Ich question

[spieszak]

Trying again with a short post, since long ones don't seem to get read.

Can a fish exposed to ich not have ich, or is it more likely that the fish is just strong enough to fight off the visible signs. In either case, if a fish shows no signs but has been exposed, do you still treat?

If you want to read the long drawn out story, you can see it here http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2002137

 

[Sk8r]

It's possible, depending on species. A thick slime coat, for instance, protects mandarins, unless something damages the slime coat.

I would advise treatment and leaving the tank fishless for 8 weeks as the best way to be sure it doesn't come back on you. You can take other courses and maybe come out all right---skill in reading the fish's breathing, assessing species risk, etc, could suggest you could get by without that step---but the consequences of a mistake are serious, resulting in a major infestation and the potential loss of all fish. If you're going to try to ride it out untreated, you need to have an extra tank in case; meds in case; and you need to watch that fish and others like a hawk for about 8 weeks. The minute you spot an outbreak, grab everybody and treat.

 

[spieszak]

Thanks Sk8r. The fish already in a HT, with the cupramine and copper test kit sitting next to them. My intent is to let the DT go fallow for 8 weeks. Since I have time to observe (at least 8 weeks) I was thinking of holding off treatment until I see signs of illness. Three chromis and a clown goby, so no thick slime coats to help. Its a situation where if I were diagnosing myself... well, if you don't have a headache, you don't take tylenol. The thing is though if they are carrying the parasite, then 8 weeks fallow is a huge waste of time. Treatment (no matter what I do hypo/copper/tank swap) isn't going to be good for the fish... I'd like to avoid putting them through it if I can, but am very nervous about NOT treating, since then I'm in a scenario where I can't be "sure" I won't just put ich right back into the DT.

 

[jcw]

I'm currently in this situation. A wrasse refuses to be caught but has never demonstrated ich while everyone else in the tank came down with life threatening cases.

I've removed everyone else but the wrasse.

I've lost 3 fish with 4 currently doing well in last week of hypo.

The DT has been sitting for the nearly 4 weeks with just the wrasse. I've read that these flasher wrasse sleep with a thicker coat of slime around them and seem to be more resistant to ich, however, the chance I'm taking is significant. I plan to live with the consequences.


My plan is to return slowly to normal salinity in QT after 4 weeks then transfer a test subject back into the DT after 6 weeks and see how it goes.

 

[GreenElephants]

I would just treat the fish for ich since you have them in QT already. B/c you had ich in your tank, it's very likely your other fish are carriers now even with no visible symptoms. If you're worried about the stress try hypo, I've read that is the least stressful/safest treatment option. Hope everything works out ok!

 

[spieszak]

Hypo on a 20 gallon tank with no ATO feels pretty impossible to me. There are bound to be some mild swings in salinity that are likely to make whether or not I really did hypo questionable.
From my understanding, copper will kill it and I don't have to be "as precise".. I have the test kit, and I will be checking twice daily so there shouldn't be a large swing....
Am I correct in this, or does Hypo not have to be "as precise" as I think it does?