Ich wiped my tank :( ...how long to wait??
- Thread starter EllisJuan
- Start date
lhm nole
New member
Imo 8 weeks fallow no fish at all in dt
8 to 10 weeks is best bet. You don`t wait all season for apples and then pick them green-give the extra time to be sure. Also since the new fish will need at least 30 days of qt- so you will be able to start buying fish soon. remember that the 30 day qt restarts if you add new fish to qt before the old ones go to the display.
RegalAngel
Member
What is in the tank at this point?
If nothing then treat with Quinine Sulfate for 5 days at 1/4 tsp/10gal...Ich will be killed at this point and you can add fish.
SkullV
They Got My Number
Does the Quinine treat all of the stages of the Crypt's life cycle? Does it get absorbed into rocks/sand? Is it removed by carbon? Can you add corals after treatment with no detriment to the corals?
I'm interested in this treatment as I'm setting up a new tank with some established rock/sand and if this treats everything it would be a good prophylactic just to make sure nothing is being brought in.
RegalAngel
Member
Yes! Quinine Sulfate treats all stages of crypt (Ich).
I had good results in a 30g tube with no rocks/sand treating fish with QS in just 6 days. I also treated a 300g FO system with two 5 day treatments with Ich totally wiped out! I did not use carbon for removal, but did several water changes and no issue with fish whatsoever.
I do not know about the corals as I have a FO system.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1974075
SkullV
They Got My Number
Do you know anything other then water changes to remove it from the water? Is there a test kit to determine concentration? I am just concerned because I only have one QT and would like to make sure that the medicine is completely out of the water before I add a new fish to the QT and start a new treatment.
Stuart60611
New member
Absolutely untrue. Quinine sulfate only kill crypt (ich) when the parasite is in its free swimming stage or when attached to a fish. All other treatments only kill crypt while in its free swimming stage or in the case of hypo prevent the parasite from reproducing. No treatment exists which kills crypt while in its cyst stage which is the longest stage in its lifecycle.
Stuart60611
New member
There is no hobbyist grade test to determine the concentration of the quinine based drugs in sea water. However, they break down rapidly in sea water and are easily removed with activated carbon. As such, I would do a massive water change and run activated carbon for about 1 week or so, and I think you can be very confident that a quinine based drug has been purged from the system.
SkullV
They Got My Number
That is what I thought. So NO treatment will work in 5 days then correct? No matter what you are going to want to do 21 days to make sure you get everything.
Stuart60611
New member
Absolutely correct. That is why Goeman and others who are highly experienced using the quinine based drugs recommend 3 back to back 5-7 day treatments b/c these drugs will NOT kill the crypt parasite while in the cyst stage. It should be noted that once fish obtain a blood level of the quinine based drugs all crypt parasites which attach to the fish will die quickly even several days after the drug in no longer in the water column because the fish maintain a blood level of the drug for several days after the water column is stripped of the drug. Therefore, in theory, the quinine drug could be stripped out of the water column, a crypt cyst could hatch, and free swimming crypt parasite emerges unkilled. However, the free swimming crypt parasite will die if it is unable to find a host or attaches to a fish who still has a blood level of the quinine drug. The drugs only stay in the fish's blood stream in sufficient concentration for several days after the drug has been stripped out of the water so you cannot rely on this for any lengthy period of time.
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RegalAngel
Member
If you have the fish in QT then yes the QS will rid the fish of Ich and they can then be moved! And it will do it in just 5 days or less. This is what I did with three fishes in a 30g container for 6 days and then they were moved to a QT 40g tank....no more Ich.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17504301&postcount=24
I did note that the small amount of brown algae in my DT was wiped completely out with the use of QS! Nice, as I have been using AlgaeFix to keep it at bay and that works wonders.
RegalAngel
Member
That may be the case in my DT where I treated for a total of 10 days and no more Ich. Certainly, if not and it shows up then I will not hesitate to dose the tank again as the QS is very simple to use and the fish did not show any ill effects.
Note: I used Cupramine for 3 months trying to rid the DT of Ich and still had it present on a couple of fish (checked Cu levels with two differnt Salifert kits almost daily). With the QS it was gone just like that, so I must say if one if having issues give it a try.
RegalAngel
Member
FYI,
No, it kills the cysts as well. Quinine is the best Ich treatment I have ever come across.
Best regards,
Dr. Brian G. Aukes; PhD
c/o National Fish Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Brian G. Aukes; PhD [nationalfishpharm@yahoo.com]
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MrTuskfish
Team RC
National Fish Parmaceuticals just happens to make QS. this isn't a source, its an endorsement of their own product. Can you find anything from a reputable, impartial source that says QS kills ich in all stages?
MrTuskfish
Team RC
IME & IMO; only a SeaChem test kit will give a consistently accurate reading of Cupramine, SeaChem makes both products.
Tankdiver83
New member
I would suggest a UV sterilizer. This way you have far less worry about that happening again. you can also buy neon gobies to help keep fish clean.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
No. there is no reason to (and a lot of work) hypo the DT, I assume you'r talking about the DT going fallow) and it will kill tiny inverts in the LR. If the newly "hatched" ich parasites can't find a fish host, they die. Period.
