Ick

shadowboy · #1 04-05-2005, 01:33 AM

This may sound like a stupid question,bu i'm just curious. Has anyone lost fish to ick? So far my fish have been living with it for about a month and a half. I use to quarintine but found it to be more stressful for a fish to be in a 10 gallon tank than to do a freshwater dip and put him in the main. The only fish that scratches is my blue tang. My scopas is the most immune to it and never gets it. Just wanted to get everyones opinions and to see if anyone had fish living with ick.

G1GY · #2 04-05-2005, 01:58 AM

A weak stressed out fish can be lost to ick. from my experience though, a healthy fish will just go through a cycle of ick and that will be the last you'll see of it on that fish. The weaker the fish, the longer it will take to pass. If the fish is healthy and eating well it should pass in a short time unless it's an ick magnet like a powder blue tang or something. I also find tank temp makes a difference. 80 degrees is the magic number for me!

I've found that they get over it faster at this warmer temp rather than like 76 degrees or something like that, so I just keep it at 80 all the time.

Coldwater · #3 04-05-2005, 02:36 AM

Ive lost two clownfish to ich

. It also might have been the fact that I had no clue what I was doing.

Matt

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #4 04-05-2005, 03:21 AM

Weakened or stressed out fish will die from ick, especially if it invades their gills & causes them respiratory distress (ie. hard time breathing). I found that if fish survive the first ick episodes, their natural immunity will usually protect them from later, lighter infestations.

& Yes, I have also lost several fish to ick, but usually because I wasn't there to treat it right away or did something stupid in the first place. Buying fish from certain LFS will almost guarantee that you get ick

so learn from your's & other's experiences about which place seems to have healthier stock to begin with.

JME

Anthony

Snappy · #5 04-05-2005, 05:26 AM

Time for a cleaner wrasse and shrimp. They work wonders in my tank.

shadowboy · #6 04-07-2005, 04:25 AM

I think that cleaner wrasses are a species that should be boycotted, I know some people keep them with no problem but for every cleaner wrasse tht lives I'm sure 10 die.
I do have 2 cleaner shrimp and am trying to find cleaner gobies. why are they so hard to find!? every time I've been down no one has them.

mikey_d18 · #7 04-07-2005, 04:31 AM

feeding garlic xtreme clears it up .......soak some flake in it...works like a charm

Willow · #8 04-07-2005, 04:53 AM

garlic will help but if you have full blown ick it won't magically cure it.

EmilyB · #9 04-07-2005, 06:28 AM

Garlic is more for the established tank I think. A couple of my fish got a brief outbreak after the cuke incident and are fine now. Fish that are well fed and non-stressed fight off ick quickly. Cleaner shrimp are mandatory I think when you are keeping tangs.

My YT is six years old, so don't try teaching me about ich....

gbeef · #10 04-07-2005, 03:29 PM

When i started reefing i lost 3 fish ick. Because either my tank wasnt mature or i didnt quarenteen. I lost 2 clowns and a Blue tang.

Now ive learned my lesson i now quarenteen all my fish in a 20Gal. Ive done formulin dips and garlic with great success. In my mind Qtank is the way to go.