Ich Question??

canadiandude

canadiandude

Member
I had my fish in hypo for 22 days. I About 2 weeks ago I moved them into my display tank and last week they started showing signs of ich again. I used a large glass hydrometer to ensure the salinity was at 1.009 and did regular water changes and frequently tested the water. I left my inverts in the display tank while the fish were in hypo. My question is: Is there any chance the inverts can carry ich, or can the ich survive on the inverts while there is no fish in the tank? For inverts I have snails, hermits, a long tentacle anemone, tube worm, and a couple of condy anemonies.
Also, the 21 days the fish are to be in hypo, does that include the 2 days it takes to drop the salinity and raise it again, or is it minimum 21 days in water with a salinity of 1.009?
Thanks in advance for the replies.
Chris
 
T

thomas712

Guest
No inverts do not carry ick. 22 days was not long enough. How did you reacclimate them to the tank?
Thomas
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Here is the procedure for hyposalinity. Also, the glass hydrometer, though better than the swing arm, is not always accurate. Refractometer is needed, and it can be used generally and not just for hypo.
O.S.T. stands for Osmotic Shock Therapy which is commonly referred to in the hobby as hyposalinity [water that is deficient in sea salt]. Essentially, O.S.T. simply places the infectors [Cryptocaryon parasite---ick/ich] in an environment in which they cannot survive while the host, (or infected fish) can. This remedy WILL NOT work in reef systems, invert tanks or FOWLR as it incorporates lowering the specific gravity of the entire system to 1.009 Specific Gravity which is not tolerated by inverts or LR.
To drop the salinity, this is done as you would do a normal water change. However, you are simply replenishing your tank with fresh RO/DI water---not salt water! Monitor the lowering closely so as to not reduce it too fast. Usually over a period of 48 hours is fine. The bacteria colony which is the biological support for your tank will survive, the fish will be perfectly fine, but the ich will not. By lowering the salinity, you will also be lowering the osmotic pressure of the water. Boney fish tolerate this treatment very well, in fact, once the water become hyposaline, you will likely note a significant improvement in your fish health and appetite. There is no reason to fear this treatment. You can do a water-change out, in small increments every half hr or so.
Your goal is to drop the specific gravity to 1.009 [48-hrs] gradually. Once all signs of the parasite are gone, then keep your fish in this hypo-saline water for 3-4 wks. If all is well, then you can gradually [over the course of 4-5 days] bring the specific gravity [salinity] back up to normal levels . If all is well after a week, then return the fish to their main tank.
When the fish are eating, offer them quality and varied food soaked in garlic, zoe/zoecon, vitamin C.
 
canadiandude

canadiandude

Member
My display has now been empty of fish for about 4 days. While my fish are in QT, can I add any inverts to the display tank? Should they be quarantined before adding?
 
canadiandude

canadiandude

Member
I had my SG down to 1.009 or so I thought. The fish were showing no signs of ich for about 7 days when I noticed my clarkii had broke out in ich again. I rechecked the SG and it was at 1.011. I dropped it again to 1.009 and rechecked daily for 2 days and it is still at 1.009. My question is did my fish break out again because the SG was not low enough to kill the ich? I used a large glass hydrometer to measure the SG. I am now checking it daily before and after water changes to ensure this doesn't happen again.
Also, will adding copper to the hypo have any added benefit or will it stress the fish out even more?
Thanks in advance
Chris
 
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