TTM on Chaeto to protect against ich

[houstonreefer20]

Hello,

I'm resanitizing my entire tank due to a ich outbreak. What is the best process to sanitize my chaeto? Will TTM work for Chaeto? Or does ich attach to chaeto?

Thanks

 

[Happyschneider]

If you keep it fallow (without fish) then just keeping it for 72 days gives you decent security that it will be ich free.

 

[ThRoewer]

With chaeto I would go another route.
Since only ich cysts are of concern, I would isolate a few strands and let them grow in an isolated, fishless tank. After a while you can clip of the new growth ends. Keep them in another container for 48h to let eventually present tomites die off. after that you should have ich free chaeto. This would be a way to cut the time down to just a week or two.

My whole chaeto culture started from a little piece that came with an AlgaeGen tisbe bottle - this would be another good starter option that is most likely ich free.

 

[Deinonych]

To answer the OP's second question, TTM only works on fish, not macroalgae, inverts etc.

 

[houstonreefer20]

hi ThRoewer, awesome idea, I hadnt thought of that.

I want to make sure I understand what you're saying though. I should take my Chaeto, grab a few strands (10?) and put them in a container, but be very aware of their growth. Let is grow for a week or 2, then clip off the newer ends that grew, put them in their own container, and grow just those? You said 'keep them in another container for 48h to let eventually present tomites die off' which is confusing me a bit. Are you saying because on my current chaeto, I may have ich in cyst form, but that wont be the case on the newer ends?

What's the best way to grow Chaeto if it's not in a tank / in a small bucket/container?

Also, regarding your last point - what do you mean from a piece that came with an algaegen tisbe bottle? How were you certain that piece didnt have ich? Are you saying that you bought a bottle like this - http://blog.marinedepot.com/2011/05/product-review-algagen-reefpods-tisbe.html - and it had the chaeto in it for the pods? How did you know it was ich free? You're just assuming it was in isolation over 70 days from manufacturer?

 

[ThRoewer]

hi ThRoewer, awesome idea, I hadnt thought of that.

I want to make sure I understand what you're saying though. I should take my Chaeto, grab a few strands (10?) and put them in a container, but be very aware of their growth. Let is grow for a week or 2, then clip off the newer ends that grew, put them in their own container, and grow just those? You said 'keep them in another container for 48h to let eventually present tomites die off' which is confusing me a bit. Are you saying because on my current chaeto, I may have ich in cyst form, but that wont be the case on the newer ends?

Yes

What's the best way to grow Chaeto if it's not in a tank / in a small bucket/container?

Any plastic container should do. Add some Guillard F/2 formula (Miracle Grow will work fine as well) as fertilizer and ideally use a plant growing lamp 24/7. A light aeration would also be recommended.
Under those conditions it will grow like crazy.

Also, regarding your last point - what do you mean from a piece that came with an algaegen tisbe bottle? How were you certain that piece didnt have ich? Are you saying that you bought a bottle like this - http://blog.marinedepot.com/2011/05/product-review-algagen-reefpods-tisbe.html - and it had the chaeto in it for the pods? How did you know it was ich free? You're just assuming it was in isolation over 70 days from manufacturer?

Yes, that's what it came with.
The tisbe is cultured in fishless systems and I would think so is the chaeto.
It would really be bad for AlgaeGen to ship out infected cultures

 

[snorvich]

hi ThRoewer, awesome idea, I hadnt thought of that.

I want to make sure I understand what you're saying though. I should take my Chaeto, grab a few strands (10?) and put them in a container, but be very aware of their growth. Let is grow for a week or 2, then clip off the newer ends that grew, put them in their own container, and grow just those? You said 'keep them in another container for 48h to let eventually present tomites die off' which is confusing me a bit. Are you saying because on my current chaeto, I may have ich in cyst form, but that wont be the case on the newer ends?

What's the best way to grow Chaeto if it's not in a tank / in a small bucket/container?

Also, regarding your last point - what do you mean from a piece that came with an algaegen tisbe bottle? How were you certain that piece didnt have ich? Are you saying that you bought a bottle like this - http://blog.marinedepot.com/2011/05/product-review-algagen-reefpods-tisbe.html - and it had the chaeto in it for the pods? How did you know it was ich free? You're just assuming it was in isolation over 70 days from manufacturer?

If never in a system with fish, it will be ich free.

 

[ThRoewer]

To answer the OP's second question, TTM only works on fish, not macroalgae, inverts etc.

^^this

TTM only works with the host (= fish), not with the encystment substrate (which would be everything else).

 

[houstonreefer20]

^^this

TTM only works with the host (= fish), not with the encystment substrate (which would be everything else).

Is that because the encysted form cant attach to fish, but just about everything else? Also the light you linked - would that be ideal for growing chaeto inside of a sump too? I use a different light currently.

 

[houstonreefer20]

Yes, that's what it came with.
The tisbe is cultured in fishless systems and I would think so is the chaeto.
It would really be bad for AlgaeGen to ship out infected cultures

Got it. I may go this route. I wonder if I can get some without the pods....
Is there any risk of adding pods to a system/any reason NOT to add them?

Thanks

 

[ThRoewer]

Well, unfortunately there is a small chance that it can encyst on a fish, usually on exposed scales or bony structures not covered by tissue (like the scalpels of tangs and surgeon fish).

Ich can not encyst on living coral tissue (the coral may just eat it). Burgess has also shown that it won't encyst on living sea stars or urchins.

While it can encyst on shrimp shells I would think it would be rather rare to find a cyst there, simply due to the fact that most shrimp constantly clean themselves and would take a nicely plumb protomont as a juicy snack.

Crabs are a different story as they usually let algae, barnacles and all kinds of other stuff grow on their shells.

Both, shrimp and crabs, can be considered free of cysts after they molded in a fishless system.

Hermits usually need to go the full fallow period due to the snail shells the carry around as their house. In addition to the mold you would also need to force them to switch into a new, clean shell if you wanted to cut the fallow time.

 

[houstonreefer20]

Well, unfortunately there is a small chance that it can encyst on a fish, usually on exposed scales or bony structures not covered by tissue (like the scalpels of tangs and surgeon fish).

Ich can not encyst on living coral tissue (the coral may just eat it). Burgess has also shown that it won't encyst on living sea stars or urchins.

While it can encyst on shrimp shells I would think it would be rather rare to find a cyst there, simply due to the fact that most shrimp constantly clean themselves and would take a nicely plumb protomont as a juicy snack.

Crabs are a different story as they usually let algae, barnacles and all kinds of other stuff grow on their shells.

Both, shrimp and crabs, can be considered free of cysts after they molded in a fishless system.

Hermits usually need to go the full fallow period due to the snail shells the carry around as their house. In addition to the mold you would also need to force them to switch into a new, clean shell if you wanted to cut the fallow time.

Got it. Did you see my question regarding adding pods? Also, do you know if the same light works well for chaeto in sump too?

 

[ThRoewer]

Got it. I may go this route. I wonder if I can get some without the pods....
Is there any risk of adding pods to a system/any reason NOT to add them?

Thanks

Adding the pods will be highly beneficial, especially if you set up a refugium with chaeto. Your fish will than you for it.
They have a smaller size bottle if cost is an issue.

 

[ThRoewer]

... Also, do you know if the same light works well for chaeto in sump too?

It's what I use and the chaeto grows like crazy as long as it got enough nutrients (PO4, NO3, Fe).

 

[houstonreefer20]

Adding the pods will be highly beneficial, especially if you set up a refugium with chaeto. Your fish will than you for it.
They have a smaller size bottle if cost is an issue.

It's not quite the cost, just wondering what downsides there are to adding pods. I imagine once added, I'd never be able to get rid of them. I know it's common to add, just wondering what risks that may introduce itself :uhoh3:

 

[ThRoewer]

No downsides in a reef tank. They do no damage and provide excellent food for corals, inverts and fish.

 

[houstonreefer20]

No downsides in a reef tank. They do no damage and provide excellent food for corals, inverts and fish.

Thanks, was just curious.