ICK BREAKOUT!!

[DizziDezi2]

They all looked like they rolled around in salt....my bf took the filters out and has been dosing paraguard all day. Ithink the water being cloudy stresses them out more- so we put the filters back in...it went from oh- they have ick to omg overnight. Is there anything more we can do for them? My heniochus and hippo have it the worst- maroon clown seems to be affected only moderatly and the damsels are kicking it. I really dont wnat to lose the two- they are my favs. Could I have stressed tehm out trying to get the shrimp out for the dose?

[gman0526]

i would try to dose them in a separate tank. With the treatment you might be killing your tank's bio filter too and taht would be too much for them to handle.

[DizziDezi2]

But I cant get them out- my tank is too deep with too much rockwork and they get stressed super easy. I dont know what to do.

[Doctor_Reef]

Really sorry to hear about this ICH infestation. One things is for sure the ICH is already stressing your fish and will kill them.... I have been there also and removed the rock and netted the fish out knowing that I needed to get them into a hospital tank if I had any chance of saving them... You can treat the display tank but it will do the tank a lot of damage in most cases.... It sounds like it is to far advanced to just take a non-agresive approach in treatment... Garlic in the food works to help in prevention and help to treat but you need to use one of these methods to treat the ich problem...
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/

Hope it works out for you!! We are pulling for you!!!

[DizziDezi2]

Well Heniochus died... :rip:
but she had it the worst. I do have a small like 5 gallon hex- that needs to be cleaned out super well and perhaps could be used as a treatment tank? I also have a three gallon that is already saltwater with the following inhabitants: three scarlet hermits- three mushrooms and a pink brittle star. I worry about moving them to these smaller tanks bc of the space constraint. The main display tank has the following inhabitants: one maroon clown- one small hippo tang- one purple big damsel- blue damsel- and honey damsel- it also has Karamo the aro crab and two little blood shrimps. How can I if I did move them distrubute them between the two tanks without stressing them too much. And- I dont want the three gallon to get any ick- its too pretty. Any ideas?

[DizziDezi2]

Oh the hex is tall and skinny- a concern for a hospital tank?

[FishinInTheDark]

You really can't treat the ich in your three gallon. The medications will kill the corals and inverts. You're also going to run into issues with ammonia if you put all those fish in the little hex. You might try getting a ten gallon tank from Walmart and using that instead. It's not too expensive to set up an el cheapo hospital tank, and certainly cheaper than replacing the fish. You can leave the inverts in the big tank. When it's void of fish for four to six weeks, the ich will die. Ich won't affect the inverts.

[DizziDezi2]

I have a ten that I was going to set up for my sump. Should I use the same water from the tank? Surley not...new water? And what should I put inthe hospital tank- no substrate but something for them to hide in? And what about the clown's magnafloat? Can the bristles hold ick?

[Doctor_Reef]

Your ten should work fine and water from your tank will be ok... keep an eye on your parameters...I wouldn't use a substrate instead maybe some pvc for the fish to hide in... ICH can't survive without a host... You will need to keep the fish out of your display for 4-6 weeks.... I would go the full 6 weeks to be sure..... We are pulling for you!!!

[DizziDezi2]

Thanks Doctor Reef!

[EXVISOR]

Do you have a uv light?, I do all tangs and there prown to getting ick more so I think then other fish, after a few whip outs I decided to vest the money, was not cheap ,I after hearing and talking to everyone I went with a big unit, i have a 125 but I have about 150 lbs of rock right now so I bought a 25 watt which is good up to 120 gal,
I bought one of those el cheapo turbo twist uv lights at first but there not to great , in fact I would say there a wast of money unless you have like a 20 gal tank
My 25 watt cost about 200.00 but well worth it, I was wondering if I should of went with the 40 watt thinking the 25 would not be strong enough but when my tank went into a recycle do to upgrades the uv would not allow the tank to cycle, kept killing the bacteria so I had to unplug it for a few weeks to cycle so I know its working good

[DizziDezi2]

You thinka UV sterilizer will work for the ick? i've thought abouthat - but I'm in over my head in expenses I really dont have the mula for. does any else have problems wiht ick when you stick your hand in the tank. My baby hippo gets it every time my hand is in there for more then a min. I'm really afraid that if I move her to the hospital tank ( thanks all for the pointers on that) Shell pass...I cant handle another one of my favs going.
SInce the ick is so bad- I'm debating whether or not they have a better chance waiting a day or so until it clears up or moving her in the stressful state shes in. Should I be feeding any while they are in there? I just dont knwo what to do- the calls are hard to make!

[bigfoot]

yes use the 10 g and use water from your main tank!!!!! if you transfer them your going to have to acclimate them to the new water and its going to stress them further use a plain 10 get a cheap hob filter w/o carbon and my ick on my 2 false percs was gone in about 4 hours i use copper safe but i wouldnt use the 10 for anything else then a hospital tank as copper will kill all inverts it leaches into the silicone and youll all ways have trace amounts

[bigfoot]

ive never run a uv sterilizer i quarentine ALL purchases for 18 days inverts included!

[EXVISOR]

It just seems to me , maybe i'm wrong but some fish just are more prown to ick and tangs are one of them ,i never had temp problems-water always tested good but I always seem to get ick and it always was the tangs that got it
At the advise of a member on here I vested the money for a u.v and I have yet to get ick since, the uv may not resolve it if its already there but it will sure prevent it
my tangs would get ick at least once a year if not twice, like I said I never had any drastic temp drops, all is maintained but still would get ick
The local store I have been dealing with which has been there since 1970 who I trust, medicates there tanks once a month even if they dont have ick just to be safe ,now im not sure I would want to do that as the ick will become amuned to the meds down the road over time so a u.v became the solution for me, I have not had ick or anything like it for just over a year now

[bigfoot]

the uv is only gonna catch the ick in its free floating stage it is probably living in you substrate and popping up when conditions are right

[DizziDezi2]

I have deceided to keep the fish in the tank for another day or so- to help things calm down- With Heniochus dying- I think everyone including his best friend hip woudnt survive the move- after a day or two I will move them to the hospital tank and keep them there for at least a month- this is good bc it will give me a chance to rework the rock work- get hte sump running correctly and install the lights at full force. I will let you all konw how it goes Gracias to all!

[bigfoot]

no problem i might make it longer though feed them a very good vitamin loaded food and make sure they have good light if you can while in qt just like us the light is good for them

[BoldAsBrass]

I'm sorry about the ich and the stress it is causing you and your system. Also sorry for your loss.