How Long Can a Fish Go without Eating

[TampaReefer79]

I am treating with cupramine. I realize I am risking the health of all my fish by introducing the achilles tang to the DT, but it's not possible to keep pulling him out and only treating him for ich since it's not really doing much good to the rest of the fish. This is a one time thing to relieve the fish of whatever parasite is already on him.

It's been said in this thread 100 times and you just aren't getting it.

You're not risking the health of the DT by adding the achilles, you're risking the health of the achilles by adding him back to a tank full of ich. You need to treat ALL of the fish or none at all. If you aren't going to treat them all, then get the achilles back into the display and try to keep them all healthy and eating. Just because the achilles is the only one visibly showing the ich, doesn't mean it's the only one infected. If the achilles got it in your display, that means ich is in your display ready to attack the rest of the fish.

 

[snorvich]

Yes, Tampareefer79 is correct. Ich IS in your display, no doubt about it. Reread the life cycle of Cryptocaryon irritans that I provided or better yet, that of LargeAngels.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Yes, Tampareefer79 is correct. Ich IS in your display, no doubt about it. Reread the life cycle of Cryptocaryon irritans that I provided or better yet, that of LargeAngels.

I feel a disaster coming. IMO & IMO; one of the biggest misconceptions in our hobby is that if you can't see ich, you don't have it. Healthy fish can fight a small number of the parasites for a while; but, sooner or later, the sheer number of the parasites in the confines of a tank will overcome even the healthiest fish. Although it is just a gut feeling; I think a lot of folks think they have ich really don't. The true ich parasite will not disappear by itself. Perhaps in very rare cases, but that is sure the exception.

 

[EaZy DuZ iT]

Whats the best way to prevent ich?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Whats the best way to prevent ich?

QT EVERYTHING. If your DT is ich free, and you don't introduce it, you'll never have it. I also use copper (Cupramine) and a de-wormer in QT. This is controversial, so I don't push it. However, most wholesalers, shippers, online dealers and many LFS routinely use copper. You'd have a hard time finding a fish that hasn't been treated with copper along the way; IMO, copper, as a preventative, gets a bad rap. It requires caution and isn't for everyone, though.

 

[MCCOOL]

QT EVERYTHING. If your DT is ich free, and you don't introduce it, you'll never have it. I also use copper (Cupramine) and a de-wormer in QT. This is controversial, so I don't push it. However, most wholesalers, shippers, online dealers and many LFS routinely use copper. You'd have a hard time finding a fish that hasn't been treated with copper along the way; IMO, copper, as a preventative, gets a bad rap. It requires caution and isn't for everyone, though.

+1 I use cupramine and PraziPro on every new fish. I also removed all fish and left my display tank fishless for 2 months to rid the tank of ich.

 

[eho72]

I see this topic pops up in many threads reguarding QT. Do you treat your fish with copper while in QT regardless if they show any sign of ich or not. There seems to be a split on that. In the past, I have never used cupramine unless I see some sign of problems. Now, I am not sure. Might start treating any new fish while in QT regardless if they show signs or not.

 

[MCCOOL]

yes, I treat all new fish, regardless. it's the only way to be positive ich won't get in the tank.

 

[snorvich]

I see this topic pops up in many threads reguarding QT. Do you treat your fish with copper while in QT regardless if they show any sign of ich or not. There seems to be a split on that. In the past, I have never used cupramine unless I see some sign of problems. Now, I am not sure. Might start treating any new fish while in QT regardless if they show signs or not.

I believe that one should have a QT tank AND a hospital tank. Treating for flukes is a nobrainer, but I don't want to put a fish through copper or hypo unless there is an issue. This means, however, one month of QT as a minimum.

 

[snorvich]

Remember, QT has value other than just for disease control. It allows a fish to feed in a non stressful environment before entry into a more socialized environment.

 

[jjk_reef00]

Remember, QT has value other than just for disease control. It allows a fish to feed in a non stressful environment before entry into a more socialized environment.

I agree 100%. It also gets them eating your foods aggressively which is very important with finicky eaters.

 

[LargeAngels]

Remember, QT has value other than just for disease control. It allows a fish to feed in a non stressful environment before entry into a more socialized environment.

Exactly!!! These guys have been caught, kept, caught, bagged, shipped, unpacked, no food for a while, stressed, bagged, shipped, etc, so they need to recoup from the stress.

 

[RBU1]

Copper will reduce a fish's appetite. Thats proably why the tang is not eating. If you are not going to remove and treat all your fish then I would put the achilles back in the display and hope for the best......Dont add another fish to the tank for a really long time.....

 

[eho72]

I put the achilles tang back in the display tonight after 6 days in treatment. At least the white spots and flashing are gone for now. He's eating nori and spirulina brine shrimps right away. As for not adding another fish for a long time, that won't be an issue. The achilles tang is the last fish I am adding.

 

[RBU1]

Good hopefully he will recover and be able to fight it off. If you keep your water quality good with regular water changes and feed a varied nuritional diet, your chances improve. Just make sure you don't add another fish for at least a year. If things stay clear for that period of time I think youll be OK. Just make sure in the future you take the time to QT and treat any new fish you get.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I agree 100%. It also gets them eating your foods aggressively which is very important with finicky eaters.

I agree. However; I'm not convinced that copper, at around the minimum effective dose, adds any significant stress to most fish. I have no problem getting fish to eat, and otherwise acclimate, while being treated with copper. I only use SeaChem Cupramine and they have an excellent tech support.(If a company doesn't have good tech support, I don't buy their stuff). A few fish, like most Centropyge Angels are copper sensitive, but an effective dose of Cupramine can still be used. SeaChem can tell you if a particular fish is overly-sensitive to copper.
I just don't see parasites as well as some folks, I don't know why, my eyesight is great; and I feel (for my needs) that the benefits of copper far outweigh any risks. I have big tanks and lots of fish; one parasite could be a disaster. Of course, I can't prove it; but I don't that I've ever had a fish loss that could be blamed on copper in QT. I do know that i have never had a parasite problem in any of my tanks since I started using it and I can move fish among tanks without worry.
I think a lot of the copper concerns go back to days when it was a cruder product and test kits weren't accurate---in my case, very hard to read. I know SeaChem's copper test is accurate and easy for me to use.Again: I know copper is controversial and I'm not pushing in---just giving opinion and experience. I'm sure (and have heard, several times) that the use of copper in QT is much more common than is commonly believed.