"Ich" & QT time?

[Asureef]

Looks like my fishes got re-infected. About two months ago, I had two true percula showing symptoms of ich, which they fought off in just 4days after I supplemented their food with garlic and vitamins. Three weeks ago I introduced a new baby blue tang, he showed no signs of ich for two weeks in QT. Though, just after two days he became heavily infected in my DT. Of course, that in turn infected the rest, excluding the two clowns and a orange prawn goby. I've read gobies are more resisted to ich, is this true? I will be removing all fish from DT to QT and treating with coppersafe. I've read mixed answers on time period, I've seen anywhere from 2 weeks to 30days and even 60-90days?

 

[Raf1985]

I'm no expert but 3-4 weeks usually does it for me.

 

[Chris27]

Nix the coppersafe - use cupramine or strait up copper sulfate instead. Either product is more effective, I've used coppersafe in the past, and crypt was able to weather the storm so to speak.

As for the time frame, 3-4 weeks is a great suggestion, however you'll also want to leave the display fishless for about 4-5 weeks to eradicate the parasite from there.

 

[Asureef]

Nix the coppersafe - use cupramine or strait up copper sulfate instead. Either product is more effective, I've used coppersafe in the past, and crypt was able to weather the storm so to speak.

As for the time frame, 3-4 weeks is a great suggestion, however you'll also want to leave the display fishless for about 4-5 weeks to eradicate the parasite from there.

Do I do an additional 4-5weeks after I treat the fishes in QT? The display tank will be fish-less through out the treatment. I'm thinking 6 weeks total, or do I need to go longer?

 

[Chris27]

6 weeks from the time the last fish is removed from the display....treat the fish while the display lays fallow.

 

[Recty]

I read a report about testing that was done in laboratory conditions regarding the lifespan of ich. There was absolutely no polluting of the data, i.e. the guy doing the testing didnt accidently use the same net on one tank as the next and throw off the data.

They put fish with ich in 20 or 30 tanks, let them live for a while then removed the fish and did microscopic analysis of water samples from each of the tanks each morning for 13 weeks. It wasnt until the 13th week that no ich was found in any of the tanks. Some stopped showing ich sooner than others, but all were eradicated by 13.

Something to think about... I know a lot of people suggest just 6 weeks of fallow, some say only 4, but for me if I'm going to set up a QT and go through the trouble of treating the fish, I want to make 100% sure there isnt a chance they are going to be reinfected again when they go back to the display.

Man, I really wish I could find that report. I google searched for it now and cant find hide or hair of it. It was pretty old, but I cant believe it just disappeared.

 

[Asureef]

So, QT for 3months? I guess, I can do that.

I found a nice article here,
"Marine Ich"

 

[Recty]

So, QT for 3months? I guess, I can do that.

I found a nice article here,
"Marine Ich"

Yep, that article says 72 days, so a little over 10 weeks for the lifecycle of ich. Personally, I'd hold out for the 13 weeks. What is another 3 weeks after you've already done 10

 

[Chris27]

Here is another article, this time with an extensive list of references....

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

Follow these guidelines to a T, and you'll be good to go. I don't see the point in QT'ing for 3 months, it's overkill.

 

[jenglish]

Yep, that article says 72 days, so a little over 10 weeks for the lifecycle of ich. Personally, I'd hold out for the 13 weeks. What is another 3 weeks after you've already done 10

72 days was in a cold tank IIRC, 6-8 weeks is usually fine. Ich cycles form a bell curve or normal distribution like most things in nature. More than 60 days would be quite out of the ordinary but possible. But there is still that chance.

 

[Asureef]

Anyways, I'm on day 2 with treatment with Cupramine (thanks Chris27) and everyone looks good. Anyways, Cupramine instructed to use 16 drops per every 10.5g, so I'm doing about 30 drops for my 20g and continuing every 2-3days until copper is steady at .5 mg/l. How soon can I start testing for copper after dosing with Cupramine? On the first day, I dosed 30 drops and tested an hour later, copper was undetectable. I have the API kit and salifert.

 

[glaukos]

test everyday 2 times
i went to 5mg/l after 5 days with my 30 gallon QT

after you reach it try to continue to do 2 test

uder 5mg cupramine is almost useless and over is big problem for the fish

 

[Asureef]

The copper levels reached .5 mg/l last night, and today I noticed my McCosker's flasher wrasse was on its side and breathing heavily. So, I checked my copper to make sure I haven't over dosed. Checked my ammonia and nitrite, both were at .25 ppm. I then decided to do a 50% water change, ammonia & nitrite went down a little, but still close to .25...

I've read that cupramine can falsely spike up ammonia test. I'm wondering if it's true with nitrite too.

 

[dr.sinister]

My tang died when I used cupramine, either from overdose (that test is rediculious) or from qt tank cycle then the guy at the fish store said they only treat tangs with copper for short periods at a time.

 

[Recty]

I treated my dussumieri and my achilles with copper for a full 3 weeks with no issues, just my observation.

Different copper medications are harsher on fish than Cupramine. I personally only will use Cupramine now, it seems to be easy to use on even the most finicky of fish.

 

[moondoggy4]

I bought a Purple Tang last week and he looked great and now he has ich all over him. He still is eating, none of the other fish have it. Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.