Got Ick!! ...need Advice
- Thread starter bueller
- Start date
- Location
- Cliffside Park, NJ
Try to remove the Lion Fish out of the tank because it can't take Marine RXP (says so on the bottle).
- Location
- The Big City
There is nothing wrong with using Copper on a FO or Fowlr tank. To not do it, because you may convert it to a reef tank down the line, is not a good reason. You can easily get new LR and beside any other medication that you may use will be absorb by the LR too. Those medications can also have an effect on inverts, fish and corals.
- Location
- The Big City
If you use a net, and gloves if you have them, you shouldn't get bit. As for the Eel not eating, I wouldn't worry about it as they can go for months without eating. Watch the Eel for effects from the treatment. If possible you should take it out and treat it with Hypos in a separate tank from the other fish.
- Location
- Beechurst NY
increasing temp worked for me...
I got the garlic, I'm afraid to use that RXP I think it will do more harm then good. They look alittle better today, i know false hope. I hope the garlic helps. Here a short video of the emp angel. he likes to sit in the current, still kinda breathing heavy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t71a8FpZ4nU
PS: Hoe do you get the you tube screen to appear in your reply / post?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t71a8FpZ4nU
PS: Hoe do you get the you tube screen to appear in your reply / post?
Last edited:
- Location
- The Big City
I don't know if it's the video but the eyes look like they have film on them, which isn't a good thing. Also the tang in the back is breathing pretty heavy, so the tank looks to be pretty infested. I would start to treat right away before it gets worst.
- Location
- Cliffside Park, NJ
If it was me, I would take immediate action. I've been through this when I first started this hobby my first time; I ended up lossing all my fish. BTW, what kind of Tang is that in the back ground?
Hey bueller
I had a major outbreak lastyear and didn't have a QT at the time to use. My Kole tang turned white, lost all of its skin/scales and looked hours away from death. I chose not to use copper as I was told it is impossible to get out of the tank if sand/rock is there (Of course you can replace the sand/rock). I ran hypo at 1.010 for six weeks. Then brought it back to 1.024 over the next 6 weeks. The hypo helps to reduce stress on the fish and is less damaging than copper to some fish. I did a lot of research before acting and read that copper can be harmful if the fish has too much skin/scale damage or is scaleless (e.g. sharks). It can also damage some fish's ability to process food over time if used for too long (e.g. Tangs).
One warning on hypo if you go down as low as I did - Most things on your rock - small snails, worms, pods etc will die. I had a FOWLR and was surprised how much extra stuff was living in their until I saw it die.
Its been nearly a year now without another oubreak. I maintain stable water quality, feed formula 2 with garlic and have a UV to help suppress it. I also haven't added a new fish since.
Good Luck
-Peter
I had a major outbreak lastyear and didn't have a QT at the time to use. My Kole tang turned white, lost all of its skin/scales and looked hours away from death. I chose not to use copper as I was told it is impossible to get out of the tank if sand/rock is there (Of course you can replace the sand/rock). I ran hypo at 1.010 for six weeks. Then brought it back to 1.024 over the next 6 weeks. The hypo helps to reduce stress on the fish and is less damaging than copper to some fish. I did a lot of research before acting and read that copper can be harmful if the fish has too much skin/scale damage or is scaleless (e.g. sharks). It can also damage some fish's ability to process food over time if used for too long (e.g. Tangs).
One warning on hypo if you go down as low as I did - Most things on your rock - small snails, worms, pods etc will die. I had a FOWLR and was surprised how much extra stuff was living in their until I saw it die.
Its been nearly a year now without another oubreak. I maintain stable water quality, feed formula 2 with garlic and have a UV to help suppress it. I also haven't added a new fish since.
Good Luck
-Peter
Ichthyophthirius multifilis
The ich you are seeing on your fish is @ the end stage of its life. What you need to do is treat your tank. This parasite is swimming all over your tank (when you see it on your fish, like a tick on a dog, it has about 15 days left before it drops off & starts dividing/ multiplying). This parasite can only take certain water conditions.
1) Ich can?t survive in temperatures over 85 degrees. Not saying to pump up the heat, but if you do, take it slowly so the fish can adapt
2) Increase salt level in tank: NOTE some fish can?t take the added salt. Do your homework
3) If outbreak is extremely bad, do frequent/ large water change (30-40%). I personally am not a believer in this point but I have never had to deal w/ watching my fish die from ich
4) Use medication on fish. You can choose to do this during freshwater dips w/ some copper. Rinse fish off w/ your tank water before reading to tank. Also keep in mind your fish are very week now & might not survive the dips. Most likely your fish are suffering from this because they are not in the best condition to start with.
Please remember that ich is pretty common in tanks. In the future quarantine all new livestock & never add foreign water to your tank (water fish came in). Even w/ trusted dealers or great looking fish. Most FS use a plumbing system that?s all connected, so if there?s one sick fish in the store all the fish can be potentially sick. Hope this helps
The ich you are seeing on your fish is @ the end stage of its life. What you need to do is treat your tank. This parasite is swimming all over your tank (when you see it on your fish, like a tick on a dog, it has about 15 days left before it drops off & starts dividing/ multiplying). This parasite can only take certain water conditions.
1) Ich can?t survive in temperatures over 85 degrees. Not saying to pump up the heat, but if you do, take it slowly so the fish can adapt
2) Increase salt level in tank: NOTE some fish can?t take the added salt. Do your homework
3) If outbreak is extremely bad, do frequent/ large water change (30-40%). I personally am not a believer in this point but I have never had to deal w/ watching my fish die from ich
4) Use medication on fish. You can choose to do this during freshwater dips w/ some copper. Rinse fish off w/ your tank water before reading to tank. Also keep in mind your fish are very week now & might not survive the dips. Most likely your fish are suffering from this because they are not in the best condition to start with.
Please remember that ich is pretty common in tanks. In the future quarantine all new livestock & never add foreign water to your tank (water fish came in). Even w/ trusted dealers or great looking fish. Most FS use a plumbing system that?s all connected, so if there?s one sick fish in the store all the fish can be potentially sick. Hope this helps
Milkbone, thanks for your input to this problem, but I'm concerned that you titled your post "Ichthyophthirius multifilis". That parasite affects freshwater fish, so obviously will have a different treatment program than Cryptocaryon irritans.
Cryptocaryon
Excerpt: The symptoms and life-cycle are generally similar to those of Ichthyophthirius in freshwater fish, including white spots, on account of which Cryptocaryon is usually called marine ich. However, Cryptocaryon can spend a much longer time encysted.
Some of your advice is misleading and/or inaccurate and could lead to additional problems in an infected tank.
Marine Ich
Cryptocaryon
Excerpt: The symptoms and life-cycle are generally similar to those of Ichthyophthirius in freshwater fish, including white spots, on account of which Cryptocaryon is usually called marine ich. However, Cryptocaryon can spend a much longer time encysted.
Some of your advice is misleading and/or inaccurate and could lead to additional problems in an infected tank.
Marine Ich
Last edited:
- Location
- The Big City
1. Raising the temp doesn't kill the ich, what it does is speed up the cycle of the ich causing it to fall off the fish faster.
2. Actually it's the other way around, you need to decrease the salt level(SG) down to 1.009, Hyposalinity.
3. Water changes may help get rid of the cyst that fall off the fish but you need to vacuum the bottom of the tank. Water changes can help to reduce the population but will not eliminate the ich. You need to be careful with to large of a water change as it can stress out your biological system.
4. Fresh water dips don't do anything, even with copper. Ich is buried deep into the fish body and takes 7 - 10 days to work it's way out. Even ich,that you can see on the fish body,most likely wouldn't come off during a fresh water dip or bath. Formaldehyde dips can have an effective but you need to do many and Formaldehyde is very strong and if the fish is already weak it can kill it.
Yes QT fish is the way to go. No matter how good the LFS is all it takes is them getting in one fish, that has ich, to effect all the others. And it only takes is one fish to destroy your whole tank.
Ich is very tough and unless you treat it correctly, and for the right amount of time, it can comeback.
The most important thing to do short term is keep stress levels low to give the fish a chance to fight. High temps and/or High salinity may have the reverse effect. Lowering the salinity even a little (e.g. 1.018) may help reduce stress, even if you decide not to go the full hyposalinity (1.009-1.010) route. This may also help buy you some time whilst you decide how to treat it.
You guys are good
I stand corrected, great link. You are pretty sharp Deanos. As I said I have never dealt w/ ich myself. What I posted were things that I have read online for dealing w/ ich (unfortunately for it?s fresh water cousin).
Marrone, thanks for pointing out every one of my points? but not to sound combative but
1) Speeding up the cycle of the ich leads to a quicker death & coupled w/ other treatments leads to it being out of your tank sooner. Good
2) You guys got me. I concede. Bad :fishhit:
3) As I stated I don?t believe in mass water changes, but it will get rid of these buggers swimming around your tank especially w/ a mass outbreak. W/ higher water temperatures will work well together. Cleaning of the tank is a given. Good
4) As I said that the fish are weak & might not survive the dip. I have always believed in FWD. I actually have done this to all livestock added + QT (including corals & LR). But after reading the link posted, I have to admit that this is probably pointless w/ getting rid of ich.
Great site, great advice.
I stand corrected, great link. You are pretty sharp Deanos. As I said I have never dealt w/ ich myself. What I posted were things that I have read online for dealing w/ ich (unfortunately for it?s fresh water cousin).
Marrone, thanks for pointing out every one of my points? but not to sound combative but
1) Speeding up the cycle of the ich leads to a quicker death & coupled w/ other treatments leads to it being out of your tank sooner. Good
2) You guys got me. I concede. Bad :fishhit:
3) As I stated I don?t believe in mass water changes, but it will get rid of these buggers swimming around your tank especially w/ a mass outbreak. W/ higher water temperatures will work well together. Cleaning of the tank is a given. Good
4) As I said that the fish are weak & might not survive the dip. I have always believed in FWD. I actually have done this to all livestock added + QT (including corals & LR). But after reading the link posted, I have to admit that this is probably pointless w/ getting rid of ich.
Great site, great advice.
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
