ICH... any study to create a med based cure???

miamireefr

miamireefr

Member
I am just curious since this is the most common sickness I see among this hobby and affects everyone at least once....
Does anyone who is really in tune with this hobby know of such a thing?
I truly hate to think that one of the most biggest killers in this hobby hasn't been the focus of some corporation to create test and prove that they have a med that really works.
QT being the right thing to do before an introduction of a new fish does not fit into everyones budget, and it's not a financial budget but a space budget...
Sorry bout the rant but I would of figured a permananent fix would of come about by now, after years and years of ich destroying tanks inhabitants.
BAH,
Nick
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Copper works very effectively, but you can not use it in the display tank. There are several medications that are labeled "reef safe", that are not reliable for effectiveness, and, as Steve Pro's article on these medications documents, they seem to not be all that "reef safe" after-all.
Being in this hobby requires planning. It is wise to work in a QT into your plan to keep fish tanks. Many styles of fish tanks nowadays can accommodate 2 tanks, taking up the same amt of living space. In my book, unless the only space you have is for a cube style tank, space is not really a factor for not setting up a QT. Even temporary QTs are an obtion if space is really an issue.
 
S

stevenpro

Guest
A lot of research money has been poured into aquaculture as that is where the real money is in comparison to aquariums. They have come up with three proven treatmetns: copper, hyposalinity, and tank transfer. None of which works on a reef aquarium display.
 
murph

murph

Active Member
I believe a few corporations have done quite a bit of research into this subject. Unfourtantly I also believe that most of the "research" money was spent in the marketing and advertising departments finding ways to convince hobbyist that the various reef safe cures actually work on a tank wide level, which they don't.
Basically there is a couple of tried and true solutions to parasite infestation. Copper and hypo. Both require more effort on the hobbyist part than most casual tank owners are willing to put forth hence the never ending parade of reef safe, one step, plug and play cures that simply cant work given the various life cycle stages of the parasite.
You made mention of the key factor in all of this. A QT tank. Given the length of a fish less cycle every new tank should be parasite free. Finding room for a 10 gallon QT should not be a problem for even apartment dwelling hobbyist like myself and if the parasite is not introduced inadvertently through inadequate QT procedure or no QT at all there should not be problems in the DT.
 
miamireefr

miamireefr

Member
steven....sorry I didn't specify that in my initial post but thats what I meant to be specific about. A reef tank, not a fish only or fowlr, which yes are much easier to treat with copper or hypo. I guess as you said a QT is a persons best bet. I was just curious to see if there was any effort to produce a med based cure that really works 100% of the time. Shame..
Nick
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
i am in the middle of planning a thesis project with my professor who has done work with freshwater ich testing the effectiveness of that same medicine on cryptocaryon....the medicine is one that you put in the main tank and should be able to use once to cure...the chemical is non toxic and safe for inverts even though most say ich is an invert. it in an extent is but it is a single cell protazoan anyway the chemical is photoactive and should be added in the dark and once the lights are on the ICK cells that have taken up this chemical in the water burst once the light is turned on...it is less harmful to your fish and other inverts...the main problem i am having getting the project started is i dont have a constant supply of ich or fish to keep the parasite growing long enough for me to conduct the study...anyway once i get it up and running i will keep you all updated
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
Originally Posted by xDave
When used properly, for the proper length of time, copper is effective.
but leathal to your snails and crabs
 
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