Ich for first time.

[limak]

I've noticed white specs on the fins of my Queen Angel and Harlequin tusk. Dipped the the Tusk and placed him in 33g refugium for monitoring. I also dipped the Angel but due to space constraints had to place him back in the main tank. Both lost the white specs on their fins but, from what I've read, I don't think I'm out of the woods just yet.
The tank is a 180 g with two other fish a Naso and black volitan, neither displaying any signs of disease. All my fish were quarantined for three weeks in the refugium. The refugium can be detached from the main tank and has a fluval filter running on it. Nitrates 0-5ppm, nitrites and ammonia 0, spec gravity 1.025.
I'm really pissed this happened. What should I do now? Frankly, I am looking for the easiest treatment to administer.

 

[beth]

What type of tank do you have?
The only viable treatments for ich is hyposalinity and copper. Hyposalinity being the better choice due to it not being toxic.
You can treat with hypo as long as your tank is FO--meaning no LR, LS, inverts. Otherwise, the fish will have to go in to a QT for the treatment.
Sorry to hear of this bad luck, especially after you QTed. Can I ask if your refugium has a light on it while you QTed the fish?

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

I am not disagreeing with you Beth - that would be foolish, but soaking your fish food in Garlic will help.
Tomites (the free swimming Ich parasites) can live without a fish host for more than 30 days. So even thought the spots are gone, your main tank probably is still infected. Do a 25% water change and soak your fish food with Garlic.
Allicin, or Diallyl thiosulfinate, is the primary active ingredient in garlic. Allicin is naturally produced when garlic is damaged or crushed as the all around defense of the garlic plant to invading organisms. It is an effective antibiotic (kills bacteria and parasitic protozoa as well as possessing considerable anti-fungal properties) with an application of use as good as penicillin's, only not as potent.
Allicin has a great ability to penetrate living tissue (which is why it's hard to get the smell off your skin after touching it). This ability makes it extremely effective at getting to, and into, the invading parasite and making use of its antibiotic properties. Allicin has also been shown to suppress the damage inflicted by the Trophonts.
You must soak your fish food in garlic for at least 90 days - 60 days after the last time you see those little white spots to make sure your out of the woods.

 

[limak]

During quarantine there were no lights on the refugium.
I forgot to mention I have a bta and couple of corals in the tank as well as live rock.
If I move the invetebrates into the refugium, could I hypo the main tank? How would I go about doing this?
Would it be foolhardy to just feed garlic and hope the ich is kept at bay?
Thanks for your help.