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#13
03-06-2004, 12:18 AM
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Steve,
I am all set up to use hyposalinity, but there is no sign of ich on the fish, not for about 3 weeks prior to removal from the main tank and not now that they are in QT. I may not have to treat at all. Just a side note on the additional ammonia and nitrite in the tank. Have been using Prime to neutralize the ammonia. Nitrite levels have stayed constant at about .2 ppm since the fish went into QT about a week ago. Measured nitrate today to see how the bacteria are working and found slightly less than 5 ppm. So, there are nitrifying bacteria in the foams, just not quite enough for the bioload. Will keep monitoring every day or two just to be on the safe side. 
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#14
03-06-2004, 12:24 AM
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Bev, where did you hear that bacteria doesn't live in the water?, there is plenty of bacteria in the water (just happens to be more in the sand and rock) otherwise you would never get nitrates in a bare tank, the benefit is that bacteria doesn't grow at a specific rate but rather it doubles so lets say you transfer 1 million of the little guys then in a bit you will have 2 mill, then 4 mill, then 8 mill, then 16 mill and so on and so on.. if you start by using new water and trying to cycle it it could take you significantly longer to reach the same population of bacteria.
Steve
__________________
 *everything said above is just my opinion, and may or may not reflect the views of this BBS, its Operators, and its Members. If cornered on any “opinion” I post I will totally deny having ever said this in a Court of Law…Unless I am the right one*Some strive to be perfect.... I just strive.
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#15
03-06-2004, 01:12 AM
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You will have to treat them ... ich does not go away by itself ... I suggest to treat with hyposalinity ( better than the copper on the digestive tract ) and leave main tank fallow for 6 weeks ... do 10% water changes at once a week ... leave at 1.009 sg then over 3 or 4 days at the end bring the sg back up to 1.026 or whatever you normally run at ... if you have a refractometer great ... if not then calibrate whatever you are using against one ...
Good Luck ... it will be all over and back to normal before you know it  Cheers
__________________
Steve “The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood.” ― Voltaire
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#16
03-06-2004, 01:49 AM
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Steve,
Didn't quite believe you when you suggested some nitrifying bacteria live in the water column, so I asked the question on RC. Seems you are right, at least according to one source. Okay, so now I am a believer. One thing that I had on hand was a small foam from a cycled tank. Used it to begin the cycle in the 20g Qtank, though I did have to add another AquaClear and about 4 times as much foam to have enough surface area for the size of fish that were to go into the tank. The Other Steve, Since the fish are showing no signs of ich for the past 3-4 weeks, and if they don't show any signs in the few weeks to come, I see no reason to treat for something they do not have. As you have said and as I have read on ATJ's hyposalinity treatment page, if the main tank is left fallow for 6 weeks, the ich will not have hosts when they hatch and become active, and the main tank will be free of ich too.
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#17
03-06-2004, 05:23 PM
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Quote:
"It is possible that immunity could protect the fish from massive infestation, but still allow small numbers of parasites to remain and reproduce undetected by the aquarist. This is where the 'Ich is always present' argument comes into play..." I would probably take the extra precaution and treat the fish anyway just to ensure that the 6 week fallow period has every chance of being successful.
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Alex
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#18
03-06-2004, 05:58 PM
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Quote:
I will consider your suggestion. The Qtank is not yet cycled for the bioload it has to handle. I'm leery of upsetting the current nitrifying bacteria by reducing salinity at this point, but you are right that ich may have entered the Qtank undetected. What I will do, while the tank completes its cycle, is carefully monitor the fish. In the confines of a 20g, it would take a relatively short period of time, imo, for ich to present itself. I'd rather extend the Q time by a few weeks, especially in an uncycled tank (dang!!), and treat if necessary than to treat solely on the possibility ich may be present in the Qtank. Will let you know if the fish get ich while in the Qtank.
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#19
03-15-2004, 05:56 PM
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More info on hyposalinity and actual cures for ich ... it is a 5 part series and should be read in it's entirety
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2004/mini5.htm
__________________
Steve “The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood.” ― Voltaire
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#20
03-23-2004, 03:28 PM
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Quote:
It's been a day shy of four weeks since the two fish from the ich display tank went into QT. I've been watching closely for signs of ich and there have been none. Appetites are great and activity levels are high. Typically, when the fish were in the display tank, they'd get ich for 3-4 days then be ich free, then get ich again in 2-3 weeks. With the fish in QT not having ich in 4 weeks, I'm coming around to believing they did not carry any with them from display to QT tanks  Of course, there are at least another two weeks before I put them back in the display tank. They could still come down with ich between now and then, but I'm doubting it from what I've seen of ich with these fish in the display tank. BTW, Qtank is on the kitchen counter where there is a lot of traffic and where the fish could be stressed more than usual, and still no ich
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