Ick Myth Or Fact? Everyone Please

[alfieferenzo84]

I have done some reading the past few days due to i have had a on going ick problem for the past few mo and i thought i got rid of the problem and started over but now i got ick again so i want to know,

Is there such thing as a ick free tanks?

So if i put my fish in hypo for 8wks and never add anything to my tank besides ro/di water and flake food this is no chance they can ever get ick again right?

I just want to know i have read both ways and want to see what everyone has to say about this!

 

[Jerry W]

It is entirely possible to have a system free from parasites. Proper quarantine of all fish before placing them in the display tank is essential. I would say with confidence that I have not had ich in any of my display systems in almost 8 years.

 

[Freed]

My fish do not have ich. My tank does not have ich. I QT EVERYTHIN before it goes into the main tank. That is the only way to be ich free. Corals, rock, inverts, fish.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

I think i see where this is going lol I just wanted to check with you all

Also now that i have ick how long will it take to get out of the dt? I am going to qt the fish in hypo for what 8wks to be safe

Thanks

 

[George Gouveia]

8 weeks should be enough of your display tank is empty, as the parasite doesn't live that long without a host.

 

[paulamrein]

Still want to keep this one going? All anyone can do is agree with the posts above them? I Qt everything as well and haven't had a problem going on 4 months or so, I upgraded the tank and continued on the route. I have had HUGE problems before I QT'd I went through 12 or so fish before I did it right. Since then, no loses. My LFS doesn't see me as much buying the same species of fish anymore.

 

[Zoom]

I vote NO Because i know is very hard to have a tank free of the ICH parasite if you have a reef F/O tank for many years.
Even if you quarantine everything you may get a fish that is only partially immune to a the ich parasite and it can be just a carrier and you will never know.
The only way to have a parasite free tank is to Quarantine and treat every fish regardless if the fish have any notifiable / visible parasites the parasite may just be in the fishes gills and you will never know if the fish have partial immunity to the parasite .
You also need to keep any Live Rock corals in quarantine for six weeks with no fish in the quarantine tank .
This is the only way you can guarantee you have no Parasites going in to your tank.

 

[paulamrein]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12075700#post12075700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zoom
The only way to have a parasite free tank is to Quarantine and treat every fish regardless if the fish have any notifiable / visible parasites the parasite may just be in the fishes gills and you will never know if the fish have partial immunity to the parasite .
You also need to keep any Live Rock corals in quarantine for six weeks with no fish in the quarantine tank .
This is the only way you can guarantee you have no Parasites going in to your tank.

How can you vote No and give the exact way to do it in the same post :lol:

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12075791#post12075791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paulamrein
How can you vote No and give the exact way to do it in the same post :lol:

Because is almost impassible to have a ich free tank.
Yes i vote NO because no one even my self ever stick with the quarantine procedure that i describe .
But you are correct i should have voted yes and explain .

 

[paulamrein]

I treat every fish going into my system off the bat with hypo, and I haven't had new rock or anything major to add to my tank, but if it was wet, it WILL go into a QT with no fish. I would say it is high maintenance to have an ich free system. Not almost impossible. If one of us can do it, all of us could. I know Freed (sorry to single you out Jeff ) has an ich free system. I am confident I have one. It can be done. Not saying there aren't other problems in our tanks. But the most common and what seems to be the most aggressive ailments HAVE been eliminated.

 

[Freed]

Paulamrein is correct. If you make it hard or impossible, then it is. My QT is neither hard nor impossible. That's why I do not have ich in my system.