ICH has killed all my fish :(

[dwizzle28]

Hello Guys,

I need some advice. All my fish have been wiped out by the horrible ich disease. It is very disheartening, but its time to rebuild. If there is no fish in the tank, will it be safe to start rebuilding in 4 weeks? From the research of this parasite, it seems like it will die with its full cycle and after not finding a host in about 28 days.

My current set up is:

12g Nano Cube DX
Inhabitants include 3 snails, emerald crab, 1 peppermint, 1 blue crab.
It seems like the livestock cannot be candidates of hosting the horrible parasite.

Thanks in advance!

 

[b0bab0ey]

I would go fallow a minimum of 9-10 weeks. Read this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2116080

 

[snorvich]

It is highly probable that it was velvet not ich. Please wait 7 weeks before restarting.

 

[MrTuskfish]

How many fish did you lose and how fast? Any parasite can really do damage in a very small tank like yours.

 

[macman7010]

I would recommend in addition to the 7 week fallow period adding a UV Sterilizer to your tank. Over the past several years several models have come out for smaller marine environments.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I would recommend in addition to the 7 week fallow period adding a UV Sterilizer to your tank. Over the past several years several models have come out for smaller marine environments.

It sure won't hurt and will help clarify water. But UV can't cure or prevent ich, velvet;, or similar parasites.

 

[dwizzle28]

Thank you all for your input.

I lost all my fish within 2 weeks period. I now have raised my temperature to 82 degrees to speed up the process of what i think is ich.

I will wait 8 weeks before adding anything. Maybe a damsel to see the conditions.

 

[EllieSuz]

You now have eight to ten weeks to set up a quarantine tank. If you don't want this to happen again, I strongly urge you to do so.

 

[macman7010]

Mr. Tusk Fish is correct. A UV is by no means a cure for any parasite or bacteria. Basically a UV can kill free floating parasites. Some offer a kill rate of 90% some more others less. Conditions, namely water flow play a role in the kill rate as well. Less flow is often better for most UV units. I also agree with Ellie as the QT tank can help assure that fish added to the display are unlikely to be infected with an external parasite.

 

[MuffsAbby]

Thank you all for your input.

I lost all my fish within 2 weeks period. I now have raised my temperature to 82 degrees to speed up the process of what i think is ich.

I will wait 8 weeks before adding anything. Maybe a damsel to see the conditions.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of all your fish. That must be heartbreaking.

As for adding a damsel after 8 weeks...if you do that and you again see signs of ich (or velvet), you will have no way of knowing whether it was still in your tank after the 8-week fallow period or if the new damsel brought it back again. So, I agree with EllieSuz, this would be a good time to set up a QT.

 

[Gtownguy487]

Sorry about your losses... I wish you best of luck in the restart

 

[MrTuskfish]

Thank you all for your input.

I lost all my fish within 2 weeks period. I now have raised my temperature to 82 degrees to speed up the process of what i think is ich.

I will wait 8 weeks before adding anything. Maybe a damsel to see the conditions.

Raising temp won't do anything to speed up the SW ich life cycle. Don't "test conditions' with anything until your fallow period is up; you could just re-infect the tank.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Mr. Tusk Fish is correct. A UV is by no means a cure for any parasite or bacteria. Basically a UV can kill free floating parasites. Some offer a kill rate of 90% some more others less. Conditions, namely water flow play a role in the kill rate as well. Less flow is often better for most UV units. I also agree with Ellie as the QT tank can help assure that fish added to the display are unlikely to be infected with an external parasite.

That may be 90% of the theronts that pass through the UV. the problem is that most ich theronts don't get that far. They emerge, usually at night, from the substrate. Most fish sleep on the substrate. Many will find a fish-host to continue the ich cycle and never make it to the UV.