Fairly New to Hobby and Need Advice ASAP

[amathews]

I have a 72g mixed reef tank-3 bubble tip anenomes, 1 Maroon clown, a brownbarred goby, 3 Blue Green Chromis, a Crowned Pearlyscale Butterflyfish(new addition), a Six Line Wrasse(new addition), 2 cleaner shrimp, and plenty of snails, crabs and live rock. I am currently using a wet/dry trickle filter as well as a canister filter and a skimmer. I had everything but the new additions in a 33g for 2 years but recently moved them to the 72g using all my live sand + new, most of my water along with de ionized, RO water and canister filter so cycled a little bit but no problems. 72g tank is in a new spot in our house and am now struggling to keep temp. to the usual 76-78 degrees due to recent hot weather (last 2 weeks its been between 80 and 82 degrees) I am guessing that the new additions (not quarentined - dumb dumb dumb) and the inconsistent, higher temps. are possible causes of white spots (Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans found on the butterfly, goby and clown. The cleaner shrimp cleaned the infected fish (mainly the butterfly and goby)but the next day the spots were all over again. I know all of them have been exposed and had some white spots at one time or another with the exception of the Wrasse. I have been doing a lot of reading about Ich and it's lifecycle but still have some questions. I set up a hospital tank (old 33g) and removed all fish from 72g tank. I treated fish last night with Cupramine and am testing copper levels and watching closely. All fish appear to be ok but the Wrasse is so small and I never did see any spots on her/him, I am wondering if I need to treat her at all. Since she/he eats parasites is she/he less likely to get infected by parasite? Can she/he carry it only to reinfect my tank later? I have a 5.5g tank I set up and am thinking about moving the wrasse to it and then, if I have to treat her alone in that tank then I will. Since I used the copper medication in my 33g tank, I don't plan to use it again for a display tank(pretty spendy hospital tank) If I have to treat the 5.5g tank with same meds. no big deal. Any suggestions? Comments? I could really use some good advice from someone with experience or has knowledge of my situation.

 

[cindre2000]

Did you drop the salinity in the hospital tank? Hyposalinity helps the fish relax and should help kill any parasites. Other than that you just wait about 4-6 weeks and the ick should be dead in the main system.

 

[IslandCrow]

I think your best bet is to treat all of the fish, even if they're not showing any symptoms. The wrasse could have been a little healthier or less stressed, but probably still has the parasite on his body. I think the whole wrasses, cleaner shrimp, etc. eating parasites may be more myth than fact, despite all the anecdotal evidence out there. . .but that's beside the point.

Anyway, this is mostly just a long-winded bump for you. I only have a little over two years in the hobby and haven't had to deal with the C. irratans parasite, though I did fight a short battle with black ich (different parasite).

Good luck. Hopefully someone more experienced than me chimes in soon.

 

[amathews]

I didn't drop the salinity but I'm gonna give it a try. Thank you for the advice! I moved the butterfly into a 5.5gal because he seemed, IMO, to be struggling with the cupramine. I am going to lower salinity in both QT tanks and am keeping a close eye on Ammonia, Nitrates/Nitrites and PH. Any other advice will be welcomed and appreciated! Not sure what to do about butterfly, any ideas?