Ich Outbreak advice! Please help!

[hallzy]

I have a blue hippo that just recently developed ich. It appears the only other fish that it has affected so far was my cowfish (figures, my 2 favorite and most expensive fish). I plan on doing a freshwater dip on them today, but my QT tank has only been set up for 1 week now. (good thing I set it up last week!) Is that long enough to at least get those 2 out before anyone else gets infected?
I know most people would say to get the rest of my fish out of the main tank too, but I'm worried about putting that many fish all together in a 10 gallon tank! Besides the 2 that are infected, I have 3 firefish, and 2 clowns. Also, my shrimp, starfish, and anemone are ok to stay in my main tank because they arnt able to get ich, right? Someone please help! I'm starting my freshwater dip as soon as I get some info on this! Thanks!

 

[flower]

I am sure someone will chime in soon, the only thing I do know for sure is that if one fish is infected it already has infected every fish in the tank.
So you will have to treat them all. Can you move the inverts and anemone into the QT if it is already set up long enough? (wait for another’s opinion on this)
I don't think a freshwater dip will do...you will have to do hypo salinity, so read up and be prepared.
Please don't do anything until you hear from the experts. This will just give you an idea of what may be necessary.
This too shall pass, hang in there.

 

[hallzy]

Thank you for the input! I plan on doing hypo, and I have been reading up on it.
I still want to do a freshwater dip too because he got pretty bad just overnight and he is covered pretty good, so I wanna get as much of it off as possible before sticking him in that tank.
I have another question for this process though. From what I've been reading, you should have no sand or live rock in the tank if you plan on medicating. Is it going to be ok if I leave just enough sand on the bottom to cover it up just enough to not leave a reflection? And I have no rock in there now, but is it ok to put a piece in there for now just long enough for me to get to the hardware store and get some pieces of PVC pipe for them to hide in?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by hallzy
http:///forum/post/3010074
Thank you for the input! I plan on doing hypo, and I have been reading up on it.
I still want to do a freshwater dip too because he got pretty bad just overnight and he is covered pretty good, so I wanna get as much of it off as possible before sticking him in that tank.
I have another question for this process though. From what I've been reading, you should have no sand or live rock in the tank if you plan on medicating. Is it going to be ok if I leave just enough sand on the bottom to cover it up just enough to not leave a reflection? And I have no rock in there now, but is it ok to put a piece in there for now just long enough for me to get to the hardware store and get some pieces of PVC pipe for them to hide in?
I am afraid this is the kind of question a more experienced person would have to answer. If this post gets too far down on the list and nobody else has piped in...
just post BUMP and it will make your post go back up to the top. So someone will see it. I wish I could be more help.

 

[hallzy]

How do I post BUMP, just reply and write bump?

 

[hazzyeyed80]

I would utilize one of the kent marine products that will balance out the tank. I recently had an issue with my coral beauty having ich. I was soo pissed because i've had my other fish for over 3 years with no problems. I couldn't catch him because of the reef factor...i went online and found that many people have taken a much more "green" approach to the ich issue...STRAIGHT GARLIC!! I couldn't believe it..so i chopped up about 2 cloves of garlic very fine, and put it in the water..everyone loved it. I did it for 2 days and BAM gone. Try it out and see what happens. It can't hurt.
If not then you will have to transfer to the iso tank, keep lighting to a minimum, make a place for hiding too. Most people just stick it in a tank, but having a hiding place is important in my experience so that they feel safe. If they dont'...its only more stress.
good luck

 

[hallzy]

Thanks for the info! If my clowns or firefish start to catch it, I will try the garlic before I put them in the QT tank too, because I dont want to cram too many fish in a 10 gallon tank if I dont have to!
Just an update on the hippo, the fresh water dip was a success and she was able to stay in for the whole 10 minutes because it went well. She is in the QT tank right now. I'm headed out to the store to get a better heater, because the one that is in there isnt adjustable so its not getting any hotter than 74, which is good considering thats about what my main tank is at, but it needs to be higher to help finish off the ich.
Shes acting like I expected her to in the QT tank. Shes just pressing herself against the glass. I just got back form the hardware store and got some PVC pipe for her to hide in. I will keep everyone updated! Getting ready to dip the cowfish next! Wish me luck!

 

[prime311]

You can use one of the reef safe ich medications like the one made by kent marine. This won't get rid of ich, only reduce the number of parasites so hopefully your fish can fight it off on their own. You'll never be totally free of ich until you hypo/copper all your fish and leave the dt empty of fish for 6 weeks. IIRC garlic is to help bacterial infections and does nothing for the actual ich parasite.
You may want to wait on the cowfish, they release toxins when stressed and I'm not sure they can be fw dipped safely.

 

[hallzy]

Originally Posted by prime311
http:///forum/post/3010262
You may want to wait on the cowfish, they release toxins when stressed and I'm not sure they can be fw dipped safely.
Yeah, I thought long and hard before I did it and I decided against it and just moved him to the QT tank. It is medicated with copper, and I will be doing hypo on it, so hopefully everybody will be ok.
Ill keep this updated!