Ich treatment confirmation

[KurtsReef]

I have never had a case of ich before and just want to ensure my process is correct.

Picked up a Powder Blue tang and put it in a QT tank for three days. It was eating great, did not see any spots or anything nothing appeared to be wrong so transferred it too the display tank where it was doing great. Then two days ago thought I saw a white spot on its fin, looked a bit closer and there appeared to be about 10 white spots. Having never had ich on a fish did some web searches and it may be ich...so to be safe better than sorry captured the animal did a fresh water dip and placed it back into a QT tank (water was replaced in the QT tank). Ran out and picked up some Ich treatment medicine and am following the directions, plan on treating with the medicine for a few days and leaving the PBT in the qt tank for 14 days watching for any relapse of spots.

I will also be watching other fish in the display tank, but really do not want to put any medicines into the reef.

Does this sound like a sound plan by anyone with more experience with ich? My understanding of the parasite is the next stage would be the spots would disappear as the parasite drops off the fish to procreate/multiply and then go into the water column looking for new hosts. Since the spots had just appeared on the fish (perhaps I did not see them in the QT tank, not the best lighting there) I assume it was brought into the tank by the PBT...hoping it is still only in the QT tank.

[LargeAngels]

If one fish has ich then it is in your tank and no sense in treating only one fish. Treat all fish and leave tank fishless for 4-6 weeks. Also, FW dips don't work on ich, only velvet. What medicine did you pick up? Hypo and copper are the only treatments proven to work. Also, make sure it is ich because hypo doesn't work on velvet.

Here is some good reading.

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/treatments.html

[KurtsReef]

The stuff I picked up is "Rid Ich +"

I am hoping that if the PBT was infected when I got her that none of the parasites dropped off in the couple days she was in the tank. If other fish end up effected I will go through the break down/fish catching process.

This may not be ich, looking at the photographs in the link you have above. The 10 spots were needle point in size and may be nothing, I am just playing it safe 'in case'. I will have to check the ingredients or active ingredients in the product I picked up too see if it contains either copper or hypo. I was down changing the water and re-dosing the medicine and honestly do not see any spots today. There are a few spots that are a bit darker in look than the rest of the fish that may have been where the white spots were yesterday, does that mean the parasite left those spots and is now in the water column of the QT tank?

Will go check out the 'velvet' photos too see if it may be that.

[KurtsReef]

Ah, hyposalinity...sorry I had read that and the salt levels in the QT tank are being kept at 1.020 will adjust that lower if the link suggests.

I appreciate your reply.

[LargeAngels]

Small pinpoint spots maybe velvet. Also Rid-ich I don't believe has copper and has been one of those "worked for me" products.

[KurtsReef]

Your correct, no copper in rid ich + so I will get something with copper in it since that treats both. I will also be dropping the salinity of the water as I am no where near hyposalinity ratio which also is a treatment for both.

Found this article: Reef Central Marine Velvet Article (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/sp/feature/index.php) but still have not found any photographs of a fish with marine velvet.

Light is about to come on in the display and I will be looking at all inhabitants closely today (and tomorrow...)

[LargeAngels]

DON'T Use copper AND Hypo. copper will be more toxic at lower salinity levels.

[KurtsReef]

It would be? Did not read that...will just continue with the hypo for now then. Easier than running too the store.

Just dropped the salinity too 1.015 over a period of an hour by removing some water and replacing with RO/DI a small cup at a time. Don't want to drop it too quickly for the fishes sake.

[wooden_reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10623276#post10623276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KurtsReef
I have never had a case of ich before and just want to ensure my process is correct.

Picked up a Powder Blue tang and put it in a QT tank for three days. It was eating great, did not see any spots or anything nothing appeared to be wrong so transferred it too the display tank where it was doing great. Then two days ago thought I saw a white spot on its fin, looked a bit closer and there appeared to be about 10 white spots. Having never had ich on a fish did some web searches and it may be ich...so to be safe better than sorry captured the animal did a fresh water dip and placed it back into a QT tank (water was replaced in the QT tank). Ran out and picked up some Ich treatment medicine and am following the directions, plan on treating with the medicine for a few days and leaving the PBT in the qt tank for 14 days watching for any relapse of spots.

I will also be watching other fish in the display tank, but really do not want to put any medicines into the reef.

Does this sound like a sound plan by anyone with more experience with ich? My understanding of the parasite is the next stage would be the spots would disappear as the parasite drops off the fish to procreate/multiply and then go into the water column looking for new hosts. Since the spots had just appeared on the fish (perhaps I did not see them in the QT tank, not the best lighting there) I assume it was brought into the tank by the PBT...hoping it is still only in the QT tank.

I quarantine for at least five weeks counting from the day of active treatment against ich. Quarantine does not mean "observe"; it means active treatment to get rid of the very last ich organism.

[otrlynn]

Found this article: Reef Central Marine Velvet Article but still have not found any photographs of a fish with marine velvet.


If you find a picture, please share or post link. I have been looking for good pictures also. Thanks

[KurtsReef]

Never found images of the Marine Velvet.

Bad news though, well at least for me...although the PBT was looking good and seemed to be pretty much cured with no signs of ICH for a few days now 4 other fish exhibit signs so I am now dismantling the tank to get all of the fish out. Will be starting my treatment with today being day 1 and not putting any fish back into the display for at least 5 weeks :(

This bites, wish I had QT'd the tang longer. I always thought three day QT on a new fish was sufficient.

[KurtsReef]

Oh, I think I will go ahead and get some copper treatment to get rid of it on the fish in the hospital tank once and for all.

For the display, no treatment needed as long as there are no fish in it for 5 weeks that is correct right?

[KurtsReef]

Well, it took me 4.5 messy water dripping tearing up the entire reef hours to get out all the fish except for one MIA. Of course as soon as all the rocks are back in the tank (he was not in a rock, was in the tank and disappeared while catching them) the green/blue chromis appeared again.

All the fish except the one are out of the display, will try to catch that one at feeding time tomorrow instead of tearing the reef down again.

I do need a larger hospital tank, never expected to have to do this.

So, how long do you quarantine new fish?

[st9z]

I QT mine for about 2 weeks just to be on the safe side