Ich and Live Rock

[acrylic300]

I was wondering if there is any chance of Ich dissapearing on its own. I just bought 3 fish and made the mistake of putting them in my large tank of live rock. Later I noticed very mild Ich areas on the fin areas. These are the only three fish I have in a 300 gal tank. If the water quality is good will the Ich go away? Amonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 20 ppm. The fish are 2 Yellow Tangs and a Flame Angel. There is no way to catch them because the largest base rock is 70 + lbs and full of hiding places. I have lots of Invertibrates including a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp.

 

[thegrog]

What you have to do is let the tank fallow out. The ich will die out after 4-6 weeks without any fish hosts. Try getting a fish trap for your angel and get him to a QT tank. I have caught angels and tangs this way before without moving any rock.
The inverts are not affected by ich so leave them in the tank.
Whatever you do....do NOT medicate the tank!!! I don't care what any bottles say, there is no such thing as a reef-safe ich treatment. Many will argue with me on this, but the rocks and sand will absorb the medication and it will be there forever. Inverts will also absorb it into their bodies and eventually this will kill them.
Just get the fish out, do your regular water changes, and after 6 weeks, slowly add fish back in......after a 4-6 week quarantine period of course!!!

 

[acrylic300]

Assuming I find a way to get them out. Would it be ok to use a 10 gal that is currently freshwater? Drain it and add water from the allready cycled salt tank?
Any Ideas on a DIY Fish Trap?
Has anyone seen Ich go away on its own?
Would it help to blind the tank? Feed Garlic?

 

[thegrog]

A 10-gal works great for a QT tank. For two tangs though, go with a 20 as they will want more room. They are relatively cheap.
To set it up, no need to cycle it. Here is how to set up a quick QT tank:
1. ALWAYS give the tank a good rinse out with fresh water. I also use a clean sponge and some salt mix (abrasive action) to give it a good scrub out.
2. Tape paper on the bottom and 2 or 3 sides. This prevents the fish from feeling like they are constantly in mid-water with no bottom. Will stress them out less.
3. Fill with salt water. Water from your tank will work as it is already aged.
4. Put in the heater
5. Get a small sponge filter. They attach to an air pump. Cost like $10
6. Get a HOT filter. I use Whisper filters. Cheap, easy to find, and the media bags are cheap as well. I use the ones with the bio-sponge. I use a Whisper 30 for my QT tank. That way it uses the same size filters/sponge as my main tank. Then I take the sponge from my main tank and use it in the QT tank. Instant biofiltration. Just don't put the QT filter back into the main tank. Don't run carbon if using medications. Then put in carbon to remove the medications when done treating.
7. Put some PVC and a plastic plant or two in the tank for structure for the fish to hide in. No bottom substrate.
Do a 10% water change with freshly mixed water (your main tank is contaminated after all) every other day for the first 2 weeks until your sponges get a good innoculation. You may even consider putting a sponge filter into your main tank for a few days to give it a good innoculation of bacteria. After the first 2 weeks, you can go to every 4-5 days. Monitor your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels!! Mix up a 5-gal bucket of water and put an airstone in it to use for your change water.
With Ich, you shouldn't use copper based meds on tangs. The copper kills the bacteria in their gut and hurts them in the long run as they can't digest algae as well.
Blinding the tank does nothing. Garlic has no place in a tank IMO. How many marine fishes )outside of Italy) have you seen munching on garlic???
HOpe this helps!

 

[thegrog]

Here is a pic of the fish trap that I use. SWF has one as well, don't know what it looks like. Mine you simply put it in the tank, chase the fish around until they swim into it, and shut the door.

 

[beth]

LOL.....some reef tanks would never be able to accommodate it.

 

[beth]

Originally Posted by acrylic300
I was wondering if there is any chance of Ich dissapearing on its own. .
Not much of a chance but try heavy garlic feedings 3x a day with real garlic soaked food using fresh garlic.
If you don't have a reef, you may be able to do hyposalinity if it becomes necessary.

 

[acrylic300]

Thanks everyone, Last night when I got home my cleaner shrimp had come out of hiding (just molted).
I gradually turned the lights on to see the damage and the Ich was picked clean off all the fish.
I know the Ich is still in the tank, but iv'e decided that with 300 gal. and only 6 inches of fish the odds are better to just leave the fish alone and feed a little garlic. They seem happy and healthy and are making frequent stops (even fighting over) the Cleaner Shrimp.
In the past I have doctered fish to death.
Iv'e heard people say that Cleaner Shrimp randomly hit and miss and are mainly looking for dead skin. I too believed that , but now I don't know they look REAL clean.
Thx, I will QT from this day on.

 

[beth]

Keep up the garlic feeding, using freshly minced garlic, for a month...and keep your fins crossed.