Help! Ick issues!!!

[jabari]

I had a ich issue a little while back..i noticed that i had some Rid ich so i added it...thinking i had gill flukes a couple weeks later i added paraguard but i think i was too late and my wrasse died...After a few weeks without fish i decided to start by adding a couple small occilarus clowns and a small trigger. Before hand the lfs guy told me he saw some spots on the clowns and to give him a couple days, then come back and get them. So i came back a few days later and got two. Yesterday i noticed a few small whilte dots on my clown..Today it has gotten worse!

So my question is..is the ick from my tank "Still" present or is it more likely that the clowns weren't treated and retintroduced the ick into my tank? Either or they are at the early stages as of now ..Does Rid ick "work" and if so/not can i add some of my Paraguard tomorrow or should i stick with the Rid ick ..."if it does work"?????

 

[jackri]

You probably still had ich and you brought in sick fish as well. Just because the spots disappeared a few days later by no way means a healthy or parasite free fish.
IMO rid ich is a snake oil. A QT tank treated with copper or put into hypo are your best bets for beating ich.
Go to the disease section and read Beth's thread.

 

[florida joe]

Just because the spots disappeared a few days later by no way means a healthy or parasite free fish.
It actually means there is a greater probability that this is an ick infestation in the tank

 

[srfisher17]

I agree with both of the 2 posts above and would never buy anything from a lfs that sold you the clowns after the spots disappeared for a couple of days. The guy is an idiot or, worse, knowingly selling sick fish. You really need to read up on the life cycle of this parasite; it is vital for success in this wonderful hobby.

 

[seamandrew]

I've just discovered ich on my 5 fish today. First time in my 16 years in the hobby I have gotten ich!!! So frustrating!!! Worst of all, it's in my display tank (a biocube). I ordered Rid-Ich and another non-copper/non-malachite green treatment (No-ICH Marine by FishVet) which should arrive on Monday or Tuesday. Since it's my display tank and I have all sorts of coral and inverts in there, I am hoping the latter of the two does the trick as that company's red-slime algae treatment was the treatment that finally killed off my red-slime. I certainly want to save my fish and eliminate the parasite in my aquarium.. I hope the UV sterilizer helps control the outbreak of free floating critters.

 

[tang4me]

Originally Posted by seamandrew
http:///forum/post/3215999
I've just discovered ich on my 5 fish today. First time in my 16 years in the hobby I have gotten ich!!! So frustrating!!! Worst of all, it's in my display tank (a biocube). I ordered Rid-Ich and another non-copper/non-malachite green treatment (No-ICH Marine by FishVet) which should arrive on Monday or Tuesday. Since it's my display tank and I have all sorts of coral and inverts in there, I am hoping the latter of the two does the trick as that company's red-slime algae treatment was the treatment that finally killed off my red-slime. I certainly want to save my fish and eliminate the parasite in my aquarium.. I hope the UV sterilizer helps control the outbreak of free floating critters.
You may want to think about adding a neon goby. I had an outbreak of black ich on a new fish purchase. I added a neon and he went right to work cleaning. It was amazing to watch him eat the spots. He tries to clean all my fish daily. He is a real worker. I haven't seen any ich since. He also eats flake,mysis.

 

[seamandrew]

Hmm, interesting idea, thanks Tang4me!

 

[noah's nemo]

Unfortunatley ,he is not eating ICK,but the dead skin around.If ick is in your DT it will always be,unless you Hypo,copper or fallow.

 

[seamandrew]

Thanks for the tip Noah! I can't copper because it's a mini-reef display...
I'm trying No-Ich Marine by FishVet as their redslime algae remover was the only thing to help my tank when that happened.. Well that and the more robust water changes. I ordered Rid-Ich (from Kordon) as well just in case. What do you mean by Hypo and Fallow?

 

[noah's nemo]

Most meds,well probably all meds,are just cover ups.Hyposalinity,is slowly lowering salt levels in your tank,ick can't survive it,neither can any inverts in your tank.Fallow ,is removing all fish from DT,inverts can stay(they don't get ick) .The ick will die without a host fish in 6-8 weeks(i'd do 8).The fish still need trearment in a QT.I'd do hypo. Good luck,ick is a PITA,and must be killed off!

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Noah's Nemo
http:///forum/post/3216095
Unfortunatley ,he is not eating ICK,but the dead skin around.If ick is in your DT it will always be,unless you Hypo,copper or fallow.
Yeah, this is a big misconception. I also agree that copper or hypo are the only real cures. UV may help a little, but it cannot prevent or cure ich. The ONLY way to prevent ich (long-term) is to QT EVERYTHING. A basic QT is the best investment you can make, IMO.

 

[noah's nemo]

No Doubt!

 

[hunt]

try kents marine garlic juice when you feed your fish. That works when i get ick in my tank.

 

[seamandrew]

Hunt, what exactly is the garlic juice for? To get the fish to eat more?

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Hunt
http:///forum/post/3216386
try kents marine garlic juice when you feed your fish. That works when i get ick in my tank.
If you really do have ich in your tank; what would happen if something really stressful happened? Power loss and high/low temps; a hidden fish died, creating an ammonia spike, etc. The best immune system is going to be challenged by the stress. IMO & IME; if any form of the ich parasite is present in a tank; sooner or later it will explode into an infestation and garlic isn't going to cure that. There is a lot of support for garlic as a immune booster, but it sure doesn't cure ich. Are you sure that's what you have?

 

[noah's nemo]

i don't get the whole garlic thing.I mean ,if you are doing all the right steps and QTing is there still a need to add garlic?And why do people think it has some kind of miracle powers?Is it really needed?I did notice my seaweed selects have it added

 

[seamandrew]

I definitely have Ich, but have not considered adding garlic. Going to try the no-ich marine by FishVet once it arrives.

 

[noah's nemo]

Your not going to like what i say here,but its not going to work.It may cover it up and make you feel better for a few weeks,but ick will not die that way.Please consider what has been mentioned already,ITS THE ONLY WAY!

,
Hey seamandrew,i just realized your not even the OP, kinda funny....anyway, take this advice please.

 

[seamandrew]

Noah, what's an OP? Wait I think I got it.. Original Poster right?
On a separate note, I don't have the option to restart a QT at the moment. All my extra funds are going to help my mom's cancer care. She lost her insurance last year because she reached the maximum, so we're struggling to make payments. At the moment, I only have my biocube going..
My 55 and 29 gallon tanks have been in storage since I moved.
I know it's silly, but when I started the Biocube, it was to give a home to the one remaining fish I had in the 55 gallon after a red-slime algae outbreak. My royal dottyback. Since then, I started adding to the tank and got into the biocube and now have a mini-reef with multiple types of corals and 5 small fish, and lots of inverts (crab, hermit crabs, snails, worms). Stupid to not set-up the QT tank again, I know.
I'm just trying my best to save my fish, corals, and invertebrates.
Oooh FedEx just got hear.. must be the neon goby I ordered from SWF.com! Sweet!!! That's step one right!

 

[noah's nemo]

OP=The original post maker....or poster.
Well,that sucks.IMO ,you need to get just the fish out, and just let the tank run as normal for 8 weeks till ick dies.What kind of fish are they?They will need hypo,someway .somehow.maybe a 10 gallon rubbermaid tub or something.I wish i could say ,oh yeah rid-ick,no-ick,ick-go away,or whatever will work,but...... it won't.Good luck..
Well......read post 8 and 11.