ich in my reef aquarium

[buffalo123]

After recently telling my LFS owner my aqaurium have not had ich in years (Jinx) i have the dreaded parasite. Killed my royal gramma and i see it on the other fish. Seeing i have not added any fish in a long time i suspect it came in on coral rock from lfs which is all i added recently.
So from what i read i have to catch all the fish and quarantine them for about 2 months and let the tank be fishless for that long or longer. I only have 5 fish in a 90 gallon reef. (small fish except for 4 inch yellow tang) 2 cardinals and 2 royal grammas.
Catching them without tearing down reef is first challenge, I have to setup quarantine aquarium.
Treat them for the parasite, may try copper but a bit paranoid about accidentally getting copper in the reef so likely to use something else.
Any other options on what i can do in this situation ? Any advantage to investing in a uv sterilizer and putting it on the reef tank ? (if i can't catch all the fish)
Any experience with this how did you deal with it?

 

[EllieSuz]

There is no more hotly debated subject on RC than Ich and misinformation is common. You are on the right track when you say you'll leave your display tank fallow for two months, but ten weeks is optimum. UV doesn't do anything to eradicate Ich, although this is one of the more popular wife's tales. I wouldn't worry about copper contaminating your display, if that's the treatment you prefer. I've only had one case of Ich during quarantine and I used copper successfully. Read about the tank transfer method before you decide. It is efficient and probably the easiest on the fish. Here's a link to help you catch your fish:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=707656

One more thing. Are you sure it's Ich? It usually takes some time for Ich to kill a fish and it sounds like your Gramma died rather quickly. Treatment is vastly different, for instance, if it's Velvet.

 

[b0bab0ey]

First, list your 5 fish. Include size. This will help us figure out if you have any copper sensitive species and what QT options you have. Maybe even recommend a suitable size QT.

Using a UV in the DT won't really help speed up the fallow period, and this whole process is for nothing unless you get all the fish out of your DT. You are looking at 9+ weeks fishless and that's just the way it is. A UV may be useful for Ich management, but it's never going to completely eradicate all the parasite from your DT. Only time does that, as the parasites all slowly starve to death without a fish host to feed on.

I've treated with both copper and CP in this same situation. But the latter can be difficult to obtain. Your best options are going to be either copper or TT.

 

[b0bab0ey]

double post

 

[buffalo123]

The gramma took 2 weeks before it died, I also have 2 clown fish about 2 inches no sign of disease as of yet. The cardinals show no sign . I can see signs on the yellow tang. The fish are all small. Not sure how to distinguish velvet disease. Reading the forum mentioned gold flecks on the fish. Seem copper is what i will likely use once i catch them.

 

[b0bab0ey]

The gramma took 2 weeks before it died, I also have 2 clown fish about 2 inches no sign of disease as of yet. The cardinals show no sign . I can see signs on the yellow tang. The fish are all small. Not sure how to distinguish velvet disease. Reading the forum mentioned gold flecks on the fish. Seem copper is what i will likely use once i catch them.

OK, so a 4" YT, 2-2" clowns, and 2-cardinals.

The good news is Petco is still doing their $1/gal sale right now. I would QT them all in at least a 20L (29 or 30 would be better - 40 breeder would be awesome!) I would treat them w/Cupramine for 4 weeks at 0.35 mg/L. All should be fine in that level of copper.

Alternatively, you could buy two 20L and do tank transfer. But you'll also need to buy two heaters and two filters.....

 

[Reefnub]

OK, so a 4" YT, 2-2" clowns, and 2-cardinals.

The good news is Petco is still doing their $1/gal sale right now. I would QT them all in at least a 20L (29 or 30 would be better - 40 breeder would be awesome!) I would treat them w/Cupramine for 4 weeks at 0.35 mg/L. All should be fine in that level of copper.

Alternatively, you could buy two 20L and do tank transfer. But you'll also need to buy two heaters and two filters.....

Transfer method is the best IMO.
I only used one tank and a bucket, I'd put the fish in the bucket while I bleach and clean the tank for an hour. Worked perfect for me but I also overkilled with this method. I literally changed all new water everyday but it worked. :fun2:

 

[buffalo123]

Any good article to help me understand the transfer method and the best way to do it.. Moving fish from aquarium to aquarium (or container)
found this one ,hope its ok to post
http://www.columbiamac.org/ocp2/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=fish-talk/three-day-transfer

Should i still use copper in the transfer containers?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Lots of good info above. Grammas rarely survive ich or similar parasites. I have no idea why. Its doubtful he would have lived even if you got to him sooner.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Any good article to help me understand the transfer method and the best way to do it.. Moving fish from aquarium to aquarium (or container)
found this one ,hope its ok to post
http://www.columbiamac.org/ocp2/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=fish-talk/three-day-transfer

Should i still use copper in the transfer containers?

No meds are used in TT. i'd read Snorvich's TT sticky above and his other stickies on ich. You can get most of what you need by reading the initial post. knowing the enemy makes treating ich much easier.

 

[buffalo123]

Caught all fish; had to get up pretty early to catch the tang the most infected. Aquarium now empty of fish and starting the transfer method.

 

[buffalo123]

Disaster lost all fish . everything was going well until second exchange on 3rd day. Lost clowns had them for about 5 years, yellow tang about 5 years, cardinal just a few months. Don't know what went wrong but the clown was in heavy distress on day 4. Maybe ph swing or something . No fish just corals now. Tang died first and i know they're subject to ph swings.
I don't know what went wrong. I just ran a powerhead and heater i added some instant bacteria on day 2. All went good in the first container.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Sorry to hear it. Usually, with TT, you change water before ammonia reaches a toxic level. perhaps you had too many fish in a small tank and weren't testing ammonia. Instant bacteria may work sometimes; I'd never bet my fish's lives on it. I'd bet ammonia was responsible; or you were dealing with velvet, not ich.

 

[wooden_reefer]

Any advantage to investing in a uv sterilizer and putting it on the reef tank ? (if i can't catch all the fish)
Any experience with this how did you deal with it?

The UV can be very important but indirectly.

First, the UV has no direct impact on ich. There can be two reasons, not mutually exclusive. The ich organism is too tough. And/Or because of the mode of reproduction, the ich orgamism is low in concentration most of the time but come in a wave. This is not like bacteria. The UV is hence much more effective against waterborne bacteria than against ich. (think about how the UV works in a closed batch system)

Second, for me, if there is no bacterial infection, I will not need to use any drug that harms nitrification bacteria, so I can effortlessly eradicate ich with little or no WC during the whole process of 10-12 weeks of treatment.

So, UV, bacterial infection and ich are related in practical procedure.

Third, bacterial infection is most likely so the UV is more critical within 3-4 months after the introduction of new source of bacteria.

Fouth, for this to be relevant, you must already have active nitrification in QT.

Fifth, if you do not have active nitrification in QT, you had not cycled for QT, the problem of ammonia can be pivotal in eradication of ich. I suggest that you start cycle for medium for QT ASAP. Eradication of ich is a long process, including the fallow period; even if active treatment against ich could stop, the DT may not be ready as ich may not have yet died out in DT.