Treatment For Ich?

[phishface]

Hello all
This post is an attempt to help others from the mistakes that I made. The first mistake I made was not setting up a QT. The second was rushing a water change (added water that was too cold). The third was taking the advice of the lfs - "thats a common form of ich, not serious....just raise the temp to 82 and turn off lights, should clear up on its own.....in a couple of days" I come to the fourth mistake, waiting for it to clear up on its own.....let me tell you it wont, it only comes back 10 fold.
Since this bonehead mistake, Ive done alot of reading on the subject, Copper is the only way to kill it, but may also kill the fish. It also seems popular to lower salinity to 1.010, but must be done over a period of time, which will also kill all the good critters in the rock/sand. Ive since purchased a uv sterilizer, and have been promised that it will kill all ich , in 30 days.
IMO, if you discover ich, do not wait. Set up treatment tank asap and treat with copper. But the best way is to catch before its in your display tank.
A QT will save you money, livestock and heartache. Good luck.

 

[beth]

Hypo-salinity is actually the way to go. Equally as effective as copper. Takes about the same time for treatment to start working. Safe for fish. The procedure is spelled out exactly in the FAQ Thread at the top of this forum. Additionally, there is info on ich in the FAQ.
There are a lot of hard lessons learned in this hobby. The good hobbyist does learn those lessons and moves on from the ignorance stage, to become a knowledgeable hobbyists. The learning and lessons never end, though.

 

[lion_crazz]

Your post was almost perfect.
The only thing you were mistaken on is that the specific gravity must be lowered to 1.009 and this method will also totally get rid of ich, because it stops them from being able to reproduce. I say this because there are only two true ways to treat for ich - copper or hyposalinity - neither of which can be done in a tank with live rock, inverts, coral, and copper cannot be used with puffers, gobies, eels, sharks, rays, and can be incredibly detrimental to tangs, angels, and butterflies (in that it stressed them out).
Overall, a very good post though, and I 110% agree that a quarantine tank is an absolute necessity from day one of purchasing live stock.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
Your post was almost perfect.
The only thing you were mistaken on is that the specific gravity must be lowered to 1.009 and this method will also totally get rid of ich, because it stops them from being able to reproduce. I say this because there are only two true ways to treat for ich - copper or hyposalinity - neither of which can be done in a tank with live rock, inverts, coral, and copper cannot be used with puffers, gobies, eels, sharks, rays, and can be incredibly detrimental to tangs, angels, and butterflies (in that it stressed them out).
Overall, a very good post though, and I 110% agree that a quarantine tank is an absolute necessity from day one of purchasing live stock.
Yep-Yep

 

[d_mcnugent]

i am curious about what you said... a UV sterilizer will kill ich?

 

[turbo21]

a uv sterilizer will only kill ich in its free swimming stage, it will not kill what is on the fish or when it is in its tomite stage in the sand bed, it will not get rid of ich, but it can help keep it in check, slightly, it is like putting a band aid on a broken leg, it only helps a little

bob

 

[phishface]

Why do you say that bob? I can be pushing enough to kill them, in theory, over enough time. Its been running 3 weeks and no signs of it........ but I guess my glass is 1/2 full.

 

[turbo21]

a uv sterilizer will only kill ich in its free swimming form, it also will not kill the ich on the fish if you research the life cycle of ich, you will see what i mean, it spends time in the sand bed, where you cannot get to it
bob

 

[phishface]

I understand the life cycle, and if I push enough water through it for a long enough period it should eventually break the cycle, or you are saying no to that?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by phishface
I understand the life cycle, and if I push enough water through it for a long enough period it should eventually break the cycle, or you are saying no to that?
I am saying a big NO to that. A UV sterilizer only kills ich in the free floating stage, which takes up roughly 10-20% of their life. They attatch, host, and reproduce much faster. A sterilizer is ok, but certainly will not rid ich of a system nor prevent it. If ich is in the system it must be treated. Quarantining ALL new arrivals is the best method of prevention.