Treat ich or not

[schwebb]

I have a purple tang that now has a pretty good ich out break. Water parameters are excellent. He's fat and eats like a champ. Should I just let him power through it?

 

[Taahirs]

Your choice. Though if you don't quarantine, whitespot will always be present in the tank and your fish will be susceptible at any time.

 

[schwebb]

Your choice. Though if you don't quarantine, whitespot will always be present in the tank and your fish will be susceptible at any time.

From what I've read, once its's in there even if you pull out all the fish and treat them, ich stays in the system. Or is that not true?

 

[Deinonych]

From what I've read, once its's in there even if you pull out all the fish and treat them, ich stays in the system. Or is that not true?

No. If you remove the fish host(s), the parasite will evenutally die out. Rule of thumb is 72 days.

 

[schwebb]

ok thanks

 

[C.Eymann]

I would just feed heavy if he is established in the system, if it were a new fish would probably remove and treat, but guessing you don't quarantine or have a hospital tank currently setup.

 

[ReefPharmer]

He means remove all the fish, not just the sick fish for and run the display without any fish. Im sure you know that so just putting it out there for newer people

 

[snorvich]

He means remove all the fish, not just the sick fish for and run the display without any fish. Im sure you know that so just putting it out there for newer people

This.

 

[C.Eymann]

I know that for ich to be rid of the system you have to be fish less for a period, however I'm am a believer that if the fish are established in the system and healthy they won't be affected too much by a little ich outbreak. However let's say you just added a new tang and within a week it is covered in ich it has far more risk succumbing to the disease than the current fish that have been in the tank for months/years.
that's my .02

 

[schwebb]

I do have a 10 gallon HT but not enough room for 10 fish I'll try the snake oil garlic and or ginger.

 

[Giovanni]

I know that for ich to be rid of the system you have to be fish less for a period, however I'm am a believer that if the fish are established in the system and healthy they won't be affected too much by a little ich outbreak. However let's say you just added a new tang and within a week it is covered in ich it has far more risk succumbing to the disease than the current fish that have been in the tank for months/years.
that's my .02

The problem here is that when you add a new fish that has a high tendency to be infected with ich, it will breed a large population of ich and it will overcome the established fish. Also if the new fish carry ich in the system, it may introduce a new strain of ich that the established fish are more susceptible to. It is best to treat all new fish being added, for ich.

 

[iluvmyfishes]

You can try QT the fish showing symptoms and medicate the food for the rest of them in the DT.

 

[Deinonych]

I'll try the snake oil garlic and or ginger.

Neither of which will have any effect on the parasite...

 

[schwebb]

Neither of which will have any effect on the parasite...

I read that garlic help appetite and ginger was anti parasitic

 

[Deinonych]

I read that garlic help appetite and ginger was anti parasitic

Garlic *may* stimulate appetite, but continued feeding can cause health problems long term. Ginger has no therapeutic benefit whatsoever.

 

[schwebb]

Garlic *may* stimulate appetite, but continued feeding can cause health problems long term. Ginger has no therapeutic benefit whatsoever.

Long live the snake oil

 

[snorvich]

Garlic *may* stimulate appetite, but continued feeding can cause health problems long term. Ginger has no therapeutic benefit whatsoever.

For fish. For humans, however, (at least for me), both are desirable. :twitch:

 

[Deinonych]

For fish. For humans, however, (at least for me), both are desirable. :twitch:

Indeed.

 

[ThRoewer]

Feeding saltwater fish Garlic and Ginger is total nonsense, if not even harmful.
Garlic is beneficial for humans, but already harmful for cats and dogs. So the assumption it may be beneficial to saltwater fish is rather far fetched (or outright foolish). There are actually reports that indicate that feeding saltwater fish garlic causes them liver damage.

As for treating ich or not - that depends on which kind of fish you plan to keep and if the infection is escalating or decreasing.
In general, if you plan on keeping tangs, especially more than one, or other easily stressed fish, you should rid your system of ich completely or you may have constant problems.

If you have fish that are less prone to stress and do not plan to add anything and the infection is declining you could just leave it alone. With some luck the ich may even die out.
It worked for me several time before and I never had losses. But then, I'm extremely mindful of the fish I put together and see that their needs are satisfied and they are happy. And I avoid tangs like the plague.

When in doubt it's better to eradicate it or even better, not let it into the tank in the first place.