Stupid

[sperry]

Ok, I did something REALLY stupid and now I need advice.

My display tank had been doing really well. The fish were 2 clowns, red scooter, yashia goby and a high fin goby. All had been in the tank and healthy since April. Several weeks ago I bought a new fish and didn't QT it because I was in a hurry to go to Jackson. After putting it in the tank I left the house for several hours. When I came back I noticed the new fish had cloudy eyes, rapid breathing and tattered fins. I put the sick fish in another tank that night and it was dead the next morning. Fast forward a couple of weeks and my clowns had white spots, cloudy eyes, rapid breathing and sluggishness. First of this week the clowns started improving and now they still have spots but are active, eating well and acting normally. My scooter on the other hand seemed ok until yesterday but declined rapidly and died today. I'm pretty sure it is ick and I know how I should treat it. The problem is there is no way to get the gobies out of the tank short of a complete tear down. At this point the gobies dont seem to be showing any symptoms and the clowns are improving. If I leave things as is and the remaining fish survive what are the implications as far as adding other fish in the future?

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

I know it is alot of trouble,i think you should treat the fish, if not it may reoccur. I think ick can lay dormint in your sand. I am not 100% sure. Maybe someone with a little more experiance can help out. Sorry for your loss

 

[bshumake]

Well, here's the long and short of it. Ick is endemic and will never be eradicated, short of steralizing the entire tank. That being the case what we all strive to do is provide a healthy environment for the fish to live and keep Ick at bay.
First, increase the temp and decrease the salinity. Larger organism's (fish/coral) can regulate their osmotic pressure better that protists and other lower lifeforms. Some coral can take a decrease better than others so I sugest going to 1.022, and then 1.020 if they take .022 well. The increased temp fast-forwards the lifecycle of Ick and will put it into the cystic phase faster. Since you can't treat the tank you'll have to get it out of the filaria stage (infectious) and back into the dormant phase.
QT whoever you can and whoever can't will have to ride it out.
Add garlic to the food and make this a perminant change. Garlic boosts the immune system and eversince I've done this I have not seen ick since.
Hope this helps and if you want just give me a call.
B

 

[sperry]

This is what I was thinking also. I have started lowering salinity with the WC I did today. Wasn't sure how fast is safe to lower it so I went from 1.025 to 1.023 and was going to drop another .002 tomorrow. The tank normally runs 79* to 80.5* during the light cycle. What temp should I be shooting for? Have been adding Selcon to food, I have heard about garlic being good, is it just garlic extract for humans or something else?

 

[bshumake]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11157679#post11157679 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sperry
This is what I was thinking also. I have started lowering salinity with the WC I did today. Wasn't sure how fast is safe to lower it so I went from 1.025 to 1.023 and was going to drop another .002 tomorrow. The tank normally runs 79* to 80.5* during the light cycle. What temp should I be shooting for? Have been adding Selcon to food, I have heard about garlic being good, is it just garlic extract for humans or something else?

Same as what we take. If you corals will hold it I'd shoot for 83-85. Basically, however low SG and high T they take and don't freak is what to shoot for. the Garlic liquid capsules you get at GNC or Wally world is good cause its in smaller doses. 1 capsule per feeding or maybe weekly should do it.

 

[just dave]

Part 1

Part 2

 

[TitansFan]

[EDIT]

nevermind.. I don't want to open the can of worms about garlic.....
Garlic and ich reminds me of the old tales of the wild west and the "magical" tonics sold to ward of everything from warts to the common cold.

 

[Blindside]

Have had large success with Metrotidzenal? (which can be purchased at a certain reef store) along with Focus (also purchased at said store) mixed with your frozen food. Gets it everytime...no need to catch any fish and harmless to corals and inverts.

just my .50 cents.

 

[cateyes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11159429#post11159429 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blindside
Have had large success with Metrotidzenal? (which can be purchased at a certain reef store) along with Focus (also purchased at said store) mixed with your frozen food. Gets it everytime...no need to catch any fish and harmless to corals and inverts.

just my .50 cents.

i've also used the Metronidazole after my PBT came down with a TERRIBLE case of ich..
unfortunately he didn't make it but i fed the Metro to the other fish in the tank for about 2 weeks and nothing else came down with it.... HTH