ick again...suggestions?

tangnut

New member
I have 2 blue tangs and I've noticed they have ick, yet again, for the 4th time. I have a strip of green algae with garlic in it, and am feeding them brine shrimp 2 times a day. Nitrites, ammonia, Ph, are all within normal limits. Nitrates are a little high at 40 (per mardel 5 in 1 test kit). I have a UV sterilizer running on the tank, and I am adding vitamin c, probuffer and purple up to the tank 2 times a week. What else can I do to save my fish besides qt again?
 
If you want an ich free tank then you need to QT and treat all the fish (even those who don't show signs of ich) with hypo or copper. You then need to leave your display tank without fish for about 6 weeks ... this will allow the ich within the DT to die off (they need a fish to perpetuate their life cycle).

UV devices will help reduce the free swimming population of ich .. which is helpful .. but overall they are not considered effective in eliminating ich. Garlic, vitamins etc don't have any direct impact on ich ... but may bolster the fish's immune system which certainly may help.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13741302#post13741302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-n-Chicago
it has been advised to leave the display "fish free" for 8 weeks. If you are already going 6 might as well 8 :(

Not much consensus on RC about the "how long" question. In theory the tomonts hatch within 28 days but different people have a different risk criteria.
 
One marine biologist put out a statement saying that after lots of testing, the longest he found ich alive in a fallow tank was 11 weeks... I dont have the link but I've read his article before.

I think if I was going to do the fallow thing, I'd do it as long as I possibly could, up to 11 weeks.
 
agreed with recty i have seen many cases of people leaving there tanks fallow for up to 8 weeks and when they reintroduce there livestock the ick attacks yet again this methode will work but i beleive you need much longer than 6-8 weeks
 
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