Ok I have a 50 gallon tank with 8 fish, a powder blue tang, copper band butterfly, maroon clown ,wrasse and some other small guys. My problem is I think the Tang and Butterfly have ich. At first I thought it was sand stuck on them as there is plenty blowing around the tank but I saw the tang scratching today ( if it was sand would he scratch to get that off?) Anyways I know I need to set up a quarentine (should have done it in the first place) But If I set one up it's not going to be cycled and if I put all my fish in there I will have ammonia and nitrites that will kill them all anyways. The fish are all still eating great and my water is perfect, even nitrates are 0. What should I do?
Ich and quarentine.
- Thread starter Jpaul
- Start date
- Location
- Queens, NY
I had a powder blue and purple tang with ich. I used Kordon ich attack, garlic boost with there feedings but most important keep them eating and they will fight it off. Good luck..
Kordon Ick Attack does NOT kill the Ich parasite. Please don't use this product as it gives a false sense of security by merely irritating the skin of the fish so the Ich might 'fall' off, but it doesn't kill the parasite, so it is still in the tank.
To appropriately kill the Ich on your fish and get the Ich out of your tank you do need to remove all of them from the DT and put them in a Hospital tank and treat them there. The parameters in the hospital need to be watched very closely so the tank does not begin a cycle. This is done through water changes.
Below is a link that will explain how to set up a hospital tank and maintain it, and also info on the 2 different methods of killing Ich - the Hyposalinity method and the Copper treatment method.
Please read them both carefully and then decide which method you want to use.
Treatment should not be delayed.
http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/marineich.html
To appropriately kill the Ich on your fish and get the Ich out of your tank you do need to remove all of them from the DT and put them in a Hospital tank and treat them there. The parameters in the hospital need to be watched very closely so the tank does not begin a cycle. This is done through water changes.
Below is a link that will explain how to set up a hospital tank and maintain it, and also info on the 2 different methods of killing Ich - the Hyposalinity method and the Copper treatment method.
Please read them both carefully and then decide which method you want to use.
Treatment should not be delayed.
http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/marineich.html
- Location
- Queens, NY
Hey J if u have the space and time to set up a hospital tank. Then use her method also u r going to have a fishless tank for 6 to 8 weeks to make sure all the ich is out of ur tank. My way worked for me and few friends and I have sps's in my tank and everything is good there is still ich in my tank but not on my fish. The main thing is to keep them healthy so they are not subject to getting ich.
Thanks guys, I know not to put anything into my tank, but thank you anyway. I will set up a hospital tank, I was just worried about the ammonia spikes is all, it just scares me because I work all day (like most people) and I won't be home if the ammonia goes through the roof! I have 8 fish and the thought of catching them all drives me insane but have to do what I have to. Is it at all possible that a fish would scratch against rocks if there was sand stuck to his body? I know it's probably ich but they still eat like pigs and the tang is always in the sand so I was curious.
- Location
- Long Island
Keep your display tank empty for AT LEAST 8 weeks. I did mine for 4 weeks the first time and 7 weeks the 2nd time and the ich came back. Luckily i only lost the powder blue this time and everyone else has seem to fought it off. I have 3 fish still in quarantine that i don't put in because i dont need them dying either. I've been adding tank water to the quarantine to hope they get ich so i can treat and maybe build up the immunity. Keep good water quality in the display tank and feed a variety of foods from flakes to brine to seaweed and keep them healthy.
I set up a quarintine tank, going to let it cycle with dead shrimp. The fish are eating well right now and I do soak the food in vitamins and garlic guard. Hopefully they will survive but if not I have prepared myself for it and will be better prepared the next time. God how I hate ich!
- Location
- parsippany nj
sounds like your tank is a little over stocked. The powder blue needs more room than a 50 gallon tank to start with plus some of the other fish. This could be why the fish are getting sick beacuse they are cramped and stressed.
I am sure you are right, he is pretty small now and I plan on upgrading in a yr or two but if he doesn't make it, I'll just keep smaller fish. How many fish should I keep in a 50? I mean the others are a six line wrasse, a mandarian goby, a neon dotty back, a purple firefish and a pajama cardinal. Than the butterfly and tang.
- Location
- parsippany nj
Personally i would get much more that that maybe the clown but that's about it in my personal opinion.
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