So In January I placed my fish in a 50gallon quarantine tank. Hyposalin treatment with a refractometer ( calibrated) brought it down to 1.008 specific gravity, a .001 lower than the recommended 1.009 (14ppt). Meanwhile the main tank had the same snails, crabs, and stingray at 1.023. I was upset because main tank was boring and quarantine tank in a bathroom. Anyway, spots disappeared (clown, 2 semilarvatus, my poor spotted blue jaw didn't make it through the ich epidemic, died 3 days into quarantine) Anyway spots went away, kept hypo for 4weeks after spots disappeared plus another 4 weeks. Raised the salinity up to 1.023. Kept them in quarantine another 8 weeks to be on the safe side, no signs of ich. May comes along, time to put them in main tank this past saturday. Happy to have my fish back in the main tank. Then Tuesday two spots on the fins of the semilarvatus, yesterday more spots on the fins. Fish still eating no scratching. So, anyway sad enough some how there is still ich in the main aquarium and none in the quarantine tank. So, again brings up the question either a stingray fish can be a carrier ( I believe i only read hypothesis of skin is to thick, or ich dont like their taste, who knows)or 2. crabs, snails can carry ich or 3. ich can live longer than we think without any host. But at least one thing I do believe now. That it is possible to have an ich free aquarium, because the quarantine tank was ich free thanks to hyposalin.
I believe the stingray fish can carry ick, but not sure any symptoms of the disease. Which means if I ever want to get rid of the ich I probably have to ditch my stingray, since there is not treatment for the stingray. Anyway back to the question any thoughts?
P.S. Beth I want to thank you for your advice and help on the board, including your patience.
