Is this ICH??? Help please.
- Thread starter thedoogan
- Start date
SaltyMember
Premium Member
It looks like it to me. I would start either hypo or copper treatment as soon as possible. For instructions on how to do both see the 'Stickies' at the top of this forum.
I agree. Tank transfer also works well.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Looks like ich to me too; but there are a few spots that seem to have too much depth. Can't be 100% sure. In any case, treating with tank-transfer should be done and I've never seen a LFS that I would trust to do do a proper QT regimen; much less treat them. All fish that were exposed to this fish need to be treated. Is this fish scratching, rubbing, or flashing?
SaltyMember
Premium Member
I will have to learn and try the tank transfer method. I have no experience with it yet.
There is a sticky on it in this forum; it is VERY easy to do and very effective.
thedoogan
New member
I saw some flashing and rubbing the first night when these pictures were taken.
None since. The cysts then all disappeared and came back (less) the next day.
I've started lowering the salinity in the QT until I reach 14 ppt.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Classic ich signs, good luck!
thedoogan
New member
So if I was to do the tank transfer method, when would the first transfer be carried out? They were placed in the QT after arriving from the LFS around 6pm of the 23rd. First sign of Ich was noticed the next morning. I have been lowering the salinity to reach 14 ppt. I'm at about 20 ppt rightnow, would I keep lowing or stop?
You do not need low salinity for tank transfer. Read the sticky on it.
I'm a newb and found the tank transfer method to be very simple, I'd definitely recommend it over copper or hypo (although I've never tried either of those) which seem to require much more fine tuning. Read the stickies on it, and then ask any questions you may have, everyone here is real helpful, especially once you've got a basic idea on the process and then just have more specific questions about certain aspects.
I did mine with two 5-gallon buckets. Made sure I had a separate heater and tiny powerhead for each of my two buckets (basically entirely different equipment for Tank A and Tank B). I also used a tiny bit of Amquel each day to take care of any ammonia build up since I didn't have any filtration (although neither my ammonia badges or daily tests ever detected any).
I don't know if my fish had ich when I started the tank transfer, as I did it preventatively right after getting them from the vendor, but I know they don't have it once the tank transfer method is completed. It was really simple.
Good luck!
I did mine with two 5-gallon buckets. Made sure I had a separate heater and tiny powerhead for each of my two buckets (basically entirely different equipment for Tank A and Tank B). I also used a tiny bit of Amquel each day to take care of any ammonia build up since I didn't have any filtration (although neither my ammonia badges or daily tests ever detected any).
I don't know if my fish had ich when I started the tank transfer, as I did it preventatively right after getting them from the vendor, but I know they don't have it once the tank transfer method is completed. It was really simple.
Good luck!
thedoogan
New member
Thanks,
I'm interested in trying this method but currently in the middle of starting hyposalinity treatment. I have no idea what to do with my salinity if I start tank transfer. I also have no idea where the ich is in its life cycle and when to start a transfer. Would an air pump/stone work for one bucket or will I need to pickup another power head?
I'm interested in trying this method but currently in the middle of starting hyposalinity treatment. I have no idea what to do with my salinity if I start tank transfer. I also have no idea where the ich is in its life cycle and when to start a transfer. Would an air pump/stone work for one bucket or will I need to pickup another power head?
I think you could slowly step up the salinity with each transfer. So go from say 1.021 sg on the first tank to 1.022 on the second, 1.023 on the third, and 1.024 on the fourth. I haven't tried that, but I don't think that would be too high of a salinity change for the fish.
Or just slowly raise the salinity back to normal levels in your QT and then start the tank transfer, making sure the water in the buckets/tank are at the same level.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Fish do just fine at a SG of (say) 1.017 or above. There are many FOWLR tanks kept at about this SG. If you haven't gone below that, I'd just do TT with water at that SG and increase to DT SG when done.
The airstone will be fine.
The airstone will be fine.
thedoogan
New member
I'm around 13-14 ppt rightnow.
My main concern is when to start the transfers. Does it matter when I set the day 1 of the process or does this need to be carried out at a specific stage in the life cycle?
Edit: I'm planning on using two 5 gallon home depot buckets for the transfers, clean and dry out the current 10 gal QT. I'll use the cleaned 10 gallon for 4 weeks of observation after. I'm currently in the process of setting up my DT so I'm worried about not having a mature filter for this. I do have a brute bin that has been "cooking" dry rock with a bit of live rock for over a month. Would a new sponge placed in that be seeded in time? If so would the bacteria even survive going from 35 ppt to the low 14-16 ppt the observation QT would start out at?
My main concern is when to start the transfers. Does it matter when I set the day 1 of the process or does this need to be carried out at a specific stage in the life cycle?
Edit: I'm planning on using two 5 gallon home depot buckets for the transfers, clean and dry out the current 10 gal QT. I'll use the cleaned 10 gallon for 4 weeks of observation after. I'm currently in the process of setting up my DT so I'm worried about not having a mature filter for this. I do have a brute bin that has been "cooking" dry rock with a bit of live rock for over a month. Would a new sponge placed in that be seeded in time? If so would the bacteria even survive going from 35 ppt to the low 14-16 ppt the observation QT would start out at?
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Doesn't matter which day you start, just make sure you time the subsequent transfers to be 3 days later (so day 1, day 4, day 7, day 10, finished on day 13).
Can't give you an answer on your curing live rock as seed for a cycled QT, but I use an uncycled QT and it's worked well. Just test often for ammonia (I also use an ammonia badge) and do frequent water changes (like every other day or so). Feed very lightly and you won't have any ammonia problems. With just a 10-gallon QT tank, it won't be very much water to change out 20-25% every 2-3 days. There is a great sticky in the beginners forum bye Sk8r about setting up a QT. I don't use the airstone or filter floss that is suggested, but I probably should.
thedoogan
New member
Thanks,
I was guessing that's how the transfer timing works but wasn't 100%.
I haven't seen any sign of ich in the past few days but did a transfer from the QT to a bucket thismorning. I matched Temp, salinity @ 12ppt and pH. I scooped them up with a clear plastic container then lifted them from this with my hand into the bucket. Does this first transfer count as my day 4 first transfer?
I was guessing that's how the transfer timing works but wasn't 100%.
I haven't seen any sign of ich in the past few days but did a transfer from the QT to a bucket thismorning. I matched Temp, salinity @ 12ppt and pH. I scooped them up with a clear plastic container then lifted them from this with my hand into the bucket. Does this first transfer count as my day 4 first transfer?
No, I think you should count that as Day 1.
So Sun will be day 4 and your first transfer to the next bucket (I fill the bucket and get it up to matching temp and salinity the night before, so all I have to do is move the fish). Your container and hand method is nearly exactly what I did. Day 7 is Wednesday, Day 10 is next Saturday, and you can put them back into your (torn down, cleaned, dried, and refilled) QT the following Tuesday morning.
Good luck! It's really pretty simple. I don't think my fish noticed anything when I did it, aside from when I scooped him up in a tupperware container (which by the 3rd time, he wasn't afraid of). For all he knew, I was dropping him right back into the same bucket since everything is pretty much identical.
So Sun will be day 4 and your first transfer to the next bucket (I fill the bucket and get it up to matching temp and salinity the night before, so all I have to do is move the fish). Your container and hand method is nearly exactly what I did. Day 7 is Wednesday, Day 10 is next Saturday, and you can put them back into your (torn down, cleaned, dried, and refilled) QT the following Tuesday morning.
Good luck! It's really pretty simple. I don't think my fish noticed anything when I did it, aside from when I scooped him up in a tupperware container (which by the 3rd time, he wasn't afraid of). For all he knew, I was dropping him right back into the same bucket since everything is pretty much identical.
I agree. It is very simple and very effective with no stress to the fish.
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