Got the ich...need a little help please! (1 Viewer)

[Meyeronfire]

I have lost three fish due to ich. I have two left and i dont want to lose them. I have a 10 gal tank at the house and i want to use it for a QT. I also want to treat the other two fish for ich with copper, although they are not showing signs of the disease. Can anybody give me a few details about the med I wanna use and how to properly treat for the disease? Also the med is cupramine by seachem. Is this a proper med to treat for copper. Please help guys. Keep in mind im a noob.

 

[goby1kanobi]

Sorry about your fish.
We will need a few more details.
Like :
What kind of setup, size, stock?
How long has it been setup?
Read over this thread and see if it gives you a little more insight.
http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=39377&highlight=ick
Usually there is a formula for mode of treatment. There are many ways to persue-read the thread and then post again-soon with your thoughts and update.
Good luck.

 

[dillo]

ich

What size tank do you have? Is it a fish only tank or a reef tank?

 

[Meyeronfire]

Its a 72 bow.
1 clown and a yellow tang...thats left

 

[Meyeronfire]

It has just a few corals. Frogspawn, shrooms, starburst, anemone. Been up for about 4 months

 

[dillo]

ich

I had an ich problem on a couple of tangs a had purchased awhile back and tried a reefsafe medicine with zero success.

I added two cleaner shrimp and the ich cleared up on both tangs competely in about a week and 1/2.

It's kind of cool to watch them pick it off too. If you get lucky enough to see it.


I'm not sure about the QT method. I would never be able to catch my fish to put them in one anyway.

 

[dillo]

ich

By the way, whatever you do do not put anything with copper in your tank unless you want to kill your corals.....

 

[Meyeronfire]

Ive read everything i can about the copper method. Since I only have two fish i want to QT them to make sure all the ich is gone. Then it would give me a piece of mind.

 

[goby1kanobi]

I understand your reasoning but the 2 remaining fish may be 2 weak to get through catching and putting in a 10 gallon tank. Depends on their size too. A yellow tang in a 10 gallon may stress him out beyond return???
I would do the garlic like recommended in the thread...
real garlic soaked food. It's cheap
If they are eating. If they are barely alive I guess doing the extreme measure of catching and putting in copper-what do you have to lose.....I don't know...seems too stressful for everybody.
It would be good to hear if anyone on the site has ever used copper and had success.
I have not heard of many instances.
If they do not pull through... the plan is then to let the tank go fallow without fish x 6 weeks to allow the ick parasite to die off without hosts and go through an entire cycle.
The copper is very sensitive and it has to be monitored very carefully.
UV sterilizers are also a consideration.
Mainly @ this point....
Increase fish immunity w/garlic
decrease stress
water changes-as recommended by Brandon
Patience-time will tell....
In this hobby-there is no definite answer and no quick 1X fix.
Keep us posted.

 

[goby1kanobi]

Oh, yes Cleaner shrimp another safe consideration.

 

[Meyeronfire]

goby1kanobi,

Thanks for the concerns and suggestions. At this point I am trying to do everything I can. I have a cleaner shrimp as well. I have been soaking brine shrimp with garlic extreme. It helped out for about a week and then the ich broke out again killing half my fish. Im upset and frustrated and i believe a QT is my only option. This way even if my fish dont make it I can at least keep the inverts and corals in the take that way the ich will die due to lack of a fish host.

I will keep you guys posted. I was really hoping on adding a few fish my LFS had that I have been wanting, and now I have to wait a few months bc of the ich but i will be patient. Good things happen to people who are patient....

 

[flipside]

Re: ich

I had an ich problem on a couple of tangs a had purchased awhile back and tried a reefsafe medicine with zero success.

I added two cleaner shrimp and the ich cleared up on both tangs competely in about a week and 1/2.

It's kind of cool to watch them pick it off too. If you get lucky enough to see it.


I'm not sure about the QT method. I would never be able to catch my fish to put them in one anyway.

Fish trap works wonders, dillo.

 

[flexrac]

Oh, yes Cleaner shrimp another safe consideration.

second this, proper name, skunk shrimp, 1 or 2 should be fine, fun to watch, mine tries to clean my hand when i am working in the tank.
i let him play with my fingers.