Rx-P opinions please.

papagimp

COMAS Rocks!
My LFS recommended Kent Marines Rx-P for the removal of Ick in my 55g reef. I'm still not thrilled bout the idea of medicating my display tank so I 'rigged' up my 29 for a QT. The 29 has been running with a 3 inch sand bed and a small lump of rock in it for probably a 3 months now, before that it was my display tank for about 6 months. but for the last several weeks the only inhabitants to the tank are a few cerith snails and some itsy bitsy feather dusters. Fish in question here are a juvi coral beauty and my royal gramma. My mandarin seems to have resisted the Ick, wich to my understanding is what they do. Firstly, anybody have any opinions on this particular treatment and Second, how long should I leave my Reef Display 'fish-less' in order to avoid a reoccurance?
 
As I recall RX-P is a pepper based product ... I suppose the theory is that the pepper will irritate the fish which in turn will exude excess mucus and shed the ich. Like many other "reef safe" products this is not considered particularly effective.

Since your prepared to QT ... I would recommend you QT all of your fish ... including the Mandarin. While Mandarins (like most bottom dwelling fish) have a thicker mucus lining they are not immune from ich. Remember that "fish-less" really does require the removal of all fish ... leaving the Mandarin in the ST will significantly increase the likelihood that ich will survive in your ST. Odds are pretty good that the Mandarin will have some minor infestation of ich (too small to see) and ich will survive to reinfect your other fish.

Two common and effective methods for treating ich are copper and hyposalinity. Treating with hypo is a preferred method by many since its easier on the fish and arguably easier to administer.

Heres a link discussing use of hypo
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html
Heres a link discussing use of Cupramine .. seachems copper product which is suppose to be the least harsh of the various copper products.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/cupramine.html
 
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