Ick question

[dfm34]

I had an out ick outbreak and lost all but one fish. I assume that fish s pj Cardinal is immune. My question is if this fish is immune does it mean that if I wait 72 days as if fallow would I be ick free?

 

[A.Astore]

Even if the fish is immune to showing physical symptoms it can still host the ICH. It is like people being able to carry a cold without showing symptoms yet pass it on to someone else. I would remove the fish from the tank to a QT and leave the display sit for the 72 days to have the best chance of removing the ICH from the system. You should also treat the cardinal to ensure you do not continue to allow ICH to survive in the QT either through TTM or meds specifically to treat ICH.

 

[dfm34]

Ick question

I thought that would be the case. I have been trying to remove this fish with the reef it's not easy. I welcome suggestions.

Thanks in advance

 

[A.Astore]

OH its THAT fish... of course the one that makes it through is the one that will be the most difficult to get out.

How big is the fish? There are how to DYI bottle type fish traps... if it is big you could maybe try a Gatorade bottle that has the wider opening to get the fish in.

Here is an example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cha0RrhPBQ

Some others use plastic colanders to get fish out but they will be difficult to navigate around rock work. I mean I have heard people on here using a small hook and fishing line... not sure I would want to attempt that even though my dad jokes about doing it every time he comes to visit!

Good luck!

 

[dfm34]

Yes it that fish!!!! That video is helpful I will give it a shot it's not that big so hopefully that will work. Thanks again.

 

[Green571]

I have had a bad out brake of ich!!! It wiped out 3 Achilles Tangs,3 moorish idals,regal,3 yellow sailfin and my pacasso clowns so I took advice and broke down tank caught the 3 remaining tangs I had left 1 brown 1 regal 1 yellow sailfin and placed them in qt treated with copper left tank totally for 3 days then replaced live sand put back live rock and ran empty for one month!!! So yesterday tank looked amazing and so did the tangs in qt so yesterday I put brown tank back in sump part of the tank so I could remove it quickly and yet again ich !!!!!! *** am I doing wrong? I got the brown tang out and put it back in Qt tank but do I have to leave my display tank empty again for another month? The tang was only in my sump a few hours !I'm just going to end up with an empty tank forever the way things are going all my water tests are amazing!!! Please help me: I just wanna get rid of the pest the is killing this hobby for me,

 

[A.Astore]

DFM34- did you manage to catch the thing?

 

[A.Astore]

I have had a bad out brake of ich!!! It wiped out 3 Achilles Tangs,3 moorish idals,regal,3 yellow sailfin and my pacasso clowns so I took advice and broke down tank caught the 3 remaining tangs I had left 1 brown 1 regal 1 yellow sailfin and placed them in qt treated with copper left tank totally for 3 days then replaced live sand put back live rock and ran empty for one month!!! So yesterday tank looked amazing and so did the tangs in qt so yesterday I put brown tank back in sump part of the tank so I could remove it quickly and yet again ich !!!!!! *** am I doing wrong? I got the brown tang out and put it back in Qt tank but do I have to leave my display tank empty again for another month? The tang was only in my sump a few hours !I'm just going to end up with an empty tank forever the way things are going all my water tests are amazing!!! Please help me: I just wanna get rid of the pest the is killing this hobby for me,

I am pretty sure I replied to you in another person's post but I will respond here too just in case.

All you need to do is take the brown tang out and put it back in QT. Leave your tank without ALL fish (and I do mean ALL) for 72 days so that the ICH that is present in the tank dies off from having no host.

Now that the fish are in QT you have two options that are acceptable:

A) Copper- PITA! You absolutely HAVE to keep the copper levels at the needed level for the length of time it says on the bottle. This requires a copper testing kit as well as a lot of testing because evaporation and water changes effect your levels of copper in the water. Treatment is usually at least 14 days and you CANNOT use ammonia reducers like Prime with Cupramine because Prime targets the portion of Cupramine that allows for it to be more easily pulled out post treatment reducing the compound it to a toxic copper level. SOOOO, please read onto choice B for the better option.

B) Tank transfer to get rid of ICH- no testing needed, no meds needed. You will need 2 SMALL heaters, 2 small tanks/plastic bins, either 2 small powerheads or an airpump and airstones. You cannot use display tank water since you know there is ICH within the system. I know I can get a heater from Amazon for $9 due to Prime, not sure how easily Amazon works for you but the Tank Transfer will not cost too extremely much and most likely your better option. There are stickies posted specific to tank transfer (TTM) and I would suggest you read those as well as the ICH cycle one. You have to clean very well between but if the tanks are smaller it won't take long. You probably will be better off using plastic bin like containers though because of the types of fish.

DO NOT PUT ANYTHING IN THE DISPLAY TANK FOR 72 DAYS! Inverts are fine to stay there, but absolutely NO fish regardless of them showing no signs. And you need to treat all three, not just the brown.

One last question, how big is your system that you had that many tangs and idols? Was it a swimming pool or what?!

 

[microlady]

I know that 72 days is the preferred amount of time, but in my experience it wasn't enough. You might want to aim for over three months. It is awful, I know. Good luck.

 

[microlady]

TTM does work. My problem lies in the fact that crypto cysts must have lurked in my tank longer than 72 days.