Need help with ich in dt!!

[jaren.yuen]

Hi,

Recently, my flame angel came down with ich and passed away. It was sad to see him go but now I understand I have to deal with Ich in my display tank. No other fish show signs of Ich or being weak but I know Ich is still there. I was wondering if I could get any help on how to rid the Ich from my DT? Note: I have inverts and some zoas in my tank and can't treat with copper based medications with them in it. Would removing the inverts and treating the tank work? (Can't afford a larger QT to house all the fish and treat them by themselves) please advise, any help is appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Waters40]

Unfortunately you cannot treat the DT with copper if you ever plan on putting the inverts back in. Other than using a hospital tank to treat the fish (allowing the DT to sit fallow) there isn't a whole lot you can do to remove it from your system. Since that isn't an option, all you can do is keep the fish well fed and stress free and hope they continue to fight off the parasite. You can try medicated foods (that have worked for some) such as New Life Spectrum Ick Shield but for those to work, ALL of the fish in the tank need to eat it for the length of the treatment.

 

[angelman21]

Although your propbably correct about the ich being present even though you dont see it id say dont add any new live stock to the tank for at least a few weeks and you should be good. Remeber ich has a life cycle and if in the free swimming stage it does not find a host it will die. Keep your current live stock healthy and stress free for the next few weeks that should help.

 

[shifty51008]

can you not buy the cheap rubbermaid totes to house the fish in? once done treating for ich you now have totes to use for storage containers later.

 

[gone fishin]

your two options are to treat or manage ich. To manage try to keep your fish healthy and your water quality good. To get rid of ich the fish need to be removed and the DT left fallow for 72 days. The options for treating the fish are

1. Tank transfer method (TTM)
2. copper such as cupramine.
3. Chloroquin phosphate.
4. hyposalinity.

There are stickies in the fish disease forum on each of the methods. Good luck

 

[jaren.yuen]

Ok I've been looking at the tank transfer method. I was thinking to go this route but I had some drawbacks. Will this TTM end up killing my fish from the stress? After the TTM how long should I keep the fish out of the DT? (I've been reading the Ich life cycle is about 4 weeks, so wait 4 weeks then re-introduce?) Also do I need filtration in in the buckets while performing TTM or is just a air stone fine? TIA

 

[tbeitouni]

I believe the DT should be fallow for at least 8 - 16 weeks

 

[tbeitouni]

not sure about filtration for TTM, I think I read a power head is sufficient.

 

[homer1475]

I've done TTM several times using just 5 gallon buckets about half full(one small fish at a time). Couldn't be any easier. Airstone and heater is all that's needed. Keep some prime on hand for any ammonia(not usually an issue as your fish aren't in the bucket long enough to cause any ammonia). There's a stickie at the top of the fish disease section on how go about it.

Your DT has to remain fallow(fishless) for 72 days. Only way to rid your DT of ich without harming the inverts or corals.

 

[Sapelo]

Agreed that if done correctly TTM is not stressful and certainly will not kill your fish as quickly as ICH.

72 days fallow to rid (most) ICH.

Good luck.

 

[jaren.yuen]

Ok so once I remove the fish and perform the TTM it says it only takes 12 days, I just put all the fish into a QT until the 72 days? Is it ok if the tank water isn't cycled? I use water my local aquarium that pumps it out from deep/far in the ocean. (I live in Hawaii) also do the fish need to be isolated in each bucket? Or can sma fish go in one bucket? (ex: clowns)

 

[gone fishin]

I very seldom cycle my QT. I rely on WC's, some prime and I also like to use seachem ammonia alert badges along with testing. If you use prime I would advise to get seachems ammonia test as well. water with prime in it will give false readings on other ammonia tests.

IMO A couple small fish that get on well together should be ok in one bucket.

 

[jml1149]

Hi,

Note: I have inverts and some zoas in my tank and can't treat with copper based medications with them in it. Would removing the inverts and treating the tank work? (Can't afford a larger QT to house all the fish and treat them by themselves) please advise, any help is appreciated.

Thank you!

If you only have some inverts and zoas in your main tank, I would take the inverts and zoas out and stick them in a 10g QT tank.

Then, I would follow the hyposalinity ich treatment method, which has always worked for me when done correctly, on your DT.

I get the idea of TTM, but that's a lot of netting and moving the fish.

 

[jaren.yuen]

Ok thanks for all the help! I just have one last question, during the time that I'm QT my fish is it ok to add other corals an diverts to the tank? Although they don't host oh can they possibly transfer Ich over some how?

 

[shifty51008]

Ok thanks for all the help! I just have one last question, during the time that I'm QT my fish is it ok to add other corals an diverts to the tank? Although they don't host oh can they possibly transfer Ich over some how?

unless you QT anything new that you add into the tank you always run the risk of bringing ich in. even if they cant host ich they can hitch a ride on them

 

[thefishyboy]

Thanks. Just another question about QT tank. I have my DT tank up and running with only a cuc in it. I want to get my first livestock soon but how do I get my QT water stable to prevent ammonia poisoning what I am QTing I have the filter sponge for the QT tank in my sump will this be sufficient to keep my QT stable as my tank is quite new so probably doesn't have a stable bacteria colony yet?