QT? Just learned the hard way...

[one4gatr]

Ok... just learned the hard way and lost 2 fish to ICH (Damsels) and lost my False Perc trying to get him IN my QT from my hospital tank that I setup on an emergency basis. So I am back to just verts and coral in my 44g. I intend on letting the DT sit for 8-10 weeks with no new livestock so hopefully I will be parasite free. My question is this... I only intend to add a sandsifting goby after the 1st of the year. Since I wont have any other fish in the DT when I add him can I just treat him for ICH upfront in a hospital tank for like 3 days and then add him to the DT or should I setup the QT again and just watch him for 8-10 weeks then on to the DT? I really dont plan on adding any more fish short term as I would rather focus on corals and verts for the time being. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Kieth71]

If you want to treat the fish 3 days is not long enough.You need to treat the fish for 3 weeks in copper for instance.I would leave the dt fallow for 10 weeks and any future fish should be qted and treated as well.

 

[one4gatr]

If you want to treat the fish 3 days is not long enough.You need to treat the fish for 3 weeks in copper for instance.I would leave the dt fallow for 10 weeks and any future fish should be qted and treated as well.

The instructions on Rid ICH + state to treat for 3 days...Not sure on the copper because I havent bought any yet... I guess my point is if I have nothing in DT that I am worried about getting ICH arent I kind of doing the same thing after treatment? Here is whats in Rid Ich...

Contains formaldehyde and premium quality aquaculture-grade zinc-free chloride salt of malachite green.

Is this not sufficient?

 

[Kieth71]

Think of it this way ..if rid ich actually worked to treat fish in 3 days it would be the most popular medication ever sold.Unfortunatly it is nothing but snake oil.Get yourself some cupramine and a seachem test kit and do it right.You can also use hyposalinty but that takes even longer then the copper and for some strains of resistant ich it doesnt always work.The way copper works is it doesnt actually kill the ich until it is free floating.Look up the stages of ich and you will see why you need to treat for 3 weeks to be sure you fish is parasite free HTH Kieth

 

[one4gatr]

Cool thanks for the advice Keith. I guess I was reading the ICH + as treat then QT not just a 3 day cureall...

I will definately follow the path you suggest....

Thanks,

Mark