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Originally Posted by Beverly
Stress alone will NOT cause ich.
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*STATED- As a matter of my own experience and my own opinion. As this subject always a debate.
Bev, yes this true, I have found in MOST cases. As when you were having problems with ick way back I introduced you to the links you provide and the advice to try Hyposalinity instead of Copper treatment after you had problems with copper treatment suffering loses, as we all have in one time or another. But one major factor, you don't consider with the debates, you never house tangs and neither did I at one time, but do now. I’ll tell you what I have come across….
So I used to be on the crusade of fish not carrying ick, treat Always. But after a few years arguing with others about ick not in tank all times, its introduced, I have come to understand an exception for some species, after carrying & treating other peoples fish, why the term for certain species calling them "ICK MAGNETS"...fish like, Regal Tangs, Powder Blue tangs, Brown Tangs, Naso tangs, and some other surgeons. And after treating Hyposalinity and copper I have had Regals tangs, etc, come back when stressed with symptoms of ick, after treatment had been done on fish, tank was left fallow (6 weeks), nothing was added, treated was done with Hyposalinity & or copper, etc. etc…all the steps….so being treated numerous times but the surgeon fish (i.e Regal) when put under stressful conditions (overcrowding, poor water quality, no hiding spots after aquascaping, skimmer down, etc.) will show signs of what look like ick but no other tank mates will become infected. The Regal (i.e) when stressful conditions are corrected, the signs of ick will pass. Perhaps this is why so many argue Garlic fixed the problem or perhaps it’s not ick at all but looks the same and has similar signs or perhaps it’s misunderstood.
I also used to think that "Ick Magnet meant that the Tang fish were the first ones to show the signs on the ick in tank as they are the ones that get called "Ick Magnet" but after treating many fish, I found that was not the case and in fact scale less fish (Puffers, Lionfish, Boxfish, etc) are the first ones to become infected & show signs of the ick. So why again do, regal tangs, powder blue tangs, etc, get called ick magnets. So now I understand the debates more, perhaps the theory & mixed studies are right, they can carry the parasite, almost viral in tangs. I will continue to follow researchers more.
So as stated reasons above, I will always suggest to first try water quality, determine reason for stress factor and dose with garlic. As chasing to capture, netting, treatment, FW dips, medications, etc, is very stressful to the fish.
But the end result if any other fish besides the tang are infected (also many variables depends on infection)... I will always suggest treatment of either Hyposalinity or Copper.
Either way in this case, IMO, a good call was made here with treatment of Hyposalinty. * CLAP *
Best of luck with treatment.
