Ich...

bellamor

bellamor

New Member
I had an ich outbreak start about two weeks ago, I lowered the salinty (no corals or anything yet) raised the temp and used Microbe-Lift Herbtana with no success for 8 days. Because that wasnt working, I have now switched to Kick Ich and am on day 4 still no success. My salinty is 1.018, which is what was suggested by two LFS, and temp is 82. I dont know what else to do. I have already lost my male clown, a Koran Angel, a Royal Gramma and a spotted Gobby. I think the female clown will be next to go and my yellow tang is not too far behind. So, worst case scenero, I loose everyone, what do I need to do to make sure the ich is gone before I put anything back in the tank?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
If there is no sand or live rock and no inverts of any kind in the tank, lower the salinity down to 1.009 and run hypo salinity.
Follow this guideline to help you out:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/wiki/ich-cryptocaryon-irritans
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Yes, but the products you are using will do nothing. Many of us on the board have tried them and in the process, it just ends up killing the fish, one of the biggest causes is that many of them lower the oxygen level in the water. Any "reef safe" ich medication is bottled garbage in my opinion.
If you can, throw your live rock in a rubbermaid tub with water and a powerhead and do weekly water changes. This will keep your live rock alive. You can throw in a little heater as well, but it's not completely necessary if you're keeping it in the house. While your live rock is in a tub with a little powerhead, hypo your fish in the tank for 6-8 weeks. During this time, the live rock will remain fishless which will cause any ich parasite still living on them to die (it can not live without a host) and your fish will be free from ich. You can then add the live rock back to the tank and be on your merry way with healthy, ich free fish. It's a little bit of a pain to remove all the live rock, but dying fish isn't a great alternative either.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
+ 1000 to all of that.
how did the lfs pull 1.018 out of their ass.makes me sick that fish stores can put up tanks put water and fish in and know absolutely nothing.
raising the temp will take oxygen out of the water.between 1.010 and 1.026 does absolutely nothing for killing ich.
sorry for your problem but the best way to get info is from unbiased people.like here.we arent trying to sell $60 kick ich snake oil.there are only two proven ways to kill ich .hypo and copper.thats it.
 
bellamor

bellamor

New Member
So I have lost everything but 2 green chromis who have no signs of ich. So do I go 3 weeks from when the salinity was at 1.009 before I add live stock back in? Or should I wait longer?
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
actually its 3-4 weeks after you do not see ich anymore.i like 5 weeks myself and i go to 1.007-1.008.if you try to keep 1.009 and the water evaporates to 1.010+ for one day thats all it takes to start over again.cromis like damsels with the scales they have are a bit more durable to ich.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
For the cost.of a medium priced fish, you can set up a basic QT (try Craig's List). . IMO &IME; the only real way to prevent and cure ich. QT everything and you'll never go through this again. I can't imagine long term success in this hobby without one and have never read any book that doesn't insist they are vital.I'd think this would be common practice by now, but so many hobbyists wait for a big fish loss.
 
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