I need a Hospital tank asap!
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If you have it in a QT, copper is the best treatment... Just remember the copper can leach back out of the silicone, so don't reuse the QT as a reef setup...
If you get in a pinch, call CR and check craigslist... Both usually have used tanks at reasonable prices...
If you get in a pinch, call CR and check craigslist... Both usually have used tanks at reasonable prices...
If you have had the fish for a while and it's well adjusted you can treat with freeze dried shrimp soaked in metronidazole. Seachem still makes metronidazole for over the counter fish use I believe or if you have any old Flagil (250 mg) left over you used on yourself in the medicine cabinet it's the same thing . It doesn't hurt to add selcon and a vitamin mixture such as Kent Zoe. I usually also add garlic extract because of the anecdotal reports of it working but those are dubious IMO. Metronidazole is well distributed in the body once ingested and has known action against prorozoa (ich) so it's the most important ingredient along with something to dissolve it in and food that will soak it up (not frozen). FWIW lots of well adjusted fish will get over ich by themselves but the metronidazole can only help......and yes this treatment is reef safe, feed no more than he can eat 2-3 times a day. Mix half a tablet/capsule(250 mg) with about a tablespoon of food. HTH and good luck.
Chris
Edit: Expect the ich to suddenly go away and come back several times, this is normal. If using the mixture I described I would treat a good week after the last time it goes away. The absolute safest and best treatment for a hippo (they are particularly sensitive to copper) is hyposalinity treatment. It is outlined here:
http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/hyposalinity.html
Chris
Edit: Expect the ich to suddenly go away and come back several times, this is normal. If using the mixture I described I would treat a good week after the last time it goes away. The absolute safest and best treatment for a hippo (they are particularly sensitive to copper) is hyposalinity treatment. It is outlined here:
http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/hyposalinity.html
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vol_reefer
New member
My blue tang had it too, about a year and a half ago or so. I tried the metronidazole (Aquarium stocked it, might still). It would work to knock the ich down, but the ich would always come back (despite continuing to feed well after the spots went away, as cee suggested). But it was enough to keep the ich from getting completely out of control, and it was safe in my reef.
Some reading online suggested that a single infestation of c. irritans (ich) will only last something like (I think) 13 or so generations without the introduction of a different genetic line of its species. So I just kept using the metronidazole every time I saw a new round of spots, and within a few months they just stopped coming back. Now I haven't seen any sign of it since last summer, and the blue tang is happy and healthy.
It you go the "let it die out" method like I did, it's probably important not to introduce any new fish that haven't been fully quarrantined durng the waiting period, or you'd risk introducing a new genetic line of ich and re-starting your wait clock.
Jeff (vol_reefer)
Some reading online suggested that a single infestation of c. irritans (ich) will only last something like (I think) 13 or so generations without the introduction of a different genetic line of its species. So I just kept using the metronidazole every time I saw a new round of spots, and within a few months they just stopped coming back. Now I haven't seen any sign of it since last summer, and the blue tang is happy and healthy.
It you go the "let it die out" method like I did, it's probably important not to introduce any new fish that haven't been fully quarrantined durng the waiting period, or you'd risk introducing a new genetic line of ich and re-starting your wait clock.
Jeff (vol_reefer)
macclellan
New member
Batman says never modify two variables in the same group at the same time.
Glad to hear you feel better but that is kinda odd. My guess is that it will come back.....hopefully not. The grounding probe I've heard of working for HLLE but not ich. The vitamin C I'm afraid probably didn't do anything. The only 2 animals I can think of that don't produce their own vit C (ie. that need to consume it) are humans and guinea pigs.......I have to admit I'm not sure about fish though.
Chris
Chris
macclellan
New member
Invertebrates and fish can't synthesize their own ascorbic acid, so it makes sense that it could be a beneficial supplement in aquaria (most fish food has it already). The predecessors of amphibians and reptiles produced ascorbic acid (in their kidneys). As far as warm-blooded animals, older orders of birds still use their kidneys, but newer orders use the liver. All mammals produced it in their liver - but humans, a few other primates, guinea pigs, bats, and a few birds lost the ability millions of years ago... Sometimes evolution sucks like that. Thank goodness for oranges.
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