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

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new reefer 03

new reefer 03

Active Member
im not sure, my dads damsel had ick a little while ago, and now there are no signs of it. i know its still there, but all of the fish appear to be in a good condition.
i just dont want to kill them, when they would have been fine without lowering the salinity.
 
new reefer 03

new reefer 03

Active Member
wouldnt all fish have internal parasites?
i just need to figure out the trweatment for ick more. i dont have a refractometer, so i am hesitant to even attempt it.
 
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cheeks69

Wannabe Guru
RS STAFF
just curious, why wont that medication work? is it because ick is not a parasite?
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If you read Leebca's thread you know it's a parasite and you'll also know that the parasite will only be eliminated with copper/hyposalinity treatment. Any medication that is considered "reefsafe" isn't strong enough to kill the Crypto. irritans parasite and many of these medications aren't really reefsafe at all and can harm sessile/motile inverts.
 
new reefer 03

new reefer 03

Active Member
i just need to figure out the treatment for ick more. i dont have a refractometer, so i am hesitant to even attempt it.
i think i would go hyposalinity rather than copper. lee stated both are stressors, but hyposalinity is less stressful. then again copper seems easier.

i just dont want to risk my little friends lives, like that. i wont be testing twice a day, ill do once a day though. so many factors, i dont know if i should let the ick go untreated, or treat it. they both seem risky!
 
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cheeks69

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RS STAFF
I have used hypo salinity with success and the fish can adapt very well to low salinity if properly acclimated but a refractometer is essential IMHO. Is it possible to calibrate your hydrometer with your LFS' refractometer ?
 
new reefer 03

new reefer 03

Active Member
cheeks can you tell me how you did hypo? how long to
acclimate it low
acclimate it back up
how much you tested
what you tested
how much water you changed
how often you changed water
how long they were in hypo
you have a refractometer, correct?
there is no room for error on my part. if you got 100% no ick i want to know exactly how you did it, did you modify what Lee suggested?
 
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cheeks69

Wannabe Guru
RS STAFF
acclimate it low
acclimate it back up
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I followed these directions: ATJ's Marine Aquarium Site - Reference - Hyposalinity Treatment

how much you tested
what you tested
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Since I didn't have a power filter I used some LR I had in my sump and a HOT skimmer so I tested for ammonia every few days but it was never an issue.

how much water you changed
how often you changed water
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I changed 7 gal. a week obviously the frequency and % of the water change will vary depending on parameters.

how long they were in hypo
you have a refractometer, correct?
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The Tang was in hypo treatment for 4 weeks and yes I did use a refractometer.
 
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Cavinca

Active Member
new reefer 03 said:
i would rather not risk anyones life. i want what will give me 100% of them living long term :)
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Your already doing that...

1. Get a Refracto...
2. Save for a QT tank.
3. Dont swap anything with your dads tank, he probably still has ick. You said the ick just disappeared... it rarely does that. In fact, didnt you get one of your clowns from your dads tank.. or didnt you house it in it at one point. I for one am thinking you should blame your ick problems on yourself not on your LFS. Now the tangs poop parisite problems a differnt story... maybe.


While your saving for a proper qt tank... Go get a gigantic Rubbermaid container from wally world.
Make fresh saltwater and do your HYPOSALINITY ick treatment in there no copper. Add a powerhead or two for kicks and giggles. Add your fish to the mix and leave your Display tank fishless for atleast 6-8 weeks. In fact you might as well add your dads fish to the fun...
 
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ZAPCOnj

Active Member
So it's been almost 2 days since you posted this thread. what are you going to be doing to treat the ick? the longer you wait the worse it will be and the more stress on the animals you'll have.

btw. If you treat with copper you'll need a QT/Hospital tank that is NOT connected to your main tank's water supply. DO NOT add copper to your display tank system. The copper will kill your corals and CUC. When you are ready to put the fish back (minimum of 28 days) in the display tank, you can NOT use the water from the Hospital Tank in your display tank as you will be adding some copper back to your tank. thus adding to the stress and the posibility of Killing your coral and CUC

As for treating your Display tank, if there is no host for the parasite to live off of it will die off in a fallow tank (no fish in there) so leave the tank for at least 28 Days... a week or so more if you can, with no fish in there and like others have said before me the ick should just die off.

just thought i would toss that out there.
 
new reefer 03

new reefer 03

Active Member
hypo,
im just concerned. 20g sounds small for a tang, 2 clowns, and a LM Blenny.
so that should stress them, then the low salinity may not stress them but it might.
also, i dont have a refractometer, so that concerns me. any other people use hypo, that want to answer my questions above, and provide your link? the more opinions (& Links) the better, to compare/contrast with.
Thanks! :bouncer:
 
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Cavinca

Active Member
COLE!!

I dont care if youve read this already... read it again. It answers ALL your questions.

Why the heck are you askin "how much you tested?" Youve already set your mind on only testing once a day.. NO POINT IN ASKING....

YES 20 gallons are small. but you do what you have to do. If your scared its to small.... Get a LARGE rubbermaid container from walmart like people use for rock curing and use that as your QT.

Stop twisting words and advice to suit yourself. You want to kill your animals and run your tank your own way, Stop asking for help and opinions... No one wants to answer your questions because you wont listen.

Admins His original post has been answered and he has been given good advice yet he chooses not to listen. I believe this thread should be closed.
 
lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
There is nothing in life that is a guarantee. Both methods certainly have their risks and the risks increase dramatically if the directions are not followed ecactly and the tests are not preformed properly. With hyposalinity obviously a refractometer is a must to keep close track of the salinity. For copper you need a good copper test and use it frequently to make sure you have the proper concentration.
Both are risky but so is ich. It is a matter of deciding which risk you are willing to take.
 
Z

ZAPCOnj

Active Member
new reefer 03 said:
hypo,
im just concerned. 20g sounds small for a tang, 2 clowns, and a LM Blenny.
so that should stress them, then the low salinity may not stress them but it might.
also, i dont have a refractometer, so that concerns me. any other people use hypo, that want to answer my questions above, and provide your link? the more opinions (& Links) the better, to compare/contrast with.
Thanks! :bouncer:
Click to expand...

ya know what would stress them even more? being covered by ick and slowly suffocating to death because the ICK is in their gills and they can't breathe. I think that would stress them more than being in a 20 gal hospital tank or rubber maid tubs.
 
new reefer 03

new reefer 03

Active Member
BigAl07 said:
Cole any updates?
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you love updates dont you? :lol:

i think i will go hypo, it seems to be easier than using poison. i need a refractometer though, and that might be christmas time... i would prefer to go 20g tank so i can see, and track their progress. would i go 20, or 20l, that was mentionned somewhere in the pages
:ponder2: :confused: :ponder2:
 
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