Quarantine failure/Ich made it to DT?!?!

[jerod89]

I've had my 180 gallon set up and running for approximately 5 months now. I have quarantined all fish for at least 21 days prior to introducing them to the display tank. Somehow, however, my yellow longnose butterflyfish just had a couple spots of Ich show up on his pectoral fins after my newest addition to the tank was added! There is absolutely no way I can remove all fish and leave it fallow for 6-10 weeks because a.) there are several small gobies I'd never be able to trap without dismantling the entire tank, and b.) my quarantine is only 40 gallons.

At this point is there any other way to rid ich from my tank? I have a clean up crew, a couple cleaner shrimp, and 4 LPS corals. I've considered removing the corals and as much of the clean up crew as possible and treating the tank with paraguard. Would this work or I should I just let it be and hope it doesn't become more of a problem?

*Also I wonder how important quarantining future fish is if there is already ich in the DT?

 

[Deinonych]

What is your quarantine protocol? 21 days is a very short QT period. Personally, I would set 30 days as the absolute minimum period for QT, and that is assuming one is doing TTM (for ich) and prophylactic treatment for flukes with Prazipro.

 

[jerod89]

I haven't done any prophylactic treatments or TTM because I didn't want to add any unnecessary stress. I simply observe the fish for 21 days and if no disease presents itself I release to DT. If disease does present itself (so far only ich) then I treat with cupramine... I assumed 21 days was enough time for ich to present itself. I will extend the quarantine period in the future, but is there anything that can be done for my DT now without removing all fish?

 

[snorvich]

What is your quarantine protocol? 21 days is a very short QT period. Personally, I would set 30 days as the absolute minimum period for QT, and that is assuming one is doing TTM (for ich) and prophylactic treatment for flukes with Prazipro.

Exactly.

 

[snorvich]

I haven't done any prophylactic treatments or TTM because I didn't want to add any unnecessary stress. I simply observe the fish for 21 days and if no disease presents itself I release to DT. If disease does present itself (so far only ich) then I treat with cupramine... I assumed 21 days was enough time for ich to present itself. I will extend the quarantine period in the future, but is there anything that can be done for my DT now without removing all fish?

Ich does not have to be visibly present in order to actually be on the fish. 21 days is totally inadequate for ich, or most other parasites, especially if fish are purchased from an LFS that runs copper.

 

[Spar]

I haven't done any prophylactic treatments or TTM because I didn't want to add any unnecessary stress.

Having Ich is multitudes more stressful than any QT method. IME, fish are not even slightly phased by the 12-day period of TTM. Mine all eat like pigs, come to the front of the tank to great me each day, etc. just give them hiding places and keep temp and salinity consistent.

you can move them to a larger temporary tank after the 12 days to give them more space, to mitigate any small-enclosure stress that they may have during TTM... especially with Tang's.

 

[Spar]

*Also I wonder how important quarantining future fish is if there is already ich in the DT?

Still critical to ensure you aren't bringing in something far worse than Ich. Ich is often manageable to a small extent, while velvet or brook is not... those will likely end with significant deaths in your DT. And also beneficial just in case they are covered in Ich parasites, however does nothing for the future of your DT for Ich purposes. You could just do 4 week observations and treat with copper/CP/TTM only if you see a major infestation.

I would highly recommend getting your DT under control however and QT'ing everything going forward. Makes fore a significantly less stressful hobby and life for the fish.

 

[jerod89]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will adopt the TTM/PraziPro quarantine protocol for all future fish. However, as far as eliminating ich in the DT-- would it be more plausible to dismantle the tank to catch all the fish and leave it fallow, or remove the few inverts and corals I have and treat with something like Paraguard?

 

[Deinonych]

Removing all fish and leaving the tank fallow is the only guaranteed method for elimination of the parasite. I've never used Paraguard so I can't comment on its effectiveness.