ICH medication in a reef tank

Scuba Bob · 06-09-2007, 01:30 AM

About a week ago I had a ich outbreak in my 125 G reef tank. I have been treating the tank with no-ich and things appear to be getting better, but I have some concerns. The medication says on the bottle, no not use with other chemicals. Does that mean NO other chemicals, or just no other ich medications. Specifically, can I restart my daily doesing of B-ionic calcium as well as my iodide and strontium supplements?

The bottle also says to turn off the protien skimmer. How do I manage organic waste? I have also read that I should not do a water change. If treatement is going to take me three-four weeks with no supplements and very limited filtration, what other problems am I going to create.

Without completely dismantalling the reef, I cannot get the fish out, what can I do?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Hop · 06-09-2007, 02:24 AM

The only way to truely rid a reef tank is to get the fish out, treat sperately (I prefer hypo) and let the tank sit without fish for 6-8 weeks. I have yet to see anyone treat ich successfully in a reef, other than to keep the fish eating, with a healthy immune system and let them battle the parasite on their own. But often, not always, ich returns a few weeks later...

DLO · 06-09-2007, 06:27 AM

My new reef tank is just getting over an outbreak of ick . I have battled it for 5 weeks using "ick attack" and soaking all the food in Garlic Gaurd . I installed a UV last weekend and thats what finaly did the job . IMO taking the fish out and moving them to a quarantine tank only causes more stress . While soaking the fish in chemicals may completly rid them of ick , I wonder how much damage is done to their internal organs .

ChrisPrusha · 06-09-2007, 06:49 AM

I think supplements are fine with no ich. Are you testing for the level of idiode and strontium you are putting in? As a general rule, all supplements that are going in your tank should be measured often, to make sure you aren't putting too much in.

Also, if you are doing regular water changes, neither idiode or strontium is probably needed.

Adding medications is tricky, because the water quality often slides downhill. And poor water quality will stress the fish out, which in turn makes them more susceptible to ich. Oy!

Turn off your skimmer for a few hours, but not forever. And nothing would ever stop me from doing regular water changes. That's just me, though.

Best of luck!!

Hop · 06-09-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLO

My new reef tank is just getting over an outbreak of ick . I have battled it for 5 weeks using "ick attack" and soaking all the food in Garlic Gaurd . I installed a UV last weekend and thats what finaly did the job . IMO taking the fish out and moving them to a quarantine tank only causes more stress . While soaking the fish in chemicals may completly rid them of ick , I wonder how much damage is done to their internal organs .

I would suggest doing some reading. You will see that your treatment will not rid a tank of ich. And I never, ever suggested using any chemicals...

DLO · 06-09-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hop

I would suggest doing some reading. You will see that your treatment will not rid a tank of ich. And I never, ever suggested using any chemicals...

WOW! This is why I never post !!!! I was just trying to express an opinion and a concern about some of the medications beinhg used . Perhaps chemical was the wrong word , sorry for that . It wasnt aimed at you .

Hop · 06-09-2007, 12:31 PM

I just had not have coffee yet

Funny how words can have tones when not meant to. I just felt it was important that you understand that adding a UV can help and keeping fish healthy can help, but the fact is that if you don't remove the fish and allow the ich cycle to run without a host so the lil' baby ichs die, you still have ich in the tank... It can come back even faster and stronger...

I feel it's very important to get all the facts on the board as people with no experience will come in and read and think they just need garlic and a UV to rid their tank of ich and then they pass that information on and it goes and goes

Reef-Keeper · 06-09-2007, 01:17 PM

i actually used "kick ich" to rid my tank, and that is EXACTLY what it did. i treated for 13 or 14 days, and never saw another sign of ich. i know a lot of people will not agree with this ... but it worked for me and that is a fact.

Reef-Keeper · 06-09-2007, 01:20 PM

BTW ... my fish and corals ALL survived. the fish are now on a heavy garlic dosing regiman (i started that when i started the treratment). it could have been one or the other or a combination of both, but i have no more ich, and not one fish was removed from the tank.

thebutler4 · 06-09-2007, 02:01 PM

IMO ... using a medication of ANY type in a reef is bad ... I dont care of it says "Reef safe" or not ... I have batteled ich with garlic oil .. works like a charm ... and is truly reef safe ... I added a drop or two in a cube of food and let it melt fully .. the fish seem to eat better almost like it causes a feeding responce in the fish .. and the ich hates it and will leave the host (fish) ..

Give that a shot ..

I also feed garlic oil any time I add a new fish .. and a few times a month to help keep the fish healthy ...

Scuba Bob · 06-09-2007, 03:21 PM

There are obviously vastly different view points in this arena. That is why I chose to come here for advise in the first place. I appriciate everything that is thrown out there, whether or not other members agree or disagree.

I am going to attempt to remove the fish this afternoon. I have set up a hospital tank and have already gotten one fish out. On a positive note, it was the one that had the worst symptoms. I am going to attempt to get the rest after I feed tonight.

Once I have them in a hospital tank, what is the best course of action? Hyposalinity and medication? or is there a better option?

Any particular lighting needs ina hospital tank. Whenever I see one set up in the LFS, they are always dark. Is there a reason for this?

I truely appriciate all fo the advise. Thanks to all.

Bob

Reef-Keeper · 06-09-2007, 03:30 PM

i think i would go with Hyposalinity, then at the very least you could still use the tank for other coral related holding. i would just use the strip light that came with it.

although i did use kick ich once, i would not recommend chemicals in the display. i did it at the recommendation of a LFS owner and good friend, but that was before i came to TRT and a couple other forums (but if i want good advise, i stay here).