Ich again while under HYPO

[unleashed]

do not treat your display with copper unless you intend on never introducing inverts to it again this will also kill off the micro creatures in your substrate stars etc.. are the fish still eating well? if so start supplementing tank with selcon and garlic extreme also feed thera+A pellets by spectrum(antiparesitic formula ).. I found the best treatment for ich is to boost feedings for the fish this will boost immune system of the fish to help ward off infestations and prevent further infestations.. SWF.com sells all of these items.. if you insist on treating main tank I suggest a reef save treatment its not as effective as copper is but it wont kill everything in your tank.. but diet really is the key to keeping this from being an issue in the future..may hobbyist swear by hypo I'm not one of them..its stressful to these fish in a already weakened state.. if you already have him in qt raise th sg slowly.. add some melafix(to reduce stress) then feed 4-5 times daily(small amounts) if they are sill eating for you now..be sure to avoid foods such as brine or just seaweed sheets as these do not contain the proper nutrients to boost his natural defenses.. you can however add garlic extreme and selcon directly to the tank to help if they are not eating.
this is the ritual i have always used for my fish for the past 8 yrs ..with great success..I did however use couprimine in my aggressive tank and did kill all life except the fish...hope this helps.. no offense to those that agree with hypo.. this is just MHO

 

[steelytom]

you could just buy some cheap plastic bins (rubbermades) and set them up as a QT to run copper.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by cjqsmom
http:///forum/post/2817999
Sep,
I finally found some Methylene blue today can you give me exact instructions on how to use it. Also do I do one fish at a time or all at once?
Should I just wait it out longer and see if the ich will go away or should I treat with copper? I do not want to treat with copper if there is an alternative.
There should be directions on the bottle. This medication leaves much room for error. I add slightly less than the directions say to. Being that you have a tang, put them into the bath separately. You don't want him to freak out and slice one of your other fish. Ich does not just go away. They need treatment. You cannot use copper in the display nor in an uncycled tank. You can highly dose their food with fresh garlic and vitamins. That will boost their immune system so they can fight off the parasites. It will buy you some time while you cycle a tank to treat them with copper.

 

[mantisman51]

I have read this with interest over the last week and if I may I have a few observations:
1) I, too, have maintained 1.0009 exactly-using a brand new and calibrated refractometer. and I too in the second week had ich reappear-but only on my puffer. The Yellow Tang and others had absolutely no sign of ich-even with a magnifying glass.
2)I used Coppersafe, added to the hypo and 7 days later, there is no sign of ich AND the color has returned to normal on my lined puffer and he is eating well and very active. He had been hiding and very sluggish after the ich reappeared.
3)I keep a brackish tank, for a figure 8 puffer, and sg is supposed to be 1.0008-1.0012. I have kept and studied brackish set ups for a little over 5 years and have NEVER read that copper meds are toxic at these levels. Quite the opposite, copper is frequently used for brackish systems. I have little love for copper, but being toxic at brackish sg levels is a concept I've never heard before. Could you elaborate?

 

[mantisman51]

I know I can't link it, but several sites, including other puffer forums have instructions on using copper meds in brackish systems. I haven't found one article that discourages it, just the normal warnings to use caution and limit the use. If someone here knows something I haven't found, please enlighten me.

 

[cjqsmom]

All fish are still eating like champs I have been adding selcon and garlic extreme to food. They still get there algae sheets. I switch between green, red, green veggie sheets dont know if there is a difference tho.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/2818489
I have read this with interest over the last week and if I may I have a few observations:
1) I, too, have maintained 1.0009 exactly-using a brand new and calibrated refractometer. and I too in the second week had ich reappear-but only on my puffer. The Yellow Tang and others had absolutely no sign of ich-even with a magnifying glass.
2)I used Coppersafe, added to the hypo and 7 days later, there is no sign of ich AND the color has returned to normal on my lined puffer and he is eating well and very active. He had been hiding and very sluggish after the ich reappeared.
3)I keep a brackish tank, for a figure 8 puffer, and sg is supposed to be 1.0008-1.0012. I have kept and studied brackish set ups for a little over 5 years and have NEVER read that copper meds are toxic at these levels. Quite the opposite, copper is frequently used for brackish systems. I have little love for copper, but being toxic at brackish sg levels is a concept I've never heard before. Could you elaborate?

You are dealing with brackish fish. They live in fresh water as juveniles then go in and out of brackish water during various times of their life. This is marine fish that we are talking about here. Marine fish can only live in hyposalinity for up to eight weeks, depending on the fish, before they start to stress. Hyposalinity gives them a good kidney cleansing but can be harmful to the kidneys if left at those levels for too long. Copper is unstable in saltwater. It effects the kidneys of the fish. Copper is effective at full salt level because it is only a three-four week treatment. You cannot combine the two because a salt fish cannot take the impact of both on their organs. One or the other is fine, but not both.

 

[cjqsmom]

Ok My fish are looking better my hippo has very few ich on her but the purples still have alittle on them. I have left them in hypo and have done nothing else. Should I just keep them in hypo till all signs are gone then start the 3 weeks from there or should I raise the salinity wait 2 weeks then lower it again and start hypo over? During all this my maroon gold stripe has not had a single ich on it. Which I think is strange.
I just read Sep's post about they can only survive hypo for 8 weeks and right now I am in week #3 almost 4 It will be 4 weeks on Monday.

 

[sepulatian]

It isn't strange that the maroon isn't showing signs of ich. They have a thicker slime coat and, if healthy, are not as susceptible as tangs. The fish won't necessarily die in hypo at eight weeks. Many fish, hippos in particular, show stress around the 6-8 week mark. The stress indicators include lymphocystis, HLLE, blotchy faded spots, and loss of appetite. This can be moderate to severe or not at all. It depends on the fish. Keep their immune system up by feeding nutritious foods and soaking all foods in a rotation of Vitachem and Zoecon. Being that you do not have a place to do copper treatment, you may as well continue with the hypo. Watch your fish for stress.

 

[cjqsmom]

Can the fish be getting too much garlic and selcon?
Watching my fish today I have noticed there bowel movements are really "watery" No solid at all just dark water with seaweed pieces.
I am adding 1.0 ml (full eye dropper) of selcon everymoring to the food along with 1/2 dropper full of garlic extreme.

 

[sepulatian]

It is possible. You may want to add a little less at a time. The food should not be drowning in it. A few drops of each is enough.