ich breakout, please help.

[SquidHC]

So, I just added a nice new tang to my tank about a week ago. I recieved it out of the display tank of a very trusted local supplier. Now, all four of my tangs have ich. I just noticed it today. What is the best action for me? I know I need to QT them, and treat them. But what is the best way to treat 4 at a time?

[Playa-1]

You can put them all in a QT tank and treat them with Hypo Salinity for about 6 weeks.

The display tank would need to remain fishless for that time period.

[dang42]

If your going to QT them, then I'd use some sort of copper treatment for ich, it will work well, and definitely keep everythign out of the display tank for at least 6 weeks....

Good luck!

[atvdave]

They only way to treat them is to pull them out and do Hypo, or copper treatment. Also you must leave your DT fish free for 6 week (maybe more) to kill the Ick in the DT. There are many threads about this on how to treat with Hypo or copper.

Now with that said, I have 3 tangs and I to got Ick in my DT. I think it's more harmful to treat the fish in a QT tank so I just add garlic with my food. I still have Ick in my tank, but I never see any spots on my fish, been like that for almost a year now.

This is just my thoughts and I'm sure most every one will disagree.

[chrisqueenz]

Short term, make sure they are getting fed well. Soaking your food in garli will help bring more of an appetite. If you can treat the fish then go for it. Many different methods how to go about it.

[Davoaldo]

Is it ok to keep feeding fish with garlic soaked food? Will it cause too much waste or hurt inverts or bacteria?

If not then won't it be best just keep feeding garlic to fend off ich?

[mrharris3]

Personally I have just lost about $150 bucks worth of ick due to an out break. Once thing to realize is that with this hobby you have to go slow.. especially with tangs and angels as they are very prone to getting ick. One thing about the treatment you choose will definately have to be decided based on what you have in your tank. Copper treatments are very bad for reef systems and inverts. This treatment will very well solve your ick problem, but you could have more problems. At this point I would not put your fish into quartine, because now you will be treating both tanks for ick. I would treat your display tank..There is a product called kick ick. It worked for me after I learned this one major thing. Ick is always present in your tank, however, the levels determine whether you catch an outbreak.. Do garlic and making sure you do proper water changes will help you prevent this from happening. Most importantly know that when you treat for ick, you are treating the fish to be immune to ick.. almost like the flu. This will not remove it from your tank. Do not put any more fish into your tank for about 2 months after there are no more signs of ick. If not you will start all over..MY MISTAKE!!In the future be sure to put your fish into Quarantine for 3 weeks and watch for signs of ick..This way you can catch it before you infect other fish and your display. Additionally don't add more than 2 or more fish at a time, this helps as well. Sorry to hear what your going through. Raises your temperature gradually in your tank to about 82 degrees or so will help speed the life cylce of ick.

[SquidHC]

Well, some good news out of this. I have been having issues with a few other things in my tank. Between undersized/low quality equipment. Dislike for my fuge/sump set up, and being unhappy with the level of flow in my tank. I discussed the ich issue with my wife, along with the equipment. Being she loves the tank just as much as I love it, she replied with "Happy birthday and merry christmas. Do what you need to."

Im setting up several bins for QT tanks for treatment, and a coral area. I am tearing my tank apart and rebuilding it from the ground up. A large portion of things will be re used, such as powerheads and lighting, and the tank. but most everything under the hood will be replaced, and Im going to take the time to replace the stand and buff my acrylic tank.

[atvdave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13405448#post13405448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Davoaldo
Is it ok to keep feeding fish with garlic soaked food? Will it cause too much waste or hurt inverts or bacteria?

If not then won't it be best just keep feeding garlic to fend off ich?

This is what I do, with very good results. Please note, you only need a very small amount of garlic with the food. I only use about 1/4 to 1/3 cap full to mix with my food.

Also please note, this will not get rid of Ick in your tank. This will only help your fish fight it off.

[atvdave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13405660#post13405660 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SquidHC
I discussed the ich issue with my wife, along with the equipment. Being she loves the tank just as much as I love it, she replied with "Happy birthday and merry christmas. Do what you need to."

Ask you wife if she will marry me? :D

[liz3]

I had to treat a 180 for ich...it was not fun. Garlic feeding will help as stated to fend off illness. From I understood from my past experience is that ich is always present. Fish that come into stress from bad water quality or adding too many fish or changes in environment in general can be stressed and there fore come down with it. Tangs are more prone to this from the ones I have kept. Also, cleaner shrimp and some wrasses actually feed on the parasite and help clean the fish. I have a pic of a shrimp cleaning a tang that visited him regularly for his little parasite wash.

[Playa-1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13405660#post13405660 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SquidHC
Well, some good news out of this. I have been having issues with a few other things in my tank. Between undersized/low quality equipment. Dislike for my fuge/sump set up, and being unhappy with the level of flow in my tank. I discussed the ich issue with my wife, along with the equipment. Being she loves the tank just as much as I love it, she replied with "Happy birthday and merry christmas. Do what you need to."

Im setting up several bins for QT tanks for treatment, and a coral area. I am tearing my tank apart and rebuilding it from the ground up. A large portion of things will be re used, such as powerheads and lighting, and the tank. but most everything under the hood will be replaced, and Im going to take the time to replace the stand and buff my acrylic tank.

:thumbsup:

That sounds like a plan. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday !!

:lol: