I knowingly bought a percula clown fish with ich he had some of the best colors I've seen. The ich doesn't seem to be to advanced I only noticed 3 spots but his tank mates didn't look so good, it also didn't look like the store was doing anything about it as they had many other sick fish:thumbdown. I set up a hospital tank I'm using lunch pail it holds 2 gal, I dosed Mardel lab's Copper safe. I placed a large air stone in inside and I plan to do 1 gallon water change daily using treated water from my display tank. My question is. Will this be OK and how long does treatment normally take? I have used copper safe before long ago when I was doing fresh water I still had some left over in my pile of chemicals but the instruction brochure is gone.
I knowingly bought a fish with ich.
- Thread starter arresife
- Start date
Chris27
New member
Are you positively certain that Crypt has been eradicated from your DT? If not, you could re-introduce the parasite without knowing it by using water from your DT. You may want to use fresh SW for your changes. Since you don't have an established filter in your QT, you may end up doing water changes quite frequently, having some Amquel or Prime on hand will make life a little easier also.
As for the coppersafe - you'll want to get a kit that reads chelated copper - since that's what that product is, API works well with coppersafe. You can find another set of directions here:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4721&pcatid=4721
As for the coppersafe - you'll want to get a kit that reads chelated copper - since that's what that product is, API works well with coppersafe. You can find another set of directions here:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4721&pcatid=4721
jason2459
Well-known member
Is amquel, prime, etc. compatible with copersafe? I know it's not with compramine and will make it toxic.
OK I'll use fresh SW. How long should treatment last?
wooden_reefer
New member
Whenever I see vigorous fish in LFS have some light ich, I get excited.
This is when I could possibly have a great deal.
If I like the indviduals, I discretely often to buy it as is , happily, with deep discount.
Ich infestation has nothing to do with the real quality of livestock. It is just a matter of chance.
I am not rightous, I don't punish LFS for having some ich infestation.
This is when I could possibly have a great deal.
If I like the indviduals, I discretely often to buy it as is , happily, with deep discount.
Ich infestation has nothing to do with the real quality of livestock. It is just a matter of chance.
I am not rightous, I don't punish LFS for having some ich infestation.
Chris27
New member
I can't do anything but agree - I've done the same.
wooden_reefer
New member
knowling or not, too many fish have ich so it is better to assume that all new fish has it.
The process of eradication of ich is about the same for all new fish.
Light or no visual infestation makes little difference.
The process of eradication of ich is about the same for all new fish.
Light or no visual infestation makes little difference.
Last edited:
Navyblue
Low maintenance first
If one fish in the system has ich, one gotta assume all of them has. Locally here there isn't an LFS that is ich free but there need to be fishes in my tank, so the best I got is the good looking ones with ich. And even they don't have ich on the point of purchase give it a few days most would show some minor spots.
Thanks for the reply.I've had a mixed reef tank for a little over three years. lately I've been leaning more towards SPS keeping so I like to think that my water quality fairly good, stable pH, no temp swings, low nutrients. That's the reason why I bought a fish with ich I thought the clown could benefit from a stable system and would bounce right back, unfortunately he wasn't eating.I bought him Monday and put him in my display. Tuesday morning he had more ich and that's when I quarantined him.
I like to update every one who responded to the post.
I've been doing a gallon water change daily I've used display tank water
I've dosed the recommended dose prior to every change.
I know, I know, I was supposed to use fresh salt water. I didn't see the harm since the water is being treated with copper safe prior to changing. I think my gamble is paying off.
I'm in my fourth day and so far he is stared eating he has one more white spot to go this was the largest spot but now its hardly noticeable.
So far none of the fish in my display tank show any sings of ich.
To be safe I've been feeding them fish a variety of foods soaked in vitamins.
Three weeks of treatment? That seams like allot I remember it only took a week with fresh water.
I like to update every one who responded to the post.
I've been doing a gallon water change daily I've used display tank water
I've dosed the recommended dose prior to every change.
I know, I know, I was supposed to use fresh salt water. I didn't see the harm since the water is being treated with copper safe prior to changing. I think my gamble is paying off.
I'm in my fourth day and so far he is stared eating he has one more white spot to go this was the largest spot but now its hardly noticeable.
So far none of the fish in my display tank show any sings of ich.
To be safe I've been feeding them fish a variety of foods soaked in vitamins.
Three weeks of treatment? That seams like allot I remember it only took a week with fresh water.
wooden_reefer
New member
There is actually not much different in QT procedure with freshwater fish. If you want to be optimal and be the kindist to all fish.
Ammonia is less toxic in lower ph freshwater and WC is cheaper and less laborious, but ammonia is still bad and WC still takes work in freshwater.
Captive bred freshwater fish carry fewer pathogens.
reev
New member
I'm also treating some fish with ich using coppersafe. The fish seem better, but I have hard time controlling the ammonia. The copper seems to have disabled all the bacteria that i had in the sponge filters. I was wondering if I could use Amquel+ or Prime to lower the ammonia. Is there a definitive answer? It seems to be incompatible with Cupramine? Is it the same for Coppersafe?
oct2274
New member
First off, please read this http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php
I've bought many fish just as you. As much as I hated buying fish from places like petco. Sometimes when I was in there and saw a beautiful fish suffering I would just have to try to save it! It would always be ich.
If you are sure that it is ich I can tell you that I had 100% success treating them in a quarantine tank with low salinity vs using medications. It's much less stressful to the fish and also does not kill the good bacteria in the water.
I found that I could lower the salinity over a couple days to the appropriate level. Some fish are more sensitive that others, but like I said, i never lost one. You must use a calibrated refractometer to ensure proper salinity levels.
Do not believe that since there are no signs of ich present on a fish that it's not present!!!!!! I made sure that I kept them quarantined for no less then 21 days after the fish looked clean. Most of the times 4 weeks. You can't be too careful here. If ich gets in your display tank..........you are going to have to catch every fish in the tank and leave it fishless for atleast 4 weeks, probably 6! good luck catching fish in a display tank if it is large btw......
After treatment you must slowly raise salinity to the display tanks level. I would not do this any faster than over 7 days. Raising salinity is much harder on a fish than lowering it and should be done more slowly.
good luck!
I've bought many fish just as you. As much as I hated buying fish from places like petco. Sometimes when I was in there and saw a beautiful fish suffering I would just have to try to save it! It would always be ich.
If you are sure that it is ich I can tell you that I had 100% success treating them in a quarantine tank with low salinity vs using medications. It's much less stressful to the fish and also does not kill the good bacteria in the water.
I found that I could lower the salinity over a couple days to the appropriate level. Some fish are more sensitive that others, but like I said, i never lost one. You must use a calibrated refractometer to ensure proper salinity levels.
Do not believe that since there are no signs of ich present on a fish that it's not present!!!!!! I made sure that I kept them quarantined for no less then 21 days after the fish looked clean. Most of the times 4 weeks. You can't be too careful here. If ich gets in your display tank..........you are going to have to catch every fish in the tank and leave it fishless for atleast 4 weeks, probably 6! good luck catching fish in a display tank if it is large btw......
After treatment you must slowly raise salinity to the display tanks level. I would not do this any faster than over 7 days. Raising salinity is much harder on a fish than lowering it and should be done more slowly.
good luck!
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