How to net fish with ich in a well rooted reef tank.

[locnload]

I have a 40 gal reef tank with lots of live rock and many different corals and also with 2 perc clowns, 1 damsel and 1 bi-color blenny. I suspect a change in water temp during the nights has stress the fish and they all have developed ich. I really am fond of my fish and would like to save them. So I had set up a hospital tank and was planning on doing hypo saline. Then I tried to catch the fish, and after about an hour I had to choose between saving my fish from a nasty death by ich or ripping my reef apart and endangering my corals. I know this is going to sound really cold hearted but my corals cost much more then my fish. Not to mention the live rock is positioned exactly like how I want it and I know if I rip it apart to get to the fish I'll never get it repositioned.
So I'm afraid my fish will die an uncomfortable death because I am chosing the reef over them.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can save them? Anyone have any tricks on how to catch the fish?
These are dark days at my house as the death watch continues for my poor fish.
P.S: I am feeding them garlic soaked food at ever meal.
Thanks all for the input.

 

[92protruck]

I think everybody goes through this sooner or later. Trust me, taking apart the reef won't be that bad and you will be relieved when you get the fish out. I had to do it on a 72 with 100 lbs of LR and 26 corals and it went back together nearly perfect. Get 1 or 2 25 gal rubbermaid bins and siphon about 1/2 the water out into the bins. I took the upper pieces of rock/coral and put them in 1 bin laid out just like they were in the tank. The next row went in the 2nd bin again positioned like I had them in the tank. I was able to keep my big foundation rocks in the tank. Net the fish out. Move all the rocks/corals back into the tank in reverse order. Return the water to the tank or use new. This part only took me about an hour. I spent another 2 hours fiddling with the rocks turning and fitting them together like I had them. A "before" picture would help. It should not be nearly as difficult or time consuming in a smaller tank. I also had to do it without power (Hurricane Katrina). I dreaded it just like you are. Afterwards, I said to myself well...that's just part of it might as well get used to it and that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought! Save those fishies!

 

[cmiles]

The Best Money Yspent On My Tank So Far Was Cleaner Shrimp For The Fish, They Will Work Wonders.

 

[mbh27513]

I was able to remove my Damsels for a completely different reason with my homemade fishtrap. I made one using an old 2 liter clear soda bottle. Found the instructions on the web. Baited it with some frozen brine shrimp chunks and was patient.

 

[locnload]

Thanks for the replies...I'll try the fish trap idea. If you have links on how-to build please forward them my way.
I still have second thoughts about taking my reef apart because some of the mushrooms are attached to 2 or more rocks. Well anyhow, I'm going back and forth. I'll try the fish trap idea first then if that doesn't work I'll think about taking the reef apart again.