Mussels and parasites

[tracymace1229]

Hey all,
Im half way thru a treatment for Ick. So far so good. No losses except for some small green chromis...and no sign of the ick after the initial outbreak.
Tank is going fallow. Hospital tanks are going thru Hypo.
I got fish/invertibrates from 4 different LFS, 2 different online stores, and algea and snails from 2 different online stores + 2 LFS; as well as live rock from 2 different LFS.
hard to tell when the buggers entered the system in the past 3 months or so.
I am fairly sure it is one of the LFS who is struggling with an outbreak right now.
But besides all the myriad of places I could have gotten the parasites from....
Is there any chance that a batch of live Prince Edward Mussels could carry the parasites. They are a northern (cold) mussel. I will be quarantining now that my tanks is set up for future additions!! {too little too late!!!}
But my creatures loved them some mussels to eat. And after all this, I do not want anymore hitchhikers.
So does anyone know if ick can come on these mussels or even the cleaner clams that I get from the supermarkets?
all Algea, fish and inverts, live rock, and corals will be scrutinized and quarantined for now on...but what about fresh live foodstuffs??!!??
thanks

 

[beth]

Ich can hitchhike on hard surfaces, such as live rock, snail shells, and muscle shells. However, if they come frozen, rather than right out of the tank or water, it is very unlikely that they carried ich.

 

[tracymace1229]

Thanks Beth!
They come chilled...but not frozen at the seafood section. They are very much alive, until the Hermit crabs start to work on 'em...then after that they become fair game for all the tank inhabitants.
Another issue. In my ick hospital tanks, I laid out a covering of the blue/white gause/filter media over the bottom of the tanks. My reasoning was that as the cysts fell down onto it for the next stage in the life cycle...I could capture a large portion of them. every 5 days I put in a new piece and took out the old.
My query:
even though I ran the filter media under very cold water and have since let them air dry for a couple weeks....how long could any ick survive in that out of the water? Will they dry up and die or is the medium unsafe to use again. I am thinking about sterilizing by putting it in the oven on low....I dont think the 200 degree setting will melt the stuff for a short time.
your thoughts? {the stuff is kinda expensive...but If I must throw it away}
thanks

 

[beth]

I would doubt that chilled muscles would result in live ich.
I wouldn't bother with the net trap. It will just trap waste possibly creating water quality issues in the tank.

 

[florida joe]

I would doubt that chilled muscles would result in live ich
I doubt it to Beth but as we know lover temps slowdown the life cycle i guess in theory if they were in there divisional stage then added to the DT it is possible

 

[beth]

Chilled would be borderline freezing which is not likely to result in survival of the parasite. Also, these foods are not really kept in salt water and they are likely washed down when harvested. Can't see ich living through that.

 

[florida joe]

Also, these foods are not really kept in salt water and they are likely washed down when harvested.
excellent point