Removing ich with toothbrush?

[Sand.man]

To what extent is it effective to use a toothbrush to brush off any possible ich tomonts encysted on the shell of an invert such as a hermit crab or a snail?

I have been quarantining my cleaning crew so far for a minimum 4 weeks, but yesterday I lost 2 cleaner shrimp for a mysterious reason which has me rather dispassionate about quarantining my cleaning crew any further.

I was thinking, say if I set up a 3 stage "bath" in which I rinse off the inverts in tank water, in 3 separate containers before they go into my display, is it effective at all to try and dislodge any possible ich cysts which may have formed on the shells of any snails/hermit crabs?

I feel like giving each shell a through brush with a toothbrush should be able to puncture or dislodge any possible ich cysts formed on them? After all, I'm not quarantining them for the risk of transferring LFS water, but rather, any possible ich cysts on their shells.

Any ideas?

 

[VahanM]

I could be wrong but my understanding is that ICH does not affect inverts. Only fish.

 

[Sand.man]

I agree.

Ich doesn't affect inverts directly, but there still poses a risk of the ich cysts to form on their shells for 3-28 days, just the same as how ich cysts can form on the rocks/substrate.

It's not that the inverts can be affected by ich, but rather, can indirectly transfer an ich which might have possibly landed on a shell and created a cyst on the shell rather than the substrate/rocks/glass.

It's a low chance, of course, but a chance nonetheless. I was just wondering if anyone might know if I can use a toothbrush to possibly dislodge/puncture any possible cysts on the shell.

 

[DasCamel]

Next up, get a Sonicare for the inverts.

 

[zeebies]

Sounds like a lot of work Sand.man. How can you guarantee that you'll scrub everything away? Can you set up a mini reef and just let the inverts sit there for 10 or 11 weeks? That's essentially what I do.

 

[Sand.man]

LOL at the sonicare comment.

Well my thinking was that it won't guarantee a 100% ich free method such as a 4-6 week fishless quarantine would, but it might help lower the chances even further?

hypothetically speaking, if an invert comes home from the fish store, let's say there's a 5% chance that adding the invert directly from the store to your tank will result in ich contamination.

So rinsing the invert in a couple separated tubs of water would lower the chances to maybe 2-3% by removing all traces of LFS water.

My logic is that, maybe scrubbing the shell for 15-20 seconds might dislodge any cysts, further lowering chances of an ich contamination to possibly 1-2%?

It's all about lowering your chances to the least amount possible, as I see it.

Of course, all those numbers in a hypothetical situation, and I have no idea what the real chances might be.

I was more so referring to inverts with hard shells, also those which might be a bit easier to give a quick brushing such as hermit crabs/snails, of course, this feat would be rather difficult on someone such as a cleaner shrimp, so that's probably out of the question.

 

[Sand.man]

Any other thoughts? or am I being ridiculous? haha.