Ich problem

[Huhhhhh]

I've been watching an Ich problem now for about 2 to 3 weeks in the 90. It's not getting any better so I'm going to try a product called Kick-Ich by Ruby Reef that's supposed to be reef safe. I want to knock this problem out before it becomes a massive one as I've watched it go through about 3 cycles already with each one getting worse than the last. It hasn't affected any of the fish in the 125 yet but I'll have to treat the whole system since both tanks are tied together.

My main concern is I'll have to shut off my skimmer for 15 days. Anyone have any thoughts on how this will affect the corals in both tanks?

Wish me luck. I'll post results here through out the treatment.

[Deuce67]

I wouldnt try it. I battled ich before with some garlic extract and it seem to work. I think Kent makes some. Some say the garlic thing is a myth but it did work for me.

[Huhhhhh]

Here is a description of the product

RUBY REEF KICK-ICH is a scientifically developed water treatment fish medication that has been proven effective in stopping C. irritans and I. multifiliis (ich) infections common in marine and freshwater aquaria. The RUBY REEF KICK-ICH formulation is specifically designed to interrupt the free swimming stage of the ich parasites, thereby stopping progressive infection and re infection, without the use of copper, malachite green or other chemicals known to be toxic to many aquarium inhabitants, especially marine invertebrates and corals and freshwater inverts and scale less fish. KICK-ICH doesn't affect nitrifying bacteria and is biodegradable.

During the typical ich lifecycle, a free swimming tomite penetrates the host skin, where it undergoes metamorphosis into a trophozoite. The trophozoite matures within the host’s skin forming the “white spot” cyst until it emerges from this cyst as a trophont and leaves the host. The trophont secretes a thick, highly resistant mucous coat immediately upon exit from the host. This mucous coat protects the trophont as it undergoes replication and division into hundreds of infecting units which emerge as new, fully infectious tomites upon rupture of the ripe trophont.

It is difficult, impractical and/or impossible to attack by chemical or drug therapy, maturing trophozoites residing between layers of the host’s skin. Similarly, it is almost impossible to attack the mucous coated trophonts. However, practical interruption of the infection cycle can be accomplished by attacking the unprotected, free swimming tomites. Unlike copper, malachite green and other treatments, RUBY REEF KICK-ICK is a water treatment that, when used as directed, can be directly and safely added to any marine, reef or freshwater aquarium to effectively interrupt the tomite stage of the ich life cycle, without concern for the health and vigor of the fish, corals, inverts or nitrifying

[Freed]

Good luck. Many have tried and those that have tried have proven that it's just junk snake oil, but hey, if you think you want to go a round with it, let us know how it works.

[racer69]

With five tangs in my tank I tend to use cleaner fish. Unless you quarentine all of your live stock four 4-6 weeks, you will have ich in your tank. Almost nobody goes through that kind of process including myself, so I have 2 neon gobies and 1 cleaner wrasse (thanks Scott). Since I have had them, I have not seen one spot on my powder blue or any of my other tangs. Once your fish have been established for a while and get fat and happy they will fight off ich.

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10726152#post10726152 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by racer69
Once your fish have been established for a while and get fat and happy they will fight off ich.

I agree. They aren't really established yet and are young so I think I need to do something to at least help this outbreak. If it works I'll be happy if it doesn't, well I'll have another story to tell. I hear garlic helps so I'll start using some form of that in their food.

[liriel]

I have a hippo tang that is just a monster with ick. She lets the cleaner shrimp clean her, but she still gets an outbreak if I look at her the wrong way. I recently started soaking the food in Garlic Xtreme at every feeding. It sure smells like potent stuff, anyhow (and you only have to use two drops). I've found that the garlic in addition to plenty of grazing algae has made a difference.

I've taken this tang out and quarantined her with copper and the whole nine-yards, and I almost lost her from the stress. There is no way she'd last the whole 4-6 weeks. She's just super sensitive and I hope that the garlic at least helps boost her immune system.

I would be interested to hear how that product does if you use it though!

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10727262#post10727262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by liriel


I would be interested to hear how that product does if you use it though!

I'll make progress reports here throughout the treatment.

[thejrc]

can the fish, go with pods.... they arent succeptible to ich at all!

Just the same, good luck!! I'll see if I can gut load some garli-pod's for ya.

[robsheely]

I used Kick-Ich and Garlic Xtreme at the same time and, between them, they knocked the ich right out.

I know you're not supposed to be able to see the tomites, but I swear one day I saw the water full of tiny wrigglers like brine shrimp but smaller. I poured a dose of Kick-Ich right in on top of them and it seemed to kill them slowly.

Anyway, it's all too much like voodoo sometimes. I'm just glad the Ich hasn't come back. Good luck to you. I hope you have the same success I did.

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10733872#post10733872 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robsheely
I used Kick-Ich and Garlic Xtreme at the same time and, between them, they knocked the ich right out.

I know you're not supposed to be able to see the tomites, but I swear one day I saw the water full of tiny wrigglers like brine shrimp but smaller. I poured a dose of Kick-Ich right in on top of them and it seemed to kill them slowly.

Anyway, it's all too much like voodoo sometimes. I'm just glad the Ich hasn't come back. Good luck to you. I hope you have the same success I did.
Thanks Rob. I'm going to do the same with the Garlic Xtreme.
I put the first dose in last night and have observed nothing negative so far.

[CSUPUEBLOTIM]

I believe Kordon is reef safe. I haven't used it in saltwater aquariums yet, just my freshwater and it worked good. I thought I was going to have an ich problem when I got some fish a week ago, but it disappeared within like a day so it must have just been transporting stress.

[krafty]

.

[crimson0152]

I treat my food with Garlic Guard 3 times a week and I have never seen ich in my tank. I agree with Todd, feed the fish garlic, get 'em fat and healthy, and ich will not be a problem. (knock on wood)