Ich in my preadtor tank...

[Luhring]

I got Ich in my predator tank, I have a 6" Sting Ray in there that I do not want to hurt. The fish in the tank are a 7" Lionfish, 2 5" Triggers, a Toadfish, and a 4" Sgt. Major. I have used Kick Ich before but is it my best option?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Chris27]

Time for QT, and given your fish list, copper will be your safest bet. Hypo will be too hard on the ray.

 

[Luhring]

Time for QT, and given your fish list, copper will be your safest bet. Hypo will be too hard on the ray.

Thanks for your input but I really don't wanna use copper because I might change it back to a reef someday and don't wanna ruin the tank. Any other suggestions....anyone?

 

[Stuart60611]

You can take a look at chloroquine phosphate. There are a bunch of threads here on it so use the search function. I would add that if you used cupramine your physical tank would not be affected in any way for being a reef going forward. Moreover, many people have even used the rock and sand in a reef without problems after first removing the cupramine because it is a compex copper which is much easier to remove fully and/or render inert. At most, only the rock and sand would be at risk and not the tank.

 

[Luhring]

Thanks I will look into it! Good stuff!

 

[Chris27]

Thanks for your input but I really don't wanna use copper because I might change it back to a reef someday and don't wanna ruin the tank. Any other suggestions....anyone?

Copper in a quarantine tank - not in your display - copper and hypo are the only surefire ways to break the lifecycle.

 

[Luhring]

I would have to set up two QTs I have two triggers that would kill eachother in a 20g...think I am gonna have to though.

 

[Chris27]

Instead or using small tanks, use large plastic tubs from Walmart. They are dirt cheap and the old lady can use them for storing crap after you're done.

 

[Luhring]

Instead or using small tanks, use large plastic tubs from Walmart. They are dirt cheap and the old lady can use them for storing crap after you're done.

Thanks for the slap in the face...lol I work for Lowe's and get them really cheap, *** was I thinking...LMAO...

 

[Luhring]

But is copper ok for my Sting Ray?

 

[svejil]

I believe I have heard in the past that ionic copper, and hypo are not recommended for sting rays. Maybe someone here can chime in on best treatment for Elasmobranch species.

SV

 

[svejil]

Richard:

Found the following:

"Copper compounds are contraindicated for a few reasons with cartilaginous fishes" (Bob Fenner) -- this would indicate copper is likely not a good option for your ray.

It also appears that the recommended treatment is with Quinine Sulphate. Natl. Fish Pharm is a manufacture of such. Treatment is I believe 2 weeks, and not sure if could be done in main display, or if hopsital tank is needed.

Hope this helps.

SV

 

[Luhring]

Thanks for the replies, I do not want to hurt my sting ray, I do not think she has ich though, I might just take the other fish out and put in storage buckets to treat them.

 

[Stuart60611]

Thanks for the replies, I do not want to hurt my sting ray, I do not think she has ich though, I might just take the other fish out and put in storage buckets to treat them.

That is not going to work. If your stingray has been in the same system with the other fish who have ich (more than a couple of days), then I am quite sure that your stingray does have ich. The stingray may not show any visual signs of the parasite, but it almost certainly has some parasites although maybe a small number often called a low level infestation. If you just remove and treat the other fish and leave the stringray in the display and then return the other fish to the display after treatment then all fish will get re-infected. I would definitely not use ionic copper with a ray (or any other fish). However, look into cupramine. It is a complex copper which is tolerated by many very copper sensitive fish who do not tolerate ionic copper. I bet you can treat your ray with cupramine, but research it. If not, then your only other options are: hypo (not sure you can do this with a ray, so research it) , tank transfer method, and the quinine based drugs, like chloroquine phosphate.

 

[syrinx]

Absolutely no copper for stingrays. Some folks say that low levels of cupramine are safe-most do not agree. Stingrays are not affected by ich- but could obviously harbor it. Generally for our sharks and rays we would do long QT with heavy use of UV sterilisers. In the rare case of these animals needing treatment, we relied on our fish vet to dose prescription meds.

 

[Luhring]

I really appreciate that syrinx!

 

[syrinx]

Rather than edit my previous post, rays "generally" are not effected by ich- a quick check of records does have a case of a blue spotted that we thought had it. We did no lab workup on it however-as it had other terminal issues upon arrival. As iterated though- generally they are not affected- but still may carry.

 

[lhm nole]

http://www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/Cupramine.html

 

[Luhring]

Mine is a Cortez or California Stin Ray.

 

[Stuart60611]

But you need to get the stingray clear of any ich, or otherwise you are wasting your time treating the other fish. Once you put the other fish back in display with the stringray, the stingray is just going to reinfect the other fish. The stingray may never become symptomatic, but the chances of him being infected are very high since he was kept for a while with other fish infected, and he will continually infect all other fish until you get him clear of ich. If cupramine is not an option, then you need to find some alternative otherwise treating your other fish to put them back in the display with the likely infected stingray is a pointless excercise. If you are not going to treat the stingray and are going to keep the other fish in the same system, then it is a waste of time to treat the other fish and would just feed well and keep water quality high.