Ich help

Mazi79 · #1 05-16-2005, 06:37 AM

I have a blue tang that looks like it has come down with ich. Can anyone recommend a good treatment for it? I have 2 cleaner shrimp but the tang won't get near them. Thanks in advance.

blood_hound · #2 05-16-2005, 11:57 AM

Treat yor fish with copper or hyposalinity in a QT and live your main tank fish less for a month or more just to make sure that the ick has complete its cycle.

Beverly · #3 05-16-2005, 01:28 PM

Links to ich and treatment:

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

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

HTH.

OCDP · #4 05-16-2005, 04:40 PM

my true perc has ich! i have no idea how she got it, etc..

i don't have a spare tank, so its still in my display tank. im going to get some garlic extract and soak it in its food to help build immunity.

the ich comes back at night mostly.. when actinics are on, that's when I notice the ich. i dont even know how long the clown has had it for... it appears healthy, it eats still.... think she has a chance? i was told clowns are pretty tough and might fight it off?

BCOrchidGuy · #5 05-16-2005, 04:41 PM

If you are going to use copper medication I like cupramine by Sea Chem, it's easier on the fish than copper. The Hyposalinity treatment is good, alot less stressful on fish than copper and it's effective against Ich. Do you know what brought on the Ich? it's usually always there but it doesn't take a foot hold unless the fish is stressed for some reason IE, just purchased and put in your tank or moved etc.

QT all fish to treat or medicate them, QT all new fish, and all fish that have been moved. blah blah blah... just check out those links Bev posted, it's good stuff.

Doug

Mazi79 · #6 05-16-2005, 11:29 PM

Thanks for the help everyone. I did a fresh water dip this morning and it looks fine now. Should I do another one just in case or only if it's showing symptoms again? The fish is new, only been in the tank for 2 days. It didn't look stressed, it was eating a ton right from the get go...

Beverly · #7 05-17-2005, 12:23 AM

To quote from http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...marineich.html

Quote:

Are freshwater dips effective?

Freshwater dips are generally ineffective in the treatment of marine "Ich" infestations. Trophonts burrow deeply into the epithelium where they are generally protected from external influences. Colorni (1985) found that even after 18 hours in freshwater, infected fish still have trophonts attached in the same positions as they had held before the freshwater treatment. The trophonts later detached and completed their life cycle as normal.

Trophonts penetrate the epithelium which causes a loss in osmoregulatory capability. Infected fish are less able to cope with a sudden and drastic change in the ionic concentration of their environment. This is likely to cause further stress to the fish which will impair their ability to acquire immunity to the parasite.

Mazi79 · #8 05-17-2005, 02:48 AM

hmmm... it seemed to work for me. The fish was covered this morning, dipped it and when I came home it was fine, completely recovered... I've read mixed opinions on the effectiveness of a freshwater dip, some swear by it and some say it's ineffective... oh well all that matters is that the tang is ok now.

blood_hound · #9 05-17-2005, 03:37 AM

FW dip only remove the ich on the surface of the fish scale but never fully remove it.I hate to say this but the improvment you have won't last long because ich is still in your tank and sometimes the next ich infection is much worst than the first .Your tank should be fish less for a month or more to let the ich life cycle finnish.

TRY TO USE GARLIC IT MAY HELP.

BUT GOOD LUCK!!!!

Mazi79 · #10 05-17-2005, 06:18 AM

I was thinking of giving garlic a shot, does it actually work? has anyone tried kick ich in a reef tank?