My fish had Ich but how do I know its gone?

[chicap29]

Happy New Year to All!!!

We had to move the LR again to get the fish out but everything went well. We treated with Copper in a 55gal QTank. We treated for 3 weeks and lost 3 fish All looked good so we stopped treatment & they have been in the QTank since Dec 11th.

Here's the Problem, It's been a full month & we were going to put the fish back into the main tank when we looked at our Sargent Major fish and his fins look like he has ich again. So we stopped. All the other fish look good and are all eating well. When I look at the Sargent it looks like it could just be the fins are tore up but they have white splotches on him.

Should we retreat? Or just get rid of that fish?

Any Suggestions?

 

[sasquatch]

Amber, Im putting Woodstocks link here for you, some quite similar problems that may help your decision
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/16203-woodys-120-escapade.html

check the last few pages, good luck. Steve

 

[lcstorc]

I would definitely read up on Woodstock's experience but you definitely do not want to move them back to the reef yet. Even if it is not ich on the fish the display has not had enough time to become ich free. That takes 6-8 weeks or even longer. That is the life cycle of the parasite. If you put the fish back in the display early then there is likely still ich in the tank and the fish will just be re-infected.

 

[leebca]

"Splotches" rather than clearly defined small white spots, are often the signs of a bacterial infection. This conclusion is supported by the fact you say the fins are a bit tore up -- another sign that invites a bacterial infection.

The fish should be hospitalized and treated with an antibiotic. Look to see why the fish got into this condition. Most fish can hold off a small bacterial infection like this IF the water quality is good and they are provided the proper nutrition.

 

[chicap29]

If it is a bacterial infection, can it spread to the other fish?

I only have 1 QT and unfortunetly it's in use with all the fish. I will definetly check the water quality though.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[leebca]

Usually not 'catching.' The fish have to be stressed in order to be suseptible. So it doesn't spread. But if the conditions prevail that caused this fish to get sick, the others can fail in health, too. Look to removing the problem(s).

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Cheap juicy couture bags? I guess you could put the fish in one of those.. you'd have to make sure it wasn't leaking first...