Ick Myth Or Fact? Everyone Please

[alfieferenzo84]

So if i setup a 20 long for the 3 tiny fish about 1inch if that there really tiny babys witch scared me away but my gf wanted them anyways i will put them in there with 2 filters and my tank water and put a dead shrimp in there and cycle it out and then after words add my 3 fish and start to drop the salt, I wont have to change 10 gal a day will i?
I think my problem in the past was that i figured im using my tank water so it sould instant cycle and you all are saying that is not true right?
How long do you think it will take to cycle? I can even add a little rock and sand to speed it up or is that a bad idea?
Also my fish only have 1-2 spots each if that there doing great but again you all are saying that ick will stay in the tank even if all the spots are gone right? I plan to add a few more fish as its a 55 gallon so atleast 3-5 more fish i would think and i dont want this problem to pop up when i add more so i just want to make sure if this is the way to go?
Also if it is i will qt all fish in hypo for 6wks and any crabs ect i will qt in reg water for 6wks then if this will for sure keep my tank ick free, I am still a little on edge that this is true!
There is about 9 people that still think its not true add some comment to that please, Thanks

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by alfieferenzo84 http:///forum/post/2514071
So if i setup a 20 long for the 3 tiny fish about 1inch if that there really tiny babys witch scared me away but my gf wanted them anyways i will put them in there with 2 filters and my tank water and put a dead shrimp in there and cycle it out and then after words add my 3 fish and start to drop the salt, I wont have to change 10 gal a day will i?
I think my problem in the past was that i figured im using my tank water so it sould instant cycle and you all are saying that is not true right?
How long do you think it will take to cycle? I can even add a little rock and sand to speed it up or is that a bad idea?
Also my fish only have 1-2 spots each if that there doing great but again you all are saying that ick will stay in the tank even if all the spots are gone right? I plan to add a few more fish as its a 55 gallon so atleast 3-5 more fish i would think and i dont want this problem to pop up when i add more so i just want to make sure if this is the way to go?
Also if it is i will qt all fish in hypo for 6wks and any crabs ect i will qt in reg water for 6wks then if this will for sure keep my tank ick free, I am still a little on edge that this is true!
There is about 9 people that still think its not true add some comment to that please, Thanks
If the tank is fully cycled you won't have to change 10g a day. Using water from a DT won't allow you to skip the cycle, since the point of a cycle is to build up the beneficial bacteria that breaks down organic matter before it turns into ammonia. This bacteria does not float in the water, it builds up on solid surfaces. You can use a raw shrimp to kick things off, and a piece of rock from your DT (just take it out once the tank is cycled) to help the bacteria spread. A QT can take longer to cycle if there is no live rock to help it along, but there's no specific time frame that I can point to. You just have to test regularly and wait.
QT'ing inverts means making sure that before you add them into your DT they are in another tank without fish for 6 weeks, but you need to make sure they have something to eat in there. That means feed that tank with fish food every other day or so.
Read up on this thread for more detailed info that might help:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127007/faqs-fish-diseases-treatments-quarantine-health-info
HTH

 

[alfieferenzo84]

thanks, I guess i know what i need to do! I read that post about 5 times!
I just hope if i do this the problem will not come back!
Also dont hypo kill the cycle and make it start over again???

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by alfieferenzo84
http:///forum/post/2514092
thanks, I guess i know what i need to do! I read that post about 5 times!
I just hope if i do this the problem will not come back!
Also dont hypo kill the cycle and make it start over again???
Hypo will kill inverts, which is why you don't want to leave live rock or sand in the tank (worms, snails, and other hitchhikers hiding will die), or any other invert- not to mention the fact you don't want to perform hypo on your DT. It won't restart your cycle as long as there is nothing in there that will die. In my 29g QT I have 3 pieces of PVC, a heater, a powerhead, and an HOB filter, and that's it. No sand, no live rock.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

got it but the hippo looks really bad today about 20 spots only on 1 side the other is clear figure that out? so i dont know if i will be able to cycle the tank before moving!!!

 

[murph]

Probably a more appropriate question/poll would be; Can qt and treatment methods at the hobbyist level be relied on to keep parasites out. In most cases I would say no.
Combine that with the deplorable state of most wild caught specimens, questionable if not down right unethical capture and handling procedures and a pretty sound argument could be made that the emphasis of our tanks should at least for the moment be placed on inverts and corals and few inexpensive fish species for no other reason than to maintain balance in the tank.
This is the rout I have taken and the benefits are definitely there. I do not qt or worry about introdceing parasites or fish in general for that matter. Spend large amounts of money on fish and the ease of maintaining water quality in reefs with vary few crap factories will amaze you. Tank maintenance or changes can be made with no concern for delicate expensive fish specimens and the money saved can be dedicated to supplies and equipment. No worries about that supposedly one hundred percent reef safe fish turning out not to be and a message sent to the industry which may make them clean up there act a bit.