How Long to Wait???

[manderson0805]

I recently lost the 4 fish in my 46, due to waiting too long to act on what I thought was slight ich. The fish started dying one by one, and the last 2 died in my QT. Taking that it was ich in the main tank, how long will the cysts live without a host? Will they be a threat to the corals or inverts in my tank? I was hoping to restock the tank within a few months. Thanks for any input

[MontanaRocknReefer]

How long has your tank been set up? What are the specs on your tank? Give us a run down and we can help more efficiently from there!

[manderson0805]

It's a 46 Bow. Been set up for about 6 months, with about 55 lbs. of rock that was a couple years old. Corals include frogspawn, hammer, 2 torches, candy cane. Lighting is 2x96w and 2x55w pc, water tests out great. I believe when I added a Bicolor Angel, the angel became stressed and developed ich. It died in about a week. I kept an eye on the tank and now the pair of clowns and watchman goby have developed similar white spots, and lack of appetite. What would you recommend I feed them, or treat them. I moved them to a 20l with a bare bottom and no rock/decoration, except for 2 pieces of LR from a friend's tank for the goby to hide under.

[MontanaRocknReefer]

I have heard of people feeding their fish with selcon(sp) mixed in the food or using garlic as well. I believe it builds up their immune system for fighting off diseases! Putting them in the QT was right and keep them away from the main tank. You can treat them with copper and make sure they are healthy before returning to the main tank. I have not had the ick problem at this point so I am sure others have had more experinece with this disease!

[FISH]

You gotta check and make sure you don't get ammonia spike in the Q tank.
If you get ammonia spike , that could be a problem in itself.
Not sure if this is part of your problem.

You could leave them in the main tank and feed them garlic . Get some freeze dried blood worms and some Kyolic garlic extract and use it every day untill the ich is gone . Worked for me and never had ich again after a few years now.

[manderson0805]

Do I need to worry about free swimming ich in the main tank surviving a while? How long can they last without a host?

[FISH]

OOPS, Forgot to mention , just soak the blood worms in the garlic for a few minutes and then feed to the fish.
Good luck !!

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Ich is caused by an organism called "Ichthyophthirius multifiliis". The life span of this parasite consists of three stages. 1. Growth - The organisms attach to the fishes' skin. 2. Cyst - After dropping to the bottom of the tank the organisms divide while protected by a gelatin-like covering. 3. Infectious - The divided spores seek for a new host.

Without fish to provide a host I imagine in a few weeks or so but don't quote me on the exact amount of time! Anyone out there know for sure! Tom you around? Anybody?

[Casey]

Also a tip bicolors are hard to keep and cause ich very easily they get stressed at the drop of a hat.

[manderson0805]

I knew that they were hard to keep, I had my supplier keep it at his place for about 2 weeks. Guess the car ride home got to him. Anyway, I'm staying away from them from now on.

[Casey]

yea I have tried them twice both died so I gave up I have just about all the other dwarfs though

[manderson0805]

In the future, if I soak garlic into the food, what would happen if one of my LPS grabbed a piece? Is garlic bad for corals?

[Casey]

Hummm I dont know never thought about that Hope I havent given my LPS any?

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Never heard of it being a problem!

[Casey]

Originally posted by MontanaRocknReefer
Never heard of it being a problem!

Wheeeh that
makes me feel better thanks buddy