I have a problem with ich

Drew Palagyi

Drew Palagyi

Member
I just brought home a tang that now shows signs of ich. It is in my first ever saltwater tank. I have a 20gal. that I am setting up for a QT but it is still empty. What do I do? Do I use a natural ich treatment in my display tank? Or do I mix up saltwater and start the QT? I have all the components ordered for the QT (filter, heater, live sand) but they won't be here until Tuesday and then I still have to cycle and get it ready. I can't hypo in my display because of the inverts and feather duster. Any advise would be appreciated. I hate to see anything get sick or die.
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
don't waste your money on ich meds they don't work. You could move your rock and inverts to the 20 and hypo the DT. But you should get the QT up as soon as possible also you really don't need sand in the QT
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
sorry but you seemed to have got your self in a pickle. a qt is not sopposed to have anything live in it. but you do cycle the qt. so you have a tang in a tank with no way to treat it and you haft eventualy do hypo on the dt and its a very long annoying process.
 
Drew Palagyi

Drew Palagyi

Member
So i have a sick fish an empty qt and no real way to treat her. The live rock will not fit in the qt and it and the inverts would probably die when the qt cycled. I'm fighting a loosing battle. So do I just say goodbye to the tang before the whole DT id taken over by ich? Just a thought my wife had....she said put some water from my DT into the QT and put the tang in there and slowly add new water to hypo it. Will that work?
 
Drew Palagyi

Drew Palagyi

Member
Ok Jay then I guess I have no choice but to get the QT up now. I found a post where they used amquil plus to keep the ammonia down. I have to get all the fish in it now or I may loose my expensive investment. I hope that my 5 chromis, 2 clowns, gold headed gobie, and Tang will all survive in the small QT. They are all about an inch in length. I'm going to the pet store to find the amquil plus. I also am praying because I know that helps!
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
9 fish in a 20g is a lot. I think your best bet is to get your rock and inverts out and hypo the DT and your QT won't really cycle at all if you fill it with your live rock
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
I semi agree. However, I would just get a larger qt. Craigslist is a good place to try. Its easier to treat a qt then a display I think.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
mauler said:
don't waste your money on ich meds they don't work.
Click to expand...
mauler, you may want to re-think how this is worded as it is very misleading. I think what you meant to say is that reef-safe meds don't work....and they generally do not work.

Drew, you don't wan't to place live rock nor live sand in a quarantine tank. Below is a picture of my QT and as you can see it is very basic set up that only has fake coral for fish comfort, two pumps and an old eclipse mechanical filter built into the hood.

You want to proceed with hyposalinity which is an excellent ich treatment and it is the best option for setting up a quarantine that will be uncycled. You should have a refractometer for the procedure as it requires precise salinity readings. Below is the link for the procedure. All exposed fish will need to be treated.

Hyposalinity
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/100

Ich
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/101

20L QT
QT.JPG
 
Drew Palagyi

Drew Palagyi

Member
beth said:
mauler, you may want to re-think how this is worded as it is very misleading. I think what you meant to say is that reef-safe meds don't work....and they generally do not work.

Drew, you don't wan't to place live rock nor live sand in a quarantine tank. Below is a picture of my QT and as you can see it is very basic set up that only has fake coral for fish comfort, two pumps and an old eclipse mechanical filter built into the hood.

You want to proceed with hyposalinity which is an excellent ich treatment and it is the best option for setting up a quarantine that will be uncycled. You should have a refractometer for the procedure as it requires precise salinity readings. Below is the link for the procedure. All exposed fish will need to be treated.

Hyposalinity
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/100

Ich
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/101

20L QT
View attachment 328
Click to expand...
I printed out your procedure earlier and have absolutely nothing in the QT except a 3" PVC T for a comfort shelter. I purchased a refractometer when I was setting up my DT. I am a very precise and perfectionist type of guy so I knew I had to have one. I am lowering the salinity about .002 per 4 hours. Does that sound about right? I started at 1.024 and now am at 1.022. Thanks so much for your help. It means so much.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Drew Palagyi said:
I printed out your procedure earlier and have absolutely nothing in the QT except a 3" PVC T for a comfort shelter. I purchased a refractometer when I was setting up my DT. I am a very precise and perfectionist type of guy so I knew I had to have one. I am lowering the salinity about .002 per 4 hours. Does that sound about right? I started at 1.024 and now am at 1.022. Thanks so much for your help. It means so much.
Click to expand...
Use your fish as a guide. During the transition, they should exp. no stress. If they do, then you are going too fast. Keep in mind that you want your fresh water that you are using to change out to be at least 8.0 pH, or as close to the display tank pH as possible.
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
if the qt tank is new it shouldnt mater if live rock goes in ther. i would try to fit as much as you could and do hypo in the dt.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
trigger40 said:
if the qt tank is new it shouldnt mater if live rock goes in ther. i would try to fit as much as you could and do hypo in the dt.
Click to expand...
What makes you say so? The living orgs on live rock die off under hyposalinity. Why pay top dollar for live rock just so it can be dead rock when you're done? Also, die-off from the live rock will contribute greatly to the instability of an already unstable, uncycled QT.
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
i ment put your rock in the qt. ther should be enough of the good stuff on the rock to have minimal die off. and do hypo in the bare DT.
 
Drew Palagyi

Drew Palagyi

Member
Hyposalinity is underway. All fish look very good. Swimming and eating and playing. At first they were clinging to anything to hide but that is to be expected. I shall watch them closely and the Ph also. Thanks for all your help.
 
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