The only medication I have on hand is Instant Ocean Lifeguard. I have used it before on these same clowns when they had some kind of parasite about 2 years ago. So far, so good. They were stressed as hell when I caught them yesterday but seem not too bad today. Now to take apart my rockwork and get my lawnmower and zebras out.

I had ich attack my aquarium really bad not to long ago. It got to the point with a clown where it was do or die, it was completely covered. I had no option because the ich medicine wasnt working and it was to late at night to get something else. So I figured what should I do? The thing will be dead by morning anyway. So I went looking in the house for a cure. So I freshwater dipped him with two small drops of mouthwash in a cup. The next day he was perfectly clean. He needed two more dips over a week period and I won. He is still alive. I guess it makes sense, its antibacterial......

0.0 You dipped your fish in mouthwash???.....I'm not sure I would of been that brave even if the fish was dying

*edit*You do know ich is a parasite not a bacteria right?

well not really make sense since ich is not a bacteria and when the ich kist is deep in the skin it is safe from medication.

I would be skeptical if the ich is cured, probably just a recess?

Lifeguard contain N-Halamine desinfectant. Interesting, let us know if it works. I really doubt that it will cure marine velvet though.

All I know is that was 3 months ago and I have not had it in my tank since and the clown is perfectly alive and happy. And before the dip he was white as snow and breathing very heavily. So now I make this dip for all my fish before placing them in my aquarium, no ich and no deaths in three months. Either way bacteria/parasite the ich didnt make it through the dip alive. I have tried freshwater dips in past and not had any great results. I am not saying its the way, but as a last resort maybe.....

Thanks for all the info Laurie, I remember reading some of it when it happened to you. I guess one positive thing I can take from all this is that I only had 8 fish in my tank. So far 3 are dead (Kole, dragon and orange spot gobies). The clowns are hanging in there, the male looks real good but the female is still sick. They are both eating well so I'm hoping they'll pull through. Dismantled all my rockwork in my display and put most of the rock into the sump, also brought my 20gal back up to specs. Caught the lawnmower and one zebra dart tonight and put them into the 20. The bigger of the two darts is hiding in an old coral skeleton I think, so I'm not sure how I'll get him. He probably won't come out for a couple of days now. Anyways, that's where I'm at now.

The ick is deeply enkisted in the skin and even a fresh water dip won't kill it. It is only susceptible when in free swimming. so a fresh water dip won't kill ich from your fish, it only appear to be.

Finally caught the zebra last night so my 100gal is now fishless. I'm happy to report that my 2 clowns have made a full recovery.These guys are troopers and have been through alot. Would have been sad to loose them as I have had them for a long time. I'll keep them in my 2.5gal hospital tank for a little while yet just to make sure they're good. I guess I can rebuild the rockwork in my display and begin the long wait now.

Congradulations! Glad to see things are on an upward swing :lol:

I guess it's time to re-open this thread. It's been just under 3 months since my velvet outbreak and my 100 gal has been fishless for this time period (just under 3 months meaning a matter of about a week). The survivors have been doing great in my 20 gal. A week ago during a water change I took a couple of gallons of water from my display and added it to my quarentine...so far so good and everyone's well. Do I chance it and place at least my clowns back into the main tank? From what I've read in here it probably won't be a gamble and everything should be ok. Any thoughts or suggestions?