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11-24-2008, 03:55 PM
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#1
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Plankton
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Posts: 42
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how long???
all of the fish in my tank have died off due to what i think is ich....
could have been something else like velvet or the clownfish disease (cant remember the name) two were clowns by the way..
My ? is how long should i wait until intorducing new fish? i have one fire shrimp, basic clean up crew corals and sand...
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11-24-2008, 03:58 PM
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#2
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Son of Jor El
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springfield MO
Posts: 4,578
Reviews: 52
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ich is generally thought to have run its course in the absence of fish after 6-8 weeks of no fish vector. Of course if we don't know if its ich that leaves some uncertainty. Did you get any pics of the sick fish
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Jeremy http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ef-119089.html
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky went hunting? Well anyway, Brasky decides he's gonna hunt down all four members of the Banana Splits. He stalks and kills every one of them with a machete. They all beg for their lives, except Fleagul.
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11-24-2008, 06:13 PM
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#3
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,631
Reviews: 72
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6 weeks is generally recommended, but I've read that ich can remain dormant for months in the substrate. Hate to say you may always be at risk, but that's why getting healthy fish, giving them a good diet, and maintaining water parameters is so important; a good immune system can fight off the parasite.
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11-24-2008, 08:00 PM
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#4
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Son of Jor El
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springfield MO
Posts: 4,578
Reviews: 52
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From what I have read there is no such thing as a dormant stage for MI. The parasite can’t wait around for another host. It MUST go through its cycle. Dr. Burgess recorded that in the cyst stage, he found the longest existing cyst to last for 60 days before releasing the free-swimming parasites. This is rare but possible.
Can't seem to find the reference for this
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Jeremy http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ef-119089.html
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky went hunting? Well anyway, Brasky decides he's gonna hunt down all four members of the Banana Splits. He stalks and kills every one of them with a machete. They all beg for their lives, except Fleagul.
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11-25-2008, 05:47 PM
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#5
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Plankton
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Posts: 42
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thank you both for your replies. think ill give it 60 days and qt any and all new...... oh, one more question, could a shrimp, soft corals, or an anemone keep the ich alive?
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11-25-2008, 06:10 PM
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#6
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Son of Jor El
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springfield MO
Posts: 4,578
Reviews: 52
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according to what I have read, ich needs a fish to continue that part of their life cycle. Of course you could easily spread ich with water or spores that happened to be on your inverts at the time of tranfer. But as far as actually hosting, everything I have read points to no.
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Jeremy http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ef-119089.html
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky went hunting? Well anyway, Brasky decides he's gonna hunt down all four members of the Banana Splits. He stalks and kills every one of them with a machete. They all beg for their lives, except Fleagul.
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11-25-2008, 06:28 PM
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#7
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This Space For Rent!
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 2,212
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I know the "accepted" rule is six weeks fallow and then QT all new fish and treat them with hypo etc....I'm not going to try and talk anyone out of this method as it has many benefits...but, I've seen Ich appear in tanks where the owner did all these things and was "sure" their tank was "Ich free"...does the Ich remain dormant?...does it hitchhike in on other livestock in some phase of it's life cycle?...is it really always present just waiting for a "stessor" to weaken the fishes imune system?...I have no idea, I just know that I've seen it happen.
My solution is proper husbandry, proper stocking (that means levels and aggression), and keep the fish as fat and happy as possible.
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