Picking up the pieces

[Ab129]

So I noticed my fish had ich 2 weeks ago and while I was scrambling around preparing to treat them all but one has died. 7 out of 8 fish, only my yellow tang has survived. I am now treating him in the DT with metroplex. I know he has to come out and the DT has to sit fallow. I will probably get him out next week. At least I know he is being medicated so I am not in such a big rush to get him out.

There are 3 fish whose bodies I have not recovered from the DT. I am almost certain they are dead. They have not been seen in over a week. I have tested ammonia several times and always reads zero.
Do I need to get the bodies out?
Can the ich live off them after they are dead?
I need to know so I Know when I can start the clock on the DT sitting fallow.

This really sucks. I had no idea ich could be so devastating so quickly.
15 days ago everything seemed to be going great.
Definitely a bitter pill to swallow and an eye opener as to how delicate these systems can be.

 

[HumbleFish]

If the dead fish are small and you have carnivores (e.g. nassarius snails, hermit crabs) as part of your CUC, then you'll probably be OK. Bacteria will decompose their bodies, but that could take awhile depending upon their size.

 

[Uncle99]

Count 72 days after the last alive fish is removed