Not planning on doing this but I was just thinking about the science behind TTM. I'm trying to think of a reason why a fish can't be added half way trough the TTM process without starting over the original fish. I'm thinking even if the new fish has ich it would come off the fish and settle on the bottom. Then the water would be changed before it had a chance to infect the original fish. Am I missing something with my thinking?
Question about multiple fish in TTM
- Thread starter pfan151
- Start date
rc4kinu
Member
The suspected ich can still be hiding in the gills of the newer fish that would re-infect the original fish if you don't follow the 12 day rule. I would wait until the original fish goes into QT tank for observation to buy the new fish. I know its more work, but I wouldn't risk it. Would totally suck if you have to start the whole process over again which would defeat your original plan.
What I am saying is I don't understand how one fish could infect the other if ich falls of the fish and then goes through a period where it settles before reinfecting another fish. Isn't taking advantage of the settling period the original is whole reason TTM works?
I'm just curious of the theory behind it. I don't have any fish to try it on right now. I just can't think of why it wouldn't work.
Mishri
Active member
It uses minimum incubation times and maximum life cycle on the fish to interrupt it. I'm also not convinced it's 100% effective as people on here claim...
Here is what TTM assumes:
attached to the fish lasts 3-7 days
2-18 hours crawling in substrate
8-12 hours encysting
3-72 days as a cyst
next stage infects a fish within 24 hours or dies.
I thought I had found a study that found cyst stages could complete within 24 hours.. but now I'm not finding it, most are saying 3 days was shortest observed (in 1 study, another it took 5 days). -but that is why I don't fully trust it.. if one falls off right away (and continues to do so during each transfer) and can encyst/hatch in shorter period than those studies observed.. then TTM wouldn't work... and there are new strains even hypo resistant strains being discovered.
So yeah, I dont' see why you'd reset the clock if TTM method works, it doesn't matter when you add the fish.. you just need to add the missed transfers to your newly added fish's treatment once the first fish is done.
Here is what TTM assumes:
attached to the fish lasts 3-7 days
2-18 hours crawling in substrate
8-12 hours encysting
3-72 days as a cyst
next stage infects a fish within 24 hours or dies.
I thought I had found a study that found cyst stages could complete within 24 hours.. but now I'm not finding it, most are saying 3 days was shortest observed (in 1 study, another it took 5 days). -but that is why I don't fully trust it.. if one falls off right away (and continues to do so during each transfer) and can encyst/hatch in shorter period than those studies observed.. then TTM wouldn't work... and there are new strains even hypo resistant strains being discovered.
So yeah, I dont' see why you'd reset the clock if TTM method works, it doesn't matter when you add the fish.. you just need to add the missed transfers to your newly added fish's treatment once the first fish is done.
Last edited:
Mishri
Active member
It isn't 100%, they can encyst on the fish, although it's rare. There have also been other oddities observed in studies with ich, such as it's life cycle isn't always the same(a stage was skipped, having trouble remembering which one). It's enough that I wont consider it 100% effective.
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