Ich in a 36" tall 350g tank

[Constantin]

Here is the story -
This is a newer tank, i purchased some tangs (PBT, Desjardin's Sailfin and a small hippo), have 2 clownfish, and another goby in there. I only have a small QT tank and decided i wouldnt QT them.

2 Weeks later the PB and hippo both have 2 spots of ich, the spots were gone this morning, but reappeared this noon. both fish are eating fine, and look pretty good.
However obviously i have got ich in my system now.

What do i do? this is a 350g 36 inches tall tank, in a 500g system, catching fish would be a nightmare, but there is only 6 fish to catch, do I try to catch them?
The other option is a medication like Kick Ich, while i believe it might better things for the fish, they will still always carry the parasite.

I have a couple of corals in there, and a couple of nems.

I purchased a larger 50g QT, but also have a couple of new fish arriving.

Honestly the only way i see myself catching fish is if I drained the tank, but doing that with a 350g tank is just too much, i also have some corals already attached.

What do i do? People with big tanks and experience with ich, please help a newbie out.
I'm desperate.

The fish are doing fine though, only a couple of spots on the tang
I tried catching them, but the only thing i can catch are the clowns.

I feel that this is either going to be draining the tank or letting things be, any other options?

It seems to me that its unlikely that ich wont be present in a large system - unless you treat every fish you get with cupramine - ei, fish might not exibit the signs or be actually sick, but they could still carry it.

HELP ME PLEASE! I really dont want to drain the tank, but i will do it if i have to

 

[clownaround2]

Can you get a cleaner wrasse? Another solution add garlic to your food. I use frozen brine shrimp add garlic (liquid, health store) and let sit over night (marinade) with a little bit of water in a shotglas in the frigde. Run the food through a tea net with water to get a juice away. With garlic supplements, the ich can't stick to the fish that way. Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[robot2222]

i dont think i would add any more fish until i figured this out. do not add any meds that contain copper..............it will kill all your corals and contaminate your tank you will never be able to keep corals again...........

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15587710#post15587710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clownaround2
Can you get a cleaner wrasse? Another solution add garlic to your food. I use frozen brine shrimp add garlic (liquid, health store) and let sit over night (marinade) with a little bit of water in a shotglas in the frigde. Run the food through a tea net with water to get a juice away. With garlic supplements, the ich can't stick to the fish that way. Hope this helps, good luck!

I wish this was true, but I'm not so sure...

I haven't seen any research that indicates garlic does anything except improve appetite...and that assumption was based on anecdotal evidence.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1500214

Good luck with your ich challenge. I have the same issue in my 350. A Blue tang and Foxface Rabbitfish that have been in my system for long times suddenly developed ich. Other fish do not show any symptoms. Following along for some suggestions based on real experience...

LL

 

[clownaround2]

Might be anecdotal evidence, but I am talking about my own experience with garlic use. The first couple of years, I had ich problems, too. Used many different over the counter medications. For about 8 years using garlic on my food about once or twice a week, so far I never had any more problems with ich. Everytime I add new fish, I make sure I have garlic prepared food ready for 2-3 days in a row.

 

[sedor]

Ich is actually in all of our systems, and it pretty much always will be. Almost every fish will contain the virus (or whatever causes ich outbreaks) in their systems, but it just shows up when the fish is under stress. Tangs are very prone to ich and probably are just stressed from the move. The best thing you can do is feed vitamin enriched food, garlic won't hurt either but not instead, and maintain your water quality. It should take care of itself on its own.

Do not add kick-ich whatever you do. This isn't the last time ich will rear its ugly head, but its not fatal as long as the fish stays normal and continues to eat.

 

[Constantin]

Actually, apperantly many people believe that ich can be rid off, by going fishless for 2 months so that the parasite will not have a host and die, but it would also seem to require to treat all incoming fish with cupramine, not to mention that anything with saltwater in it can carry it, i just cant see how i would actually get rid of it once and for all even if i got the fish out and went fishless.

My tang actually developed a new condition, it seems that maybe this is some sort of an intestinal parasite... the smaller hippo tang has something similar looking.
Also, the front of the tangs head is much lighter than behind the eyes, what would that be a sign of? the fish is also pretty skinny~

Here are pictures

There are 2 bulges on the abdomen area...
Here is one more picture, hope this is visible

On a side note, do people recommend UV filters as a preventative measure?

 

[clownaround2]

Ya, I wouldn't add anything to the tank either. The medications never worked for me just messed up the reef tank. Your fish is awfully skinny. Do you add Selcon or other vitamines to your food? Hard to tell from the picture, but I don't see any ich. Had a fish once with in intestinal worms, that looked allot like yours. Very skinny and had stringy white poop coming out. Hopefully more people chime in to help you out.

 

[Constantin]

yeah, its skinny

yeah, its skinny

its skinny, but no stringy poo, i have had discus before, and intestinal parasites are common, so i know what stringy poo looks like... even though other signs seem similar
i have actually caught every fish but this tang and another goby...
need really small fishing hooks to catch the tang i think.

 

[kinlayan]

i agree the best you can do is maintain water quality at optimum levels, use vitamins and garlic in the food and especially ascorbic acid- vitamin c!, keep theri immune systems strong and they will kick the ich themselves