OH GREAT... NOW WHAT

Skimmin · #1 02-27-2015, 03:24 AM

So I bought a Chevron Tang about two months ago. I put him through QT and now after being in my display tank for almost a month has been fine. Now tonight? ich... To make matters worse I picked up two new fish to put into quarantine toninght.... Now I guess I have to get all the fish out of my tank... 300 GAL TANK...... or I guess I'm gonna get rid of my corals, inverts and anemone etc.... and hypo the tank... Any other ideas for what to do would be great... Everything else in the tank seems healthy with no spots but I know if its in the water with fish its always gonna be there right?... So frustrated. This is the first tank I've ever had that I actually QT my fish. This is also the first tank I've ever had ich show up... I'm also running a uv light...

globaldesigns · #2 02-27-2015, 03:40 AM

You will get mixed reviews. But I am of the side that think ICH is always there and not to fret about it. Providing a healthy, stable environment will allow fish to resist and live without harm from the parasite. Just my 2 cents... Leave it all alone, stressing them by Qt, capturing and/or treating may do more harm.

George · #3 02-27-2015, 03:45 AM

What is your quarantine protocol? I have seen all kinds of of so called "quarantine" methods. Some are very effective against ich, some are not.
If you really want to get rid of marine ich in your tank, get all fish out into a quarantine tank and follow a proven protocol against marine ich. The protocols I recommend are: tank transfer, copper and chloroquine phosphate. Some may suggest hypo-salinity also but I don't like it personally.
Leave your tank fallow (not hypo) for 72 days to get rid of marine ich.
That would be my course of action if it was my tank.
Good luck!

eli@fijireefrock.com · #4 02-27-2015, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

You will get mixed reviews. But I am of the side that think ICH is always there and not to fret about it. Providing a healthy, stable environment will allow fish to resist and live without harm from the parasite. Just my 2 cents... Leave it all alone, stressing them by Qt, capturing and/or treating may do more harm.

I agree with above statement.Keep your system healthy don't add any more fish as there is always some stress on new fish or even on older fish when new fish is introduced.

Aquattro · #5 02-27-2015, 05:03 AM

I agree with both views

Leaving it is easier, and may be fine. The hard way is, well, harder

Skimmin · #6 02-27-2015, 05:43 AM

Well because the one option is so easy and the other is so difficult I'm sure you can imagine what route I will try first. Thanks for the input

Myka · #7 02-27-2015, 01:12 PM

A 300 gallon tank? Which brand/model UV sterilizer do you have? How much flow through it? How is it plumbed in? How old is the bulb? I'm not saying it is the problem, but it's curious the Tang has Ich a month after being added - that's a long time after. How long was he in quarantine? What treatment/protocols did he receive or was it just observation? I'm not sure if the Tang carried Ich all along or if he got it from the tank.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I agree with both views

Leaving it is easier, and may be fine. The hard way is, well, harder

Agreed.

If the other fish are in good health and unaffected, I would take a hard look at the UV sterilizer, plump up the feeding, add some garlic and/or an "Ich food".

I make a homemade mash. One of the handy things about this is that I can thaw it, mash some medications into it, and re-freeze it. Many medications are MUCH more useful if they can be ingested. I've fed these into my reef before, and haven't had any trouble - YMMV.

Aquattro · #8 02-27-2015, 01:55 PM

Just a comment about meds in food, in a reef. I read a lot of people panicking over (usually CP laced) food killing corals.
I just treated my QT with CP that contained rock with zoas and shrooms. 3 days later I did a 50% water change and added carbon, so let's say 4ish days of meds in the tank. Now that it's cleared from the water, all the zoas and stuff have bounced back and are doing fine. Based on that, I wouldn't worry about adding medicated food to my reef. I would run carbon just in case, but overall, it isn't going to nuke your tank. So try that, see if it helps. Fish don't like it as much, but some eat it fine.

Piscez · #9 02-27-2015, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

You will get mixed reviews. But I am of the side that think ICH is always there and not to fret about it. Providing a healthy, stable environment will allow fish to resist and live without harm from the parasite. Just my 2 cents... Leave it all alone, stressing them by Qt, capturing and/or treating may do more harm.

Agreed, moving fish around etc is stress enough, if your other fish are healthy well fed etc and sounds like your Chevron is healthy I'd wait and watch for a few days a least, I used to have a hippo in my 210gal and it seemed every time I added a new fish the hippo would get ich, eventually it cleared up and the other fish never got it. The easy route......... if your other fish start showing signs then you may want to consider meds, quarantine etc.. Good luck, hope all is well let us know how things make out.

Skimmin · #10 02-27-2015, 07:12 PM

So oddest thing. Today spots are gone. I would say he had about 30 spots yesterday. Today. None? I'm not sure if maybe the tang and the cleaner shrimp hooked up last night or what but the spots are gone. Nobody else is showing any signs of issues so I'm gonna keep an eye on things and go from there. Everybody eats great and looks really healthy. Talk about ups and downs in a 24hr period...