Ich

[prowake]

CAN ICH STILL LIVE IN YOU TANK IF THERE ARE NO FISH

 

[harlequinnut]

Yes and no, leave the tank empty of any fish for at least 4 weeks and it should be ick free again.

 

[prowake]

if you introduce a fish with ich does your entire tank have ich now

 

[harlequinnut]

Theorectically, yes.

 

[prowake]

i introduced a powder brown tang in to my tank tuesday, he imediatly started itching himself on the sand . this was my first fish since i started my new setup. wen. he had ich all over him. i have had my tank for about a year a never lost a fish to ich . i fresh water diped him dut he did not survive.shoul i not introduce a new fish for about 2 weeks becase that is the life span of ich

 

[harlequinnut]

You said it was a new tank, but then you said you had the tank for one year and never lost a fish to ick. Which is it? Assuming you started your tank over and went through the whole cycling process, then it's a newly cycled tank and you shouldn't add any delicate fish like a tang to the tank. Start with something hardy first.
To be on the safe side, wait at least 4 weeks for the ick to totally die off.

 

[elfdoctors]

The life cycle for ich is actually thought to be 23-28 days and can be influenced by temperature. I agree to wait a month to be on the safe side.
You can use this time to get a Quarantine tank established. New arrivals should stay in quarantine for ~3 weeks before being added to your display.
Freshwater dips are no longer recommended for new arrivals. It only puts your fish under more stress (and is not effective against ich which is protected by the slime layer of your fish).

 

[harlequinnut]

Hey doc, glad to hear from you again! It's been a while.

 

[prowake]

DO YOU THINK I SHOULD TREAT MY PROBLEM WITH KICKICH IT IS REEF SAFE. AND MIGHT HELP

 

[bolt696]

Does or can ich just appear in a tank, or is is only introduced by an infected fish?

 

[elfdoctors]

Kick-ich has a very spotty success record. The only reliable treatments are hyposalinity and copper.
Saltwater ich has to be introduced into a tank.
Freshwater ich can just appear when the fish are stressed. They are two entirely different diseases caused by very different parasites.

 

[bolt696]

oh thanks

 

[harlequinnut]

I have also try kick-ick with no success.:nope:

 

[prowake]

I PUT A DAMSEL IN MY TANK TO SEE IF I HAVE TO TREAT IT WITH ICH. THE DAMSEL DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ICH AND IT HAS BEEN IN MY TANK FOR 3 DAYS NOW. HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT AND SEE IF MY TANK HAS ICH?

 

[elfdoctors]

at least 3 weeks
If it was that easy to tell an infected fish, noone would buy any diseased fish and the diseases would not be as common as they are.