Ich again

[Finland]

Earlier this summer, my fish were infected with what was diagnosed with ich. I lost a few fish before tearing down my 280 to get he fish out. I performed a tank transfer method to rid the fish of ich (5 transfers) and then left the display fallow for 74 days. All that was in the tank was liverock, corals , and a few snails and hermits. While the fish were in quarantined, I also treated the quarantine tank with prazi and cp at different times. Prazi was for flukes and cp was just in case. The fish looked great when they went back into the display. great color and blemish free. Now after a few weeks, it looks like the powder blue is getting ich again. He is getting bumps and a few white spots, especially on his fins. A few other fish have developed some white spots on their fins, but the powder blue has it the most. Emperor angel has some slight fraying of his tail with a few spots on his fins and some fading of his colors. Also scratching some. Any thoughts as to my next step for treatment. Is it possible that it is something other than ich? From other pictures I have seen, it sure looks like ich.

 

[herbklee]

I love you

 

[Perth_reefer]

Earlier this summer, my fish were infected with what was diagnosed with ich. I lost a few fish before tearing down my 280 to get he fish out. I performed a tank transfer method to rid the fish of ich (5 transfers) and then left the display fallow for 74 days. All that was in the tank was liverock, corals , and a few snails and hermits. While the fish were in quarantined, I also treated the quarantine tank with prazi and cp at different times. Prazi was for flukes and cp was just in case. The fish looked great when they went back into the display. great color and blemish free. Now after a few weeks, it looks like the powder blue is getting ich again. He is getting bumps and a few white spots, especially on his fins. A few other fish have developed some white spots on their fins, but the powder blue has it the most. Emperor angel has some slight fraying of his tail with a few spots on his fins and some fading of his colors. Also scratching some. Any thoughts as to my next step for treatment. Is it possible that it is something other than ich? From other pictures I have seen, it sure looks like ich.

Unfortunately there has been a few occasions where ich has outlasted the 72 day fallow period. I guess for this reason adding another couple of weeks would give more of a safety margin, but having said that, how do we know that is enough?
Next stage is a difficult one, I have done fallow periods twice, first for 73 days and ich was still present, and then for 21 days. After reintroducing my fish the second time my Purple Tang showed signs of ich but none of my other 18 fish did. It's been months now since I've seen any ich in the tank, it's in there for sure, am just waiting for this ich explosion everyone talks about, although it's taking its time!

 

[tassod]

I've been saying this for quite some time, fallow periods are a waste of time and this is another case of it. Unfortunately IMO, if you really want to get rid of whatever is in your tank, you will need to reset and start from scratch.

 

[Finland]

I've been saying this for quite some time, fallow periods are a waste of time and this is another case of it. Unfortunately IMO, if you really want to get rid of whatever is in your tank, you will need to reset and start from scratch.

That has crossed my mind, but I was hoping to hear some options. After following ttm exactly as prescribed, and following up with a long fallow period, only to have ich reappear, it gets a little frustrating.

 

[alprazo]

I had similar issues in the past, so I can't totally disagree about the statements about fallow periods.

 

[webslinger]

2 words "diatom filter". No need for fallow period or the crazy reboot.

 

[tassod]

2 words "diatom filter". No need for fallow period or the crazy reboot.

Please elaborate on this and how a diatom filter would rid a tank of parasites and what proof do you have. I would love to avoid a crazy reboot which I am about to do

 

[Finland]

I am curious also. I could see it reducing ich in the water column, but not eliminating it.

 

[Louis Z]

I am glad I am not the only one that doesn't believe in the fallow period. There are always outliers to everything or I mean exceptions. All it takes is one cyst to survive. Even the tank transfer method makes me cringe . I still use it in conjunction with other methods . If you do fallow period again use another fish as a guinea pig before u put all the ones u really like back in the display tank . It's hard to say which one actually caused the re infection. Maybe the tank transfer method was not enough or that a ich was able to survive on the fish for a long time and never fell off. Idk. I just feel for you. Don't give up. My method off adding fish to the DT is extremely slow. I have a 3 month qt pipeline. What I like now has to wait getting treated first for a month then observed for 2 months. I employ many methods . Dips, TTM , meds and now I am adding cleaner animals to the qt tank towards the last month. I have cleaner shrimp ready to go that they went thru TTM themselves even though they are inverts. My corals also go thru the same tough treatment before going in to DT. I have rushed it in the past and been burned. It took me along time to be cynical and paranoid. But I treasure the pairs of fish I do own and think of them as irreplaceable as well as the corals. I ask myself now, did the new addition earn the right to be in my display tank?

 

[webslinger]

Run it for a few hours after every weekly water change. For maybe 4-7 weeks, then once or twice a year. You will see happy healthy fish almost immediately. It will remove ich and other parasites at the swimming stage and slowly diminish them. Proof?? Worked for me. There will always be nah sayers who don't own one. Best $150 I ever spent in this hobby.

 

[Perth_reefer]

Run it for a few hours after every weekly water change. For maybe 4-7 weeks, then once or twice a year. You will see happy healthy fish almost immediately. It will remove ich and other parasites at the swimming stage and slowly diminish them. Proof?? Worked for me. There will always be nah sayers who don't own one. Best $150 I ever spent in this hobby.

This is interesting, something I've never really looked at....a viable alternative to UV??

 

[Louis Z]

I like diatom filters but I hadn't owned one in 20 years.

 

[microlady]

So the fallow period doesn't work? I just completed TTM, and my fish no longer have white spots. If they get them again when I add them back to the main tank in 2 months, then I am getting out of this hobby. Seriously.

 

[microlady]

I would also like more info on the diatom filter too.

 

[tassod]

So the fallow period doesn't work? I just completed TTM, and my fish no longer have white spots. If they get them again when I add them back to the main tank in 2 months, then I am getting out of this hobby. Seriously.

All I can say is don't count on it.

 

[microlady]

How about 90 days then? This is ridiculous.:mad2:

I could start using the DT water for water changes on the quarantine before I move them over. Would crypto show up on them in quarantine if it is still in the display?

 

[Louis Z]

It's nota guarantee . It works only on the creatures that manage to get sucked up by it. Same with UV filter . They can help but I am not sure they work 100% o n totally eradicating parasites . Some say the fallow period works but to me life has away of surviving And all it takes is just one that has survived by day 73 . Others say they wait longer than 72 days. The best overall is to prevent them getting in the tank in the first place. That's why I push my purchases up to 3 months and then double if I see something along the way that's doesn't look right. Yes it is extremely slow process but once I have a choice pair or rarity , I never want to put them in jeopardy

 

[webslinger]

I would also like more info on the diatom filter too.

What info are you looking for?

 

[mrguppy]

Glad to see I'm not losing my mind. About 8 months ago I started a 40 G reef. Placed a few fish in it all was well for about 3 weeks, then ich broke out and I lost the fish. So, I did some research, and decided to try the fallow period. I waited the 72 days. I had some new fish waiting in the QT tank: Wrasse, flame Angel, and Kole Tang. After the 72 days and the fish being QTed for 5 weeks. I placed them in the 40 G. No more than 2 weeks went by I started to see the white salt like dots appear, again the fish in this tank infected with ich. I removed them and tried to save them, but lost them too.

So, this time I let the 40 G set fallow for 85 days. I have placed two fish in it: Tomato Clown and Royal Gramma, after they where QTed 5 weeks. Two weeks later, tonight, I see the salt like white dots on the Royal Gramma. And, nothing, except R/O top off water was added to this tank during the fallow period. So, I'm not to sure the fallow "cure" works. For now I'm frustrated, and I'm thinking of rebuilding the 40 G. I'm afraid to even transfer the corals that are in there to my main DT, what a waste.