Ich , questions

[SDboatguy]

I guess I've been very lucky, as I've not had to deal with this over the last 10 years. So , how long after adding a new fish do symptoms show? Could I have a fish in my system for months and then, randomly, have an outbreak ? Can this parasite stay dormant for any length of time ? I've been reading all the TTM posts and was just curious...

 

[scooter31707]

I don't know if there's a certain time table after adding a new fish, but you could have ich in your tank now and not know it. It is possible that the fish are fighting it off now, but if something stress the fish out there could be a strong possibility they could experience an outbreak. Not saying you have ich, but it could happen like that and I have seen it happen like that.

 

[Zalick]

You could never know your tank has ich. Many people here believe most, if not all, tanks have ich but never show outward symptoms.

My tank is one of those. I had a brief "showing" of ich one time, on a clown I've had for years. Never seen it since.

From what I've read, ich does not negatively effect healthy fish and they suppress it well.

I do my best to QT and prevent introduction, but I operate on the assumption that the tank has ich already.

 

[scooter31707]

In my case, I went through the quarantine process faithfully, and none of the fish showed an signs of any parasites wow in QT (8 weeks). My fish were in my DT for awhile and it was at the 8 month mark when I last added something. I had a 3 inch Yellow Tang that was just the pure devil, that I decided that too go. He was smart to avoid the fish trap, so I decided to go in and get it. It took about 15 minutes to get him. Let alone, the 2nd day after catching him, have a ich outbreak in the tank. So I assume of my fish was carrying it and the stress of me going to catch the YT cause the stress and broke them out.