Ich Treatment

[naesco]

Originally Posted by icecool217

I think I am on the same boat as Ryan now. I don't have a spare tank and my clowns have ich.
I am using garlic guard by seachem. Is this good enough? I am considering setting up a hospital tank very soon.
As for the main tank, I have cleaner and fire shrimps. If I leave the tank empty for 6-8 weeks, would i be able to treat ich that way or would they stick onto the shrimps?

First of all make sure that the clowns have ich and not clown fish disease which is fatal if not treated immediately.
Some of the garlic treatments are nothing but watered down garlic juice that is not concentrated enough. I do not know about seachem but IMO invest in a bottle of garlic extreme or garlic extract which you can get from a health food store or squeeze your own which is a really smelly way to go.
I suspect that those who have not had success with garlic treatment use a weak solution or do not load the fish with extract. ie feed very often and only garlic soaked food during treatment.
If you use frozen food, the mysis is loaded with water and will not absorb enough garlic.
I agree with I have crabs that garlic acts on the immune system to fight ich. I also think the ich chooses not to attach to a fish that is garlic laden.
But, I disagree with I have crabs about the use of cleaner shrimp and neon gobies. Both these fish help by removing some ich from the sick fish.
UV will also help if the light is strong enough and the flow through the UV slow enough.
Water changes also help by diluting the ich concentration especially if you sipon near the bottom.

If you remove all the fish for eight weeks in your main tank there will be no ich in your tank as ich requires fish to survive.
Good Luck