Help! My 120 gal. aquarium has been invaded by Ich.

[dbales]

I could really use some advice on several issues I have with my 120-gallon aquarium. Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

My basic setup is equipped with a wet/dry filter, ETS skimmer, and a newly installed 40W UV sterilizer plumbed into the tank return lines. Lighting is standard all-glass fluorescent that I am in the process of changing to either metal halides or VHOs. I also added 30 lbs. of live rock recently in starting a transition from the wet/dry to live rock and live sand bed. I have a moderate? bio load (4 tangs, 3 clowns, wrasse, fox face, and a damsel) plus 5 hermits. OK, that’s the big picture, now here is my predicament.

One of the tangs, (Regal blue) has ich and it appears to have spread to some of the other fish. I purchased a quarantine tank (20 gallons) after the fact and would like to know:

1. Should I treat the visibly affected fish in the quarantine tank, change the water in the display tank and hope the UV will kill the rest of the parasites? Or should I put the live rock in the QT and treat the display with Coppersafe? My last option was to put all of the fish in the treated QT with a daily 25% water change and wait the required month for the parasites to die in the display tank.

2. How should I set up the QT tank? I already filled it with salt water (salinity 1.019 at 75 degrees F) and added some crushed coral from the display tank to cover the under-gravel filter in order to introduce bacteria. Will this be detrimental to curing ich by introducing display tank crushed coral into the QT that I am going to treat anyway?

3. Should I build a plenum under the planned sand bed in my display tank, or use a 4” layer of sand only? It seems that a viable live sand bed requires some serious nutrients according to an article I read. Also, what type of sand would be the most beneficial?

Any other suggestions for this newbie would be welcomed.

Thanks for your time!

Phishkopf

 

[jmeader]

Do yourself a favor and NEVER treat your display tank with copper, not even Coppersafe. Treat badly infected fish in the QT tank. get a cleaner shrimp and UV sterilizer for the display tank and try using garlic. I think 6 inches of sand is better than 4. Less easily upset by sand stirrers.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with using garlic and cleaner shrimps. I also agree that you should quarantine and use any non-reef safe meds in a seperate tank.

 

[Bomber]

Also, contact the manufacturer of your UV and get the exact flow rates for killing parasites and be sure your pump isn't exceeding that amount. Without the proper dwell time, you're killing nothing.

HTH
Jerel

 

[Anonymous]

Whoa! Jerel! Howdy!

 

[Bomber]

Hey Big K

 

[One Stoned Coral]

What is the temperature in your tank? I have been lucky and just raised my temp to control the ich. If i notice a problem i have just raised my tank to 80-84. this has worked for me and not haveing to use any chemicals.

 

[benneb1897201vw]

I've also been told to lower salinity, haven't tried it, because I haven't had an encounter with Ich. On the same note, my best friend has had 2 Regals both get infected with ICH, at different times, and both ended up dying. I've been told they are prone to it for whatever reason.

Ben

 

[sparks]

Do as I did. When your tank gets over this, Don't
buy another Regal there a ICH MAGNET. In the past i've had them in a copper tank for up to 20 days only to have them stress out again with ich in the main tank once more. Try a Yellow Tang

, they seem much less prone to white spot. I run a UV after an out break, it seems to help. Like Bomber said be sure your UV contact time is right, and leave it in the tank for 2 or 3 weeks at least. I've had a Cleaner Shrimp in my tank for 2 years and he's a real loaner

, a fish can't get near him. Had no luck with a Cleaner Wrasse either, there hard to feed. Good Luck!

 

[mweber]

Feed frozen brocolii it is amazing for boosing the natural immune system

 

[ToddinAtl]

I wouldn't consider my self an expert on any of this hobby. I can state what I've observed in my situation. Agreed: Regal Tang=ick magnet. That being said, I've had an ick problem for about 2 months now. 8 fish have never shown signs and only the Regal continually has had the ick. I tried the garlic treatment, didn't help at all. I bought some medicated flakes by Tetra, ick started to receed but by the end of treatment came back. Now I'm using the medicated flakes and a product by Ruby Reef...Kick-Ick...I'm on day #14 with this treatment. The Regal looks better now than he has for 2 months. I've not noticed any damage to the corals in the tank. I believe this is the cure I've been looking for. After reading a previous post, I did raise my temp to 83 from 80. I hope this helps..
Todd

[ November 26, 2001: Message edited by: ToddinAtl ]</p>

 

[Bomber]

Todd,
Raising the temp will work just fine if you're using proactive treatments (copper, formalin, etc) that attack the parasite in a certain life cycle. Point being the faster you speed up that life cycle to get to the stage where it can be killed, the faster you get rid of it. Especially when you are working with copper which is hard to keep stable.
I have a feeling that Kick-Ick might not work this way and it would benefit you to lower the temp giving the product more time to work.
Guessing since I have never heard of Kick-Ick containing any copper, formalin, M green,etc.
Jerel

 

[Plato1]

My tank had an ich outbreak just as soon as I bought my blue regal. I was pissed because it started to spread to my purple tang and was scared every fish would die. I'll tell you how I fixed my problem, and all my fish are alive and well.

First, go to the grocery store and buy garlic juice (mine is made by McCormick). EVERY time you feed, you need to take a dropper (pipette) and put a few drops of the juice on the flakes, or frozen brine shrimp. Let the juice stay on the food long enough to either: 1) completely soak the flakes until they look like mush or 2) until the frozen brine cube has thawed. Then feed the fish and they will eat it.

Second, get a cleaner shrimp or two.

Third, make sure all water parameters are in good standing, as you don't want any unwanted stress on the fishes due to bad water conditions.

Lastly, NEVER add any copper to invertebrate tanks or you'll kiss them goodbye.

This process will take a while to cure, but now I just soak my food in garlic all the time just to keep the ich at bay!

By the way, there is no better feeling than saving fish that you thought would probably die.

Hope this helps.

Stephen

 

[Plato1]

My tank had an ich outbreak just as soon as I bought my blue regal. I was pissed because it started to spread to my purple tang and was scared every fish would die. I'll tell you how I fixed my problem, and all my fish are alive and well.

First, go to the grocery store and buy garlic juice (mine is made by McCormick). EVERY time you feed, you need to take a dropper (pipette) and put a few drops of the juice on the flakes, or frozen brine shrimp. Let the juice stay on the food long enough to either: 1) completely soak the flakes until they look like mush or 2) until the frozen brine cube has thawed. Then feed the fish and they will eat it.

Second, get a cleaner shrimp or two.

Third, make sure all water parameters are in good standing, as you don't want any unwanted stress on the fishes due to bad water conditions.

Lastly, NEVER add any copper to invertebrate tanks or you'll kiss them goodbye.

This process will take a while to cure, but now I just soak my food in garlic all the time just to keep the ich at bay!

By the way, there is no better feeling than saving fish that you thought would probably die.

Hope this helps.

Stephen