I am frustrated and confused on what happen to have a ich outbreak in my tank.Take you back to February when I did not quarantine new fish and had a outbreak of ich in my DT.Started a hospital tank and did hypo and had 1 fish survive.I let my DT set fallow for over 72 days and then put the 1 fish in the display that survive has been in the tank for 2 weeks doing good and showing no ich.3 weeks ago I was given my replacements for the fish that brought in ich.They have been in quarantine for 3 weeks they have been doing good showing no signs of ich and eating great I thought they were ready for the DT and put them in last night woke up today and they were covered in ich.What could have happen my didplay was fishless for over 72 days and they are covered with ich in less then 12 hours.
What could have happen?Ich outbreak
- Thread starter gfox2
- Start date
Two mistakes you made (in my opinion):
1. Hypo is not an effective way to eradicate ich, as it is difficult to implement successfully and hypo resistant strains of ich have been proven to exist.
2. 3 weeks QT is not long enough, especially if you are going to just observe and not prophylactically treat. I QT for a minimum of 6 weeks; 8-9 weeks if I just observe and don't use any medications.
1. Hypo is not an effective way to eradicate ich, as it is difficult to implement successfully and hypo resistant strains of ich have been proven to exist.
2. 3 weeks QT is not long enough, especially if you are going to just observe and not prophylactically treat. I QT for a minimum of 6 weeks; 8-9 weeks if I just observe and don't use any medications.
Deinonych
New member
I was shock to see the fish covered in ich overnight.After my display was fishless for over 72 days.Was my display not ich free?My other fish that survived the first outbreak is clean.
Deinonych
New member
Likely was one of two scenarios:
1. The fish that went through hypo gained some temporary immunity to the parasite, but was still a carrier and reinfected the DT (ref. Humblefish's comments about hypo above).
2. The new fish were infected and brought it into the tank with them.
If I were to guess, I'd put my money on #1. But, it's really impossible to know for sure.
1. The fish that went through hypo gained some temporary immunity to the parasite, but was still a carrier and reinfected the DT (ref. Humblefish's comments about hypo above).
2. The new fish were infected and brought it into the tank with them.
If I were to guess, I'd put my money on #1. But, it's really impossible to know for sure.
Just hope it's only ich and not marine velvet disease (introduced by one of the newbies). It can take up to 4 weeks for symptoms of velvet to show... you saying the fish are "covered" in spots makes me a little worried.
Spar
New member
i agree with all the comments above. 3 weeks is just not enough, especially with Hypo. 4 minimum seems to be the magic number with any form of QT.
really should consider Tank Transfer Method instead of Hypo anyway; it is much quicker and much more effective/proven. you would still want to observe the fish for longer, but you can kiss the Ich goodbye with significant certainty.
really should consider Tank Transfer Method instead of Hypo anyway; it is much quicker and much more effective/proven. you would still want to observe the fish for longer, but you can kiss the Ich goodbye with significant certainty.
Maybe I was not clear enough about hypo on the one fish that survived.The fish was in hypo for about 6 weeks,then transferred to DT for the last 2 weeks.
The amount of time spent in hypo is not the issue. The issue is with the ineffectiveness of hyposalinity in & of itself.
I'm also not following you with regards to the timeline here. I guess I'm trying to be sure the infected DT was left completely fishless for 72 days.
Yes the DT was fishless for 72 days
And I agree.
TT is preferred over hypo if for no other reason than effectiveness.
Triggerfish
Active member
how was the fish removed from DT and added to QT?
any water transfer at all could have contaminated the QT even drips from a net.
Yes, I see this problem frequently.
With a net
I could never do it properly. I'd set it, go away for business for a few days, only to find that the salinity had crept up due to evaporation. ATO is necessary if you are going to try to do hypo. Too much trouble IMO. TT doesn't work for me for the same traveling problem. Cupramine was always my remedy of choice.
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