeks.
The 3 day transfer, and letting the tank sit for 6 weeks breaks the life cycle of ich. It is simply not allowing the parasite to reproduce. The down side, moving the fish every 3 days can be stressfull on the fish.
There is an article on it in a sticky in this forum.
I will never try another "snake oil" (garlic, r**-ich, k***-ich) treatment. This is the only way to go if you are serious about getting it out of your system.

 

[stingythingy45]

"As an alternative... what if I pulled out the coral and inverts who are easier to catch, and went hypo in the display? What salinity and for how long? Likely to work?"

You could do this.
But I would try to remove most of th LR to some totes or rubbermaids with PHs and a heater.
The SG will have to be dropped down over a day to 1.008 for at least 6-8 weeks.But,all the fish will need to be treated for the hypo to be successful.

 

[FishTruck]

Yea... thanks stingy and OK.

I think this bass ackwards angle is probably no better or easier than rounding up the fish and going fallow.

If I can, I will QT the single fish tonight... mostly so that if he croaks, I can find the carcass! Also, he seems the only one affected and thus is the one is most need of copper. Clearly, pulling only one fish out does not help the other fish in the DT much... if at all.

I agree, the fish transfer method makes sense. It would seem that "elbow grease" is the only magic ingredient.

 

[OK]

I'd be mostly afraid of the ammonia spike in the display from the hypo killing so many creatures, even if you took the rock out. Plus you'd have no "bio filter" with the rock removed.
IMO its a recipe for disaster.
Try the 3 day method with hypo or should I say just a lower salinity to reduce stress, no need to put the salinity to the edge like a true hypo treatment.
You don't hear many people speak of it or use it, but I've used it effectivly and won't go back. I wish more people knew about it to get more feedback (different fish that tolerate the treatment better), but most find it easier to feed their fish garlic and call them cured.
If you can't find the article, or need more info, I may have it laying around somewhere.

FYI: Rubbermaid tubs are cheap and easy to sling around and the lids will still snap on with the cords from heaters and powerheads sticking out