Clown fish with ich, alternative ways to treat W/out QT tank ?

[new reefer 03]

well my clownfish got ich... *sigh* its only the one clownfish that is visible.
i dont have a spare tank, nor do i have the money for one after my LFS sale today.
are there any ways for treating ich, that i dont need a QT tank? also it cant harm corals, inv, or LR... there probably isnt, but its worth a try.
i know that cleanershrimp cannon eat the ich off of the fish, due to it being under the skin but can they do anything to help? i have 2 of them as of today.

 

[Heffe01]

A clownfish is small, just set him up in a bowl with an airstone. Or find a hanging QT sidebox that will hang off the side of the tank. Just make sure its one without holes, you dont want the water escaping.

 

[lcstorc]

Your fish will either develop a partial immunity or die. Any new fish introduced will be at risk.
Nothing more. Nothing less.

 

[new reefer 03]

Lynn,
i really dont think i can let my tank go 8 weeks without fish right now. the smallest to fit a tang, and 2 clowns would probably be a 55, and that $100+
then a filter, heater, and what not, then i have to risk their lives taking the salinity to 1.000-1.009 (dont remember the post by word)
not to mention my main tank has to go 8 weeks without a water change, thats like saying by corals?

 

[yungreefer2410]

you can't do wc with ich? take back all fish let them know they have ich maybe they can babysit them for you? my lfs will do that. youwould prob have to pay for meds...

 

[new reefer 03]

you can't do wc with ich? Lees thread said to only top off for 8 weeks

take back all fish let them know they have ich maybe they can babysit them for you? i dont have any LFS that i trust that much... the one that i do trust, gave me my internal parasitic tang so who knows what in his water.
my lfs will do that. youwould prob have to pay for meds...

cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd: cnfzd:

 

[Jeremy0322]

You are going to have to leave the tank fallow for 8 weeks, otherwise you will be fighting an uphill batter as long as you have the tank. That is really your only choice, its either that or treat it and kill all the corals. I dont think there is another option, this is just how it has to happen, sorry man

 

[lcstorc]

Who said you need a 55? The cost of salt alone for the many water changes in a qt would be insane. A 20g is much more realistic for a qt/hospital tank. Meanwhle if there is no polution (food/fish waste)going into the main system there is no real need for water changes. Long term they are needed to replace trace elements but for 8 weeks your corals will be fine with what is in the water.
This has been done thousands of times by thousands of people. Yes, it is risky for the fish. It is a difficult treatment but is what is necessary to erradicate the parasite. You will also have to treat each new fish you purchase before adding it to the system or you will simply re-introduce the parasite to your system and have to repeat the process.
Many fish have ich and just do not show the symptoms unless stressed. I do not properly quarrantine and I am certain it is in my system. I do my best to avoid stressors in the system to minimize the stress and my fish have developed a partial immunity and so far are symptom free. That could end at any moment, particularly when I add a new fish.
I am taking a gamble and I know it. With your fish showing symptoms, you have to decide if you are going to take the gamble with their lives or not.
I have to say, with my current fish population, I am not sure what I would do but if I only had the few fish you have, I would definitely set up the hospital tank and do it right.

 

[new reefer 03]

alright, so am i setting up a QT tank, or a hospital tank? there seems to be a difference between the two?
i want to do this the cheapest way, so what all is needed for a QT/hospital tank?

you have to decide if you are going to take the gamble with their lives or not.

i would rather not risk anyones life. i want what will give me 100% of them living long term

 

[Varga]

I think most tanks have ich we just dont know it since our fish are healthy enough to fight it. every new fish i buy gets ich, clears up in under a week.

plus, if you were to set up a QT right now you'd have to wait a month for it to cycle, right?

 

[new reefer 03]

plus, if you were to set up a QT right now you'd have to wait a month for it to cycle, right?

no? i have never had to deal with a cycle and i dont plan on it


i would just use some of my water some new water, and maybe some of my dads water

 

[BLAKEJOHN]

QT/Hospital tank:
Items needed..
Tank(for those with a tang atleast a 20 long) $40
Heater $30
PVC pieces for fish to hide in $10
thermometer $4
Hang on filter running empty during treatment (easy to use for some wter movement and removal of meds) $20
Small powerhead $10
An ammonia lock product
Copper test kit
Ammonia test kit

No cycling is needed. Use water from your DT for the initial fill of the QT. Be sure water is at the same temp as your DT be for adding fish to the QT. There will be no need to acclimate them to the QT. When fish are in the QT add the appropriate meds as per instructions of product. I do not suggest a hyposalinity procedure for any beginers. If it is not done perfectly you will lose your livestock. Check Ammonia levels daily add ammonia lock if necessary. Check copper levels daily if using a copper treatment. Water changes daily with the appropriate meds added to the water change water at the correct level. When treatment is complete, put the filter media with carbon back in the hang on filter to remove the meds. Change the filter pad with carbon every other day for atleast a week. After the 6-8 weeks you can put the fish back into the DT. You will need to acclimate fish back to the DT.

 

[new reefer 03]

from http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/23132-marine-ich-myths-facts.html


Treatments:

1. Hyposalinity - Using a refractometer, hold salinity at 11ppt to 12ppt until 4 weeks after the last spot was seen. (Best to use salinity, but if you use specific gravity, that equates to roughly 1.008 to 1.009 sp. gr. units). Raise salinity slowly and observe fish for 4 more weeks. Hard to control pH and water quality during treatment. This is the least stressful treatment for the fish. See: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...t-process.html

2. Copper treatment - Follow medication recommendations. Can be effective in 2 to 4 weeks of treatment. After treatment, remove all copper and observe fish for 4 more weeks. Copper is a poison to the fish and creates some stress. The fish may stop eating. See end of this post for other things that can go wrong. See: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-problems.html

it would have to be one of these, neither seems easy for a beginner like me. both are dangerous to the fish... :waa:

 

[new reefer 03]

from Lees thread posted above


Let aquarium go fishless (without any foreign saltwater additions (e.g., water from LFS system, water from another tank or system -- use only distilled or RO/DI for evaporation and freshly made, uncontaminated salt water for water changes), without contamination from infected tanks, live rock additions, etc.) for at least 8 weeks and the tank will be free of MI. This 'fallow period' has over a 99.9% chance of success.

i can do WCs? if so then this should be pretty easy asside from treating the fish .

 

[Midnight]

cole type ich into the search at the top of the screen and you will get around 65 threads at least telling you everything you need to know. The search thing is there to help us all so we don't have to ask the same things over and over and flood the forum with the same info over and over.

 

[lcstorc]

:bouncer: :bouncer: :bouncer:
You read the thread.
I am sooo proud of you.
Now read it a good three or four more times so you fully understand it. It is not an easy one to get through and has some very detailed info that will take multiple readings to fully understand.
It is quite obvious that you are getting the idea and I am proud of you.

 

[new reefer 03]

:bouncer: :bouncer: :bouncer:
You read the thread.
I am sooo proud of you.
Now read it a good three or four more times so you fully understand it. It is not an easy one to get through and has some very detailed info that will take multiple readings to fully understand.
It is quite obvious that you are getting the idea and I am proud of you.

thanks,
i told you i read the links, its whether i understand thema ll the way..
since those treatments to the fish seem extremely unsafe for me to do i took a look in my dads stand and what did i find?

MY PLEDGE TO YOU

this stuff.
my dad bought it for his butterfly when it had ick, the fish died but i think it is because he did not monitor pH, and the fish was in a 5g bucket. the bottle says to monitor pH as it may lower it, but not in an astablished aquarium. im thinking as long as i monotor pH this stuff wont kill anything. i will still move the fish to a QT tank for 8 weeks, but my question is will this stuff work? it seems way less risky to me.

 

[new reefer 03]

im assuming that ick is a parasite, if so this should work. if not im screwed... :waa:

 

[new reefer 03]

 

[lcstorc]

Nope
Go back and read the link again.