LFS blues - please help :(

djquixotic · 05-21-2005, 12:53 PM

Yesterday I went to a LFS that was recommended to me by a client of mine. He said they were pricey but had the cleanest tanks out of all the LFS’s. I went there and from what I saw he was right, the tanks looked great (and the prices were high). The reason I went there was to get a Bi-colored blenny ($24.99). I looked over the tank that the fish was in and it looked good. The blenny was sticking out of a rock and all I could see was his head and gills, he looked fine. After I acclimated him into my tank and turned the lights back on and let him get settled in I saw him swimming around a bit exploring and I saw it!!! ICH not a lot but on his torso where the purple and yellow meet he looks a bit salty. I called the LFS and they told me he probably got it because of the stress of the move, but they do have a 7 day return/guaranty policy.

My question is/are:

Do I raise the temperature a bit and try to cure him of it?

Pull the tank apart and quarantine him in a holding tank (that I don’t have and would have to make, but not a bad idea to have)

Or do I pull the tank apart to get him out and bring him back

I have never had experienced with a salt water fish having ICH only fresh water and I know I cant medicate with corals in the tank.

I have a 20H, with 25lbs live rock, DIY Geoff skimmer, HOT carbon filter, 20lbs live sand.

Nitrates, Nitrites, and ammonia are all untraceable

Temp is at 78

Sg 1.022

I have:

1 clown

1 pajama cardinal

1 bi colored blenny

1 cleaner shrimp

Snails/ crabs

In 7 days my tank will be set up for 3 months


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otolith · 05-21-2005, 01:01 PM

Here is a link that kevin1000 usually posts when the ich question comes up. Fwiw, it's not the end of the world to get ich, and you can get rid of it.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...marineich.html

oyam123 · 05-21-2005, 01:02 PM

IMO>>>Dont do anything, let it go......it may get well soon and i would not panic.

your PJ may be at risk, but its less of a pain to get a new one than taking your tank apart.
BlaaaBlaaaBlaaa...set-up a QT...you know the drill.

Clownnut · 05-21-2005, 01:04 PM

petsmart got something for ick, can use in reef tank. (it said reef safe)
brand is kordon, purp bottle.(cant recall the name)
hope this can help.

jules77 · 05-21-2005, 02:01 PM

soak food in garlic for an hour prior to feedin for the next couple of weeks. Everyone has their own theories about ich, and I think the LFS gave you an adequate explanation. I think a lot of times it is caused by quick acclimation and/or big salinity changes. If you want to be safe you take the fish out and QT. I have never QT'd and never had ich last for more than a day or two. I guess the other question is how long has the tank running and when did the cycle complete? If it was pretty recent than that may be factor.

redwinger · 05-21-2005, 02:22 PM

1. Remove all fish from tank and place in hospital tank for 6 weeks and treat with copper. This must be done for the ich to disappear from the display tank. Pick up some cupramine and a copper test kit you will need it as you will have to monitor the copper levels before adding any more cupramine.

2. Ich can be beaten, if the tank sits fishless for the six weeks the ich will have no fish to host and will starve to death. The 6 weeks gives the ich roughly 2 lifecycles to die off. The life cycle is 21 days, it is best practice to give it the extra 2 weeks for redunancy.

3. You can use garlic and vitamins to build the immune system, but the ich will still be present, it is best to get rid of it completely, It is a painstaking process but worth it in the long run.

4. Stress does not cause ich, stress will lower the immune system of the fish and make them more susceptible to ich. If ich is not present in the system it does not matter how bad you stress the fish out, it will not get ich. I stressed the crap out of my fish last weekend with tearing down the tank and installing a BB. Nothing had any signs of ich including the blue hippo which is more prone to it then most fish.

5. Proper QT of all fish in the future will lead to a ich free tank. Ever since my battle with ich I treat all incoming fish for ich even if it is not showing signs of it. I too used to never QT new fish, I just put them in the display tank and let them go, I figured it wouldn't happen to me.

6. There have been reports of "reef safe" treatments for ich but are not proven like Copper has been proven for years and years. I would not chance it with a product that says reef safe.

It is not easy but after you deal with a bunch of fish in QT for 6 weeks to do it right you will QT all new fish in the long run as you will never want to deal with this again.
never

oyam123 · 05-21-2005, 02:38 PM

Like I said "Do Nothing" LOL!

FastFish720 · 05-21-2005, 04:03 PM

Clownut the stuff in the Kordon bottle I do not believe is reef safe. I know Rid-Ich will kill inverts, and I believe the second will too because it contains copper.

Is this it?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1

or this?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1

djquixotic · 05-21-2005, 06:40 PM

Thank you all for your input. I am going to wait a day or so before I FREAK OUT, like I said I have never seen ICH before in a salt water tank but can only assume the amount on my fish is hardly anything to shake a copper pipe at(sorry). If it gets worse I will have to set up a QT and try and pull him out.

Ben Nicholls · 05-21-2005, 08:41 PM

My most successful ich treatment has been the do nothing approach. If all is healthy it usually goes away on its own. Stress seems to be the largest factor in deadly outbreaks. The last tie I had it in my tanlk was on a new coral bandend butterfly. It left him, then appreared on my niger trigger. Then back on the CBB for a second time, then gone. The last time I lost a fish to ich was a powder bule tang. Tried everything short of taking all the fish out of the tank. I think the problem then was too small of a tank for him to feel safe.

Fahz · 05-21-2005, 10:28 PM

I'm with the do nothing camp besides it doesn't totally sound like ich to me. I think people cause more stress by catching and treating fish then good. Since you didn't QT it to start with I think you should ride it out.

Fahz

Dwayne · 05-21-2005, 10:29 PM

Ich is a sign of stress. In this case the move. I agree, your best bet is to do nothing. Treat the problem, not the symptoms. JMO.

Clownnut · 05-21-2005, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastFish720

Clownut the stuff in the Kordon bottle I do not believe is reef safe. I know Rid-Ich will kill inverts, and I believe the second will too because it contains copper.

Is this it?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1

or this?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1

purp bottle! not green!!!it's new product!