How do I know if my ich is gone?

[jstlsn]

Back on January 31st, I moved my clownfish to my QT tank because he appeared to have ich. Two days later on February 2nd I was able to catch my Yellow Watchman Goby and move him to my QT tank. He showed no signs of ich. Those are the only two fish in my tank. They have been living my the QT tank ever since. I lowered the SG to 1.015 for the first four weeks and moved it even lower to 1.011 about a week and a half ago. The clownfish has shown no signs of ich for almost five weeks now. The main tank has not had fish in it since February 2nd. The main tank has been at a constant 79 degrees. The SG in the main tank is 1.025. I was planning on moving the fish back into the main tank this Friday, but I want to make sure it is safe. How do I know if all the ich is gone and it is safe to move the fish back?

Thanks
Brad

 

[SnailBert]

your fish got sick because of something with the main tank. if you havent fixed that, dont readd the fish.

fish dont need to be yanked and put into QT unless the main tank is showing absolutely no digns of stressors. did you ever test the main tanks water? check for aggression between fish? watch and notice and behavior that would stress the fish out at all?

one month is usually good enough to reboost the fish's immune system so it can fight off ich (this is why you QT, not to "irradicate ich" bc that's not possible.) IMO, as long as your main tank is excellent, readd them. whenever you add anything new, QT it for one month first and as long as you maintain the main tank, youll never have a problem again.

 

[jstlsn]

OK, here are my test results from the day I first noticed the Ich and today

01/24/07
temp = 78.7
pH = 8.22
SG = 1.025
dKH 8.6
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 5ppm
Calcium = 320ppm
Magnesium = 1290ppm
Phosphates 0ppm

03/16/07
temp = 78.7
pH = 8.27
SG = 1.025
dKH 7.6
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 0ppm
Calcium = 325ppm
Magnesium = 1320ppm
Phosphates 0ppm

As far as I can tell all of my water parameters are and were good. What other kinds of things could cause stress on the fish to cause the ich? I don't think the snails or hermit could really cause much stress on the fish. The clown and goby don't interact. One swims around and one hides under a rock with his friend the pistol shrimp. Any other ideas? I would like to move the fish back but don't want the ich to come back.

Thanks
Brad