My 8 Week Ich Journey (Active Thread)

[Cryptobiologist]

I have decided to start a thread for anyone who would like to watch the progress of my fish going through their ich treatment. If this works then maybe people would like to use my same method. I will give a few updates a week so people can watch.

my method? simple hyposalinity and feeding garlic enriched foods to boost their immune system! i will do 4 weeks hypo then the following 4 weeks will be me raising the salinity back to normal.

tomorrow will be the first day that i start the treatment but first i wil do a few things!

1) new filter pads
2) put in the new impeller (when it comes in the mail)
3) clean protein skimmer (not sure if it will still create foam with the low salt levels but it will still move water. its a HOB)
3) buy raise Ph chems. (since hypo treatment makes your Ph drop from the fresh water)
4) replace the taken water with RO water till im at 1.008

Any suggestions or thoughts? this is my first attempt at ever treating ich and the first time i've ever had it in my system since i started the tank 2 years ago.

 

[Reefahholic]

Yes, I suggest that you not do Hypo, but rather Tank Transfer Method instead. It's more affective and faster. Only takes 13 days, but also 4-6 weeks observation afterwards.

There are certain strains of Crypto that are resistant to Hypo treatment.

Read this thread on TTM.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996525

 

[Cryptobiologist]

Yes, I suggest that you not do Hypo, but rather Tank Transfer Method instead. It's more affective and faster. Only takes 13 days, but also 4-6 weeks observation afterwards.

There are certain strains of Crypto that are resistant to Hypo treatment.

Read this thread on TTM.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996525

i know what you are sayin. but i chose hypo because out of the three known methods it is the cheapest and safer than copper treatments. also i know that turning the heat up isn't a cure but shortens the life of the parasite. i turned the heat up t0 83 when its usually on 78. what do you think?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Your plan sounds like a collection of very questionable tactics.

Skimmers don't work under hypo conditions. Garlic has never been shown to do anything, but won't hurt short term. Long term feeding of garlic has shown to lead to liver damage. I think you're referring to FW ich when you mention temps. I have never seen anything that shows SW ich will have a shorter life cycle at higher temps.

When you say hypo is the "cheapest", I assume you're referring to tank-transfer. Used stuff on Craigs list is dirt cheap. Hypo is not going to be the cheapest if it doesn't work. There are so many reports of hypo failing on this forum that I don't even consider it an option anymore. It requires exact SG readings, perfectly functioning equipment (mainly a perfectly calibrated refractometer) and little things that complicate hypo well beyond the skills and patience of most folks. Just one example: An auto top-off is almost a must. Just a few hours of evaporation can raise the SG long enough to allow free swimming parasites to dig into their host fish, where hypo doesn't effect them.

Plus, I'm convinced there are strains of hypo that have become immune to the now standard 1.008 SG.

 

[snorvich]

As MrTuskfish said.

 

[Cryptobiologist]

Your plan sounds like a collection of very questionable tactics.

Skimmers don't work under hypo conditions. Garlic has never been shown to do anything, but won't hurt short term. Long term feeding of garlic has shown to lead to liver damage. I think you're referring to FW ich when you mention temps. I have never seen anything that shows SW ich will have a shorter life cycle at higher temps.

When you say hypo is the "cheapest", I assume you're referring to tank-transfer. Used stuff on Craigs list is dirt cheap. Hypo is not going to be the cheapest if it doesn't work. There are so many reports of hypo failing on this forum that I don't even consider it an option anymore. It requires exact SG readings, perfectly functioning equipment (mainly a perfectly calibrated refractometer) and little things that complicate hypo well beyond the skills and patience of most folks. Just one example: An auto top-off is almost a must. Just a few hours of evaporation can raise the SG long enough to allow free swimming parasites to dig into their host fish, where hypo doesn't effect them.

Plus, I'm convinced there are strains of hypo that have become immune to the now standard 1.008 SG.

yes i was referring to the transfer method as being the more expensive option also the copper treatment. i do not have another tank for transfering also i dont have a filter for another tank. i do have a refractometer and ATO. also the protein skimmer will only be on to serve the purpose of moving the water around in the aquarium.

 

[Cryptobiologist]

Update: just went and got all the supplies mentioned in my first post. drained about 40 percent of the water. now i will start to top it off with fresh water.

 

[Deinonych]

I wish you luck. I agree with the other posters above that hypo is not even a treatment consideration for me due to the very narrow margin of error. Tank transfer is nearly foolproof, and chemical treatments such as Cupramine or chloroquine phosphate are relatively low impact treatments that fish tolerate well.

Again, hope things work in your favor. Please keep us posted.

 

[Pogue]

Well this is some good discussion and information.

I was in the process of doing a Hypo in my DT. I moved my corals in inverts to a 20g I had around. I figured it was too small to move all the fish too.

My question was the impact of Hypo on the nitrifying bacteria in my DT and rock.

I'm going to read more on the transfer method mentioned.
I haven't read it yet, but do you have to fallow your DT for 8 weeks to ensure the crypto is dead dead dead???

 

[MrTuskfish]

It sounds like you are going to treat in your DT. Correct?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Well this is some good discussion and information.

I was in the process of doing a Hypo in my DT. I moved my corals in inverts to a 20g I had around. I figured it was too small to move all the fish too.

My question was the impact of Hypo on the nitrifying bacteria in my DT and rock.

I'm going to read more on the transfer method mentioned.
I haven't read it yet, but do you have to fallow your DT for 8 weeks to ensure the crypto is dead dead dead???

I'd start your own thread, you'll get more help and we won't get too confused.

 

[Cryptobiologist]

It sounds like you are going to treat in your DT. Correct?

yes in my DT i moved my live rock and star fish to one of my friends tanks

 

[Cryptobiologist]

Update: i currently have the water down to 1.014 just a little further to go

 

[jduck]

yes in my DT i moved my live rock and star fish to one of my friends tanks

Is his tank fishless, and plan on being that way 12 weeks? Or did you give him ich?

 

[MrTuskfish]

yes in my DT i moved my live rock and star fish to one of my friends tanks

What are you using to control ammonia?

 

[Cryptobiologist]

Is his tank fishless, and plan on being that way 12 weeks? Or did you give him ich?

yes it was his QT

 

[Cryptobiologist]

What are you using to control ammonia?

currently nothing. what do you recommend? am i all of a sudden going to have an ammonia issue since the live rock is gone and the salinity is lower?

 

[Cryptobiologist]

Update: i have the salinity down to 1.008 and everything is looking good. my yellow tang has showed some signs of improvement. before treatment the gills were working very hard. now they are working at a normal speed.

 

[Reefahholic]

Good luck, but I don't understand why you would want to do hypo if it's been reported that some strains of crypto can tolerate a hypo tx.

Bro, you are really lacking on equipment too...if your planning on reefing for a while, invest in a qt tank, another heater, power head or filter, etc..

Be prepared...Good luck to you!

 

[MrTuskfish]

currently nothing. what do you recommend? am i all of a sudden going to have an ammonia issue since the live rock is gone and the salinity is lower?

An Aqua-Clear Hob filter, I like this brand because they run for ever and have sponges & ceramic media that can culture a lot of bacteria. Seed it with Bio-Spira or Dr. Tims bacteria. These are the only two miracle grow products that seem to actually work. Also, plan frequent WCs (gets tricky with hypo, new water must match the SG in the tank) and ammonia tests. I wouldn't be surprised if you had some measurable ammonia already.