HELP! Ich on tang, remove ALL fish? Newbie

Krch10

New Member
Newbie on salt 7m, brought in a yellow tang who got ich (or had it). I set up. 20 gallon QT, and moved him in and started Cupramine treatment. My question is do I have to pull out the rest of my fish (2-Firefish, 2 small clowns, 1-wrass).

If I do, do I put them all in the same QT and how would I acclimate them if the tank is already at the .5 therapeutic level?

Most frustrating 7mo of my life!!!

90 gallon reef ready tank, 20 gallon sump, 2-clowns, 2-firefish, 1 Wrasse, 1 pep shrimp, 1- BTA


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Humblefish

Active Member
Unfortunately, if one fish has Ich then that means the entire system is contaminated. Tomonts will be encysted to your rocks, substrate, glass, equipment, etc. and free swimmers will be in the water.

The only way to eliminate this disease from your DT is to go fallow (fishless) for 76 days. This means catching all your fish and treating them with copper.

You can setup a new QT and slowly raise the copper level with the rest of your fish. Or drip acclimate them into your current QT (where the copper level is already 0.5 ppm) and hope for the best.
 

Krch10

New Member
Thank you very much for the quick response. And I can not treat my DT with copper
Because of the shrimp? Feather Dusters, and BTA? Correct?


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Humblefish

Active Member
Thank you very much for the quick response. And I can not treat my DT with copper
Because of the shrimp? Feather Dusters, and BTA? Correct?

Correct

And your rock would absorb a lot of the copper, causing the level to fluctuate.
 

Krch10

New Member
Thanks again, I will try to hunt them down tonight, acclimate them and get them all in the QT tank.

The feather dusters, Shrimo and BTA can’t get the parasite correct? So I can leave them in the DT?


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Humblefish

Active Member
The feather dusters, Shrimo and BTA can’t get the parasite correct? So I can leave them in the DT?

Corals/inverts can play "host" to a different life stage of the parasite (tomont), but without fish to feed upon the subsequent stages will eventually starve to death. Tomonts do not harm corals/inverts; they just encyst to them for awhile. Once free swimmers are released from tomonts the latter dies. If a free swimmer cannot find a fish host, it too dies and that's how the life cycle gets broken.
 

Krch10

New Member
Spoke to soon. Lost a little clown. Levels are good, ammonia meter is between safe and alert, copper still at the .5 level.

I get that sometimes fish just die, but anything special about a QT that I’m missing. I have 2 PVC connections for them to hide, although my 2 little clowns were always just swimming around. Stress going from a 90g to a 20g? Clostrophobia?


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Uncle99

Well-Known Member
Regular water changes to keep ammonia in check.

Yup, they can die in QT
 
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Krch10

New Member
I have an augua filter that is filled with Seachem Matrix that was in my HOB filter, then sitting in my sump. Per the seachem amonia badge, I’m still in safe levels.


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Krch10

New Member
Sorry to bug again on this topic but I have zero patience and really want to return my QT fish to the tank. I’m at day 60 (8weeks), wondering if it’s safe. I’ve read the 78 day period but also have seen that anything over 60 is ok. As much as I want my fish back I also have no desire to redo this again so should I just wait the additional 18 days or is 60 enough?

I don’t fully understand the 60 or 78 because it seems like each phase of the life cycle is either hours or days so it seems as though anything alive on September 9th and hasn’t had a “host” to live on would surely be dead by now.

Thanks.


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Uncle99

Well-Known Member
I have done 60 with no problem before.
The 72 days refers time whereas one can be satisfied that Ick has been defeated 99times out of 100.

As we lower the time, the risk increases, So time comes down of your taste for risk.

If they are eating well and appear healthy and happy, your water parameters are in check, 60 is not overly risky.

Like I said, I have done 60 and been successful, but I "know" my fish and the circumstances and watched them heal, eat, and be happy,again.

If you go early, keep water perfect, and stable, feed high protein mixed foods.....strong fish can fight off Ick.

Good luck.
 

Krch10

New Member
Got it. I think I’ll wait. Fish look good but I’d like to know I have a clean DT.

Thanks.


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Humblefish

Active Member
The "72 day rule" is based on a study that was conducted at 68F in a sterile flask with the aid of antibiotics. So, not exactly reef like conditions. ;)

A more recent study indicated that Ich tomonts can go dormant in a hypoxic environment. So, it is a good idea to eliminate any anaerobic regions of your DT whilst going fallow:
  1. Take any canister or enclosed filters offline, and sterilize them with bleach. Without fish to foul the water, your DT will be fine with just rock/sand for filtration and good water circulation.
  2. Speaking of circulation, crank up those pumps for maximum flow & gas exchange throughout the aquarium. (Don't forget to add a pump down in the sump.)
  3. Blow out your rocks (using a powerhead) and vacuum the sand during water changes whilst going fallow. This will "stir things up" and provide free oxygen to those areas.
 
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