My Purple Tang had ick, now its gone.

[j-ville]

About 4 days ago, my Purple tang developed ick all over it after i added a piece of cured live rock. I almost died when i saw it. I have had ick nightmares in the past. I started feeding seaweed soaked in garlic, and now the ick is almost completely gone. Has anyone had this same experience?

 

[mr. limpid]

Sorry to say its not gone, it will come back even worse. You need to treat all your fish. Folow Beth's advise to treat Ick, in post at top of this Forum. I also learned the hard way by adding LR to my DT without QT it first.

 

[al mc]

If it was Ick it will not be out of your tank with just giving the tang garlic soaked food. At best, garlic stimulated the immune system and helped the tang supress/resist this attack but the Ick is still alive within the tank. Many threads here about Ick. The most accepted ways to eliminate Ick are to have your DT fishless for 4-6 weeks and move all fish to an acceptably large enough fully cycled QT for either copper (cupramine) or hyposalinity.
Beth has a nice write up about Ick and treatment for the parasite in the archived files at the top of this forum section.

 

[noah's nemo]

Originally Posted by J-Ville
http:///forum/post/3286506
About 4 days ago, my Purple tang developed ick all over it after i added a piece of cured live rock. I almost died when i saw it. I have had ick nightmares in the past. I started feeding seaweed soaked in garlic, and now the ick is almost completely gone. Has anyone had this same experience?
This is just a cover up make you feel good method...Mr.Limpid is right,read beths sticky
+1Al Mc

 

[jstdv8]

The ich has a cycle where it drops off of the fish to reproduce. in a couple weeks the cysts that drop off will explode releasing hundreds of little free swimming babies each. those free swimming tomites will find your fish since it has no place to go and you will have ich much worse the second time around.
Garlic is great to help boos immune systems, but eventually the sheer numbers of tomites will likley take over.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3286512
The ich has a cycle where it drops off of the fish to reproduce. in a couple weeks the cysts that drop off will explode releasing hundreds of little free swimming babies each. those free swimming tomites will find your fish since it has no place to go and you will have ich much worse the second time around.
Garlic is great to help boos immune systems, but eventually the sheer numbers of tomites will likley take over.

+1000
You need to be prepared for the outbreak. If this is a reef tank, you can quarantine your fish now before they get sick you can get things rolling and not lose any. You must have a tank big enough to house all your fish for 6 to 8 weeks. If the is fish only you can treat your DT unless you have inverts.

 

[j-ville]

Its been over a month now, no ick breakout. I think that it may have been something other than ick, thank god. here is pic of my Tang. He is doing fine.

 

[juniors04]

I think your fish are healthy enough to get by. I was once told established tanks with established fish are strong enough to fight off the parasite. Im not sure though if you were to add another fish depends how strong and healthy the fish is. Good to hear your tang is doing better.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by juniors04 http:///forum/thread/378533/my-purple-tang-had-ick-now-its-gone#post_3300211
I think your fish are healthy enough to get by. I was once told established tanks with established fish are strong enough to fight off the parasite. Im not sure though if you were to add another fish depends how strong and healthy the fish is. Good to hear your tang is doing better.
Hi,
 
+100
 
Healthy fish can indeed get over it but the parasite lives on, a new fish is stressed and the cycle begins again. If that hppens the parasite can overcome the tank by sheer numbers and kill all the fish.
 
I did manage to keep my fish healthy for about 6 months straight without an outbreak, a true effort because my hippo tang got stressed even during a small water change. 6 months clear, then the tank was fine, even when I moved and I know the fish were very stressed then..no ich outbreak at all.
 
So my advice...don't add any new fish for 6 months. Make sure the ones you have remain healthy for that entire time and no ich..not a spot or start the 6 month count again.
 
Do that, or remove the fish from the system and treat them for ich and let your tank be fish free for 6 to 8 weeks. It does not matter if you see the spots or not..they are there.
 
my .02
 

 

[j-ville]

So, its been 7 months now, and no new outbreaks. All fish are well. I have not added any new fish during this time, and for now, I have no plans to. Thanks for all your help and advice.

 

[florida joe]

i dont think it was ick.

 

[lisa6005]

He's beautiful! I have also had Ick nightmares in the past... unsuccessful at getting rid of it Good luck!