ich and the uninfected

[killermagoo]

From what Ive read here, My blue tang has developed ich. Over the last 2 days white spots have popped up all over him. He trys to scratch himself against rocks as well. Ive read all the stuff about treating him with copper. My question is. I have a 65gallon reef tank full of live rock, coral, inverts and 4 other fish. I know I cant treat the tank with copper. So do I QT just him or is there a chance that the substrate is already infected and by removing just him the other 4 fish could contract it? Do I remove all of them and qt them together and treat them all? do I take them all out but qt the tang seperate from the other 4 and just treat him and let the cycle die off in main tank? Will it effect non fish like erchins, hermits, bristle stars or anemones? Any help would be greatly appriciated. Not that it matters but just incase, the other 4 fish are a Flame hawkfish, clown, green manderane and a damsel.. thanks

 

[Hattie B]

Actually it does matter. =) a mandarin is one fish that I believe to be harder to QT. Does it eat prepared foods? if it only eats pods it will starve in a QT. (they have a thicker slime coat but are not immune to the parasite).

If your blue tang has ich and its in your main tank the whole tank has ich. There are many stages of ick and some have already fallen off to breed in the display.

The best way to treat is in the QT (actually, the only way to preserve your inverts and keep a healthy reef).

Best thing to do would be to remove all the fish and let the main go fallow for at least 6-8 weeks to kill off the parasite.