Possible to kick ich in a reef tank?
- Thread starter MarkO
- Start date
I'd remove the fish to QT for at least a month (The minimum life cycle of the parasite) and treat with hypo salinity and lights off. A fresh water dip every couple of days will also help. Try to avoid copper if you can since copper sulfate kills the natural bacteria in the Tangs digestive tract, which in turn causes other problems.
There are lots of opinions out there, but IME the only way to really get rid of ich is to cure the fish away from the tank and let nature clean up the rest. The parasite has a four stage life cycle and you can only kill during the time it's free swimming and looking for a host. The rest of the time it's either in the fish or on the bottom of your tank. BTW, once you see the cysts on the fish it's had the parasite for some time. The cyst is the last thing to appear before the parasite reproduces.
A lot of people have had repeated experience curing ich with garlic and other such things, but if it was really working would they have been able to "prove" it works more than once? IMHO.
There are lots of opinions out there, but IME the only way to really get rid of ich is to cure the fish away from the tank and let nature clean up the rest. The parasite has a four stage life cycle and you can only kill during the time it's free swimming and looking for a host. The rest of the time it's either in the fish or on the bottom of your tank. BTW, once you see the cysts on the fish it's had the parasite for some time. The cyst is the last thing to appear before the parasite reproduces.
A lot of people have had repeated experience curing ich with garlic and other such things, but if it was really working would they have been able to "prove" it works more than once? IMHO.
Paul B
Premium Member
Unfortunately, cleaner shrimp, garlic, gobies, UV sterilizers and grenades will not effect ich one bit. You can try all of the above though. Hopefully, in time your fish will be healthy enough to be immune to ich but since that is not the case you are going to have to remove the fish, treat with copper for ten days (much quicker if you also have access to quinicrine hydrocloride) and leave the tank without fish for about a month.
good luck.
Paul
good luck.
Paul
i dunno about you but have you ever tried to catch even 1 fish in a reef system, almost impossible let alone 20 to put in a quarentine, you should try the easy non evassive techniques first, such as garlic and than uv and than liquid med. I had great success with garlic and instead of wondering just monce a clove or 2 in the tank while you look for the perfect answer..Oh by the way since this is reef keeping everyone has the right answer according to them so take advice like a grain a salt and look at success rates vs years of experience, and good luck
Thales
Active member
I have used both, and find them both to be ineffective, or as effective as doing nothing.
It is most difficult to determine if any ich treatment (besides hypo or copper) has actually had any effect on the parasite. The life cycle of ich is such that it can clear up on its own, only appear to clear up, only appear to clear up for a short amount of time, or your fish can develop a partial immunity. The parasite may go away, or seem to go away for reasons having nothing to do with whatever treatment you used last.
Some have sworn that their ich problem went away because they changed their light bulbs.
Paul B
Premium Member
Actually, I believe they can develop full immunity. I have not had a case of ich in over 20 years and I don't quarintine or do anything to new arrivals, (don't do what I do)
I can put in fish with full blown ich, which I do all the time and the fish will either die or be cured but none of the other fish will get it.
(so far)
Good luck.
Paul:mixed:
danmcmahon
New member
I had Ich in my 125 Reef and used (Ruby Reef - Kick Ich) It is meant to be used in reef tanks and safe for corals and inverts. I had to give it 2 dosing cycles to work but all the fish lived. The only down side is that it is expensive to treat the whole tank but I felt I didn't have a choice because their is no way I would have been able to catch all the fish without destroying everything. I also turned the UV on. I dont know if that had anything to do with it.
Reef'in Colorado
Reefer
Try cleaner shrimp, cleaner wrasses, and neon gobies in addition to garlic in their food.
Thales
Active member
The ich may not go away at all. It may still be present but not in enough quantity to be visible. 
I have also used Kick ich and ruby reef, both have had the same effect as doing nothing - see my previous post. There have also been reports of both of these products not being reef safe.
I have also used Kick ich and ruby reef, both have had the same effect as doing nothing - see my previous post. There have also been reports of both of these products not being reef safe.
I had Ich in my system. My Powder Blue and Yellow tang were affected. I soaked the food in garlic but the Ich kept returning every few days. A month or so later in desperation I added a UV sterilizer. After that the fish seemed to shake it off. Would they have beaten it without the UV? Is the Ich still in my system? I can't say for sure. But I"ve added more tangs since then and they haven't contracted ich.
Give it a try. It sure beats removing all the fish.
Jay
Give it a try. It sure beats removing all the fish.
Jay
Well I appreciate all the info.
I'd try to remove all the fish, but damn... that is near impossible without draining it 100% or tearing it down... something I really don't want to do.
I've had success in the past removing the fish and ttreating w/ hypo, but that was in a much smaller tank, and the fish were easy to catch.
Anyhow, I am going to stick with garlic. Fish (tangs mostly) seem to have a few spots in what seems to be a week or so cycle, but they seem healthy otherwise.
If I try to remove them, has anyone tried "fishing" them out?
I'd try to remove all the fish, but damn... that is near impossible without draining it 100% or tearing it down... something I really don't want to do.
I've had success in the past removing the fish and ttreating w/ hypo, but that was in a much smaller tank, and the fish were easy to catch.
Anyhow, I am going to stick with garlic. Fish (tangs mostly) seem to have a few spots in what seems to be a week or so cycle, but they seem healthy otherwise.
If I try to remove them, has anyone tried "fishing" them out?
Thales
Active member
If you only have a few spots, feed the fish a lot so they have all the nutrition they need to help fight the parasite. Some believe that garlic helps the fish want to eat, and that is the utility of garlic. Some believe it does more. Either way, get them to eat.
I have fished fish out of the tank. Small hook, and remove the barb. It actually turned out to be way easier than I thought - I caught the fish on the second baiting of the hook!
I have fished fish out of the tank. Small hook, and remove the barb. It actually turned out to be way easier than I thought - I caught the fish on the second baiting of the hook!
Go to your grocery store and pick up some "kaolic garlic extract." 6-8 years ago when this method first came about, this was the rage, and I'll tell you, everywhere i looked, people were having success. Just soak it for a good 10 minutes or so and then feed several times a day. I've had success with it MULTIPLE times to all the nay-sayers. In some instances fish cleared up by the next day after feeding garlic. I've been keeping reefs for over ten years and never every take my fish out because, as just stated, you pretty much have to tear the whole thing down, especially if you're trying to catch a 6line wrasse or similar.
