Uh Oh!!!!

1bigstud · #1 06-19-2003, 06:19 AM

My skimmer must have conked out while I was away this weekend cause I came home yeterday and found it barely running. Well sure enough my regal tang is covered in white spots that are bumpy. It will be impossible to get him out of the tank way to much rock what can I do??? Will treating the tank harm any of my corals or other livestock.

Buccaneer · #2 06-19-2003, 06:38 AM

As far as I know there is no remedy that will not harm corals/inverts but cure Ich ... so you will have to find a way to get him and the rest of the fish out and into either copper or hyposalinity in a QT tank ... maybe use a trap if he is difficult to get at or try feeding in a net ... sorry to hear as I am going thru it myself right now as well ( far as I can tell it came in on a rock as water paremeters are perfect ) ... I have setup a QT tank for hyposalinity as copper can be tough on the digestive system from what I have read

Good Luck

Cheers

smokinreefer · #3 06-19-2003, 06:41 AM

you can try a pair of neon gobies or a pair of cleaner shrimp.

zulu_principle · #4 06-19-2003, 06:43 AM

I have never used it on a full reef but Kick Ick is a pretty good product and have had some success withit.

1bigstud · #5 06-19-2003, 06:56 AM

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have one cleaner shrimp would getting another one and a uv sterilzer help or shouold I go the medication approach??

Buccaneer · #6 06-19-2003, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigstud

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have one cleaner shrimp would getting another one and a uv sterilzer help or shouold I go the medication approach??

The UV sterilizer will only help when the Ich is in the free swimming state and this is assuming that you have the right size sterilizer AND that you get all the little buggers to go thru it LOL ... as to cleaner shrimp I have 4 in my tank and I think of them as a beauty salon for my fish ( drive thru style ) ... they can provide maintenance and maybe nip it in the bud early but if he is covered as you say you dont really have a choice ... because Ich has basically a 3 week cycle then the display will have to be fallow ( fishless ) for at least that long preferably 4 weeks or more ... if you go hyposalinity then use the water from the display to start the QT tank and slowly over 3 days or so reduce salinity to 16ppt or 1.009 SG... it has to remain at 1.009 for a full 3 weeks to break the growth cycle then slowly bring it back up to 1.026 or whatever you normally run at. ( remember that temperature will affect specific gravity ( ie. 77F would be 1.10 or 80F would be 1.08 )

or try as Wendell suggested or try copper

Cheers

Buccaneer · #7 06-19-2003, 07:13 AM

Here is a link for more info on Ich and hyposalinity as a cure that can explain it better than I ..

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...osalinity.html

Cheers

Aquattro · #8 06-19-2003, 09:52 AM

Feeding nori soaked in garlic has worked for me. Catching a tang, treating with copper in a QT tank for a month and putting it back in the main tank might cause it a tiny bit of stress, which can bring the ich back right after treatment. Feeding garlic is nice and calm and quiet (play ocean music here)......
Try it, they'll like it.

Jason McK · #9 06-19-2003, 02:52 PM

I have a UVS I currently don't have hooked up if you want to borrow it.
I have also used Kick-Ick with limited success, but it is totally safe in a reef
PM me if you want it, I'm close to richmond

Jason

robbyville · #10 06-19-2003, 10:50 PM

As Brad mentioned, go with the easiest first.

I have always used crushed garlic a few times per week soaked with food. Anytime that I had mild outbreaks it was fixed right up. Also, garlic has the benefit of being cheap, easy, helps to stimulate appetite and brings out the colors of your fish.

Fortunately for me I have yet to resort to any other medications, although I have pretyy hardy fish and outbreaks have never lasted more than a day.

Good luck,

Rob