ICh

[digital-audiophile]

Everyone has their own "home remedy" for ich is seems. I think in the end after you battle it a few times you just do what is right for your own tank. I know this does not say much, and perhaps I am just talking in circles

All I ever do to treat ich is soak my food in garlic before I feed, I also tend to feed a little bit more during an ich outbreak as well. I find that by keeping any added stress to a minimum, they tend to get over it within a week.

I hold true to the theory that ich is always present in our tanks. My two tangs just started getting some ich spots yesterday for no good reason. Nothing new has been added to my tank so it was not introduced from the outside.

Now by many other peoples experience here I am a newbie, only having kept salt water tanks for 2-1/2 years but in that time I have battled ich more times than I can count and I have yet to lose a fish to it.

*knock on wood* maybe just dumb luck, but I really tink people overcomplicate when it comes to ich treatment.

[Salmon King]

Copper is the only remedy that works.The ouicker you use it the better results.A freshwater bath will give your fish instant relief in the short term but copper is the fix.I wish people would quite mentioning garlic because it does not work.They even took it off there label that it treats ich.So many people have lost fish because of treating ich with garlic.

[Skimmer Juice]

Rudy I also had this problem trying to get a cowfish, the only way is to use cupprimine, dont use copper as cowfish are scaleless. Dont need to drop your salinity, jus remove any inverts remove all carbon, turn off skimmer, I believe you use 1cc of cupprimine per 10 gallons, ask dennis at gold;'s he will tell you step by step, I have had to treat my cowfish twice now if you want to call me you can I have had great succes, with my cow, so you can call me at 975-2187

[digital-audiophile]

I would be surprised if people actually "lost" fish because of garlic.

I just shared what has worked for me in the past, like I said everyone has thir own magic elixir when it comes to ich treatment and it is up to each individual reefer to find out what is best for -their- tanks. Is anyone better than the other? Everyone will tell you their method is best. For me it's really tough to say becuase I have yet to read a definitive scientific paper on ich treatment, I just know what has worked for me in the past and stick to it.

[dogboy]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

everyone has thir own magic elixir when it comes to ich treatment and it is up to each individual reefer to find out what is best for -their- tanks.

There probably needs to be a distinction made between treatment for ich and eradicating ich from a tank....

I have been successful in ridding my fish of ich by doing absolutly nothing.... just sort of sat back, thought about what my options for treatment would be and then the ich dissappeared...

now this does not mean my tank is ich free but my fish have been able to fight it off IMO by good water quality, propert feeding and diet, etc....

[Ken]

Hi, Cowfish and porcupinefish, avoid the copper. Regards Ken

[Salmon King]

As you know garlic was sold as a treatment for parasites at the beginning but is not now.They took that off there label.I told people of garlic 10 years ago before it was sold as a remedy.It was said it was fed to cows and horses to keep ticks and masquitos from biting them that as how somebody ran with the idea as a treatment for parasites for fish in a reef tank.It/s a wise tale.I wish I had sold it and made a million but I wouldnt have felt good misleading people.Maybe its a good food supplement but marine bioligists I have talked to disagree with that even.I dont mean to step on anybodys toes but when people say its a parasite treatment and people believe it and lose fish when the only proven treatment is copper based medications.

[Reefer Rob]

Hypo-salinity is also a "proven" treatment, and much safer than copper. Many public aquariums use it in their acclimatisation procedures.

[seanoman]

Ever tried "no sick fish"?? They have a treatment for ich that worked really well for our tank. It is safe on inverts and corals, you just add it to your main system. Make sure that you remove all of your filtration though. Not sure if they sell it in Calgary but Hidden Reef carries it or did carry it a little while ago. Check out the website: www.nosickfish.com
It is a little pricey but I would definately recommend it. It's 1 drop per 25 gallons everyday for 1 week.

[Big Al's BC]

Rudy,
A FOWLR setup can be very difficult to maintain parasite free when you are dealing with predators such as puffers etc. It is true as Drew stated that Cleaner wrasse do not remove Ich, rather the tissue etc. that is damaged from parasites and other minor injuries on a day to day basis.
If you have "full blown Ich" on these fish in question then we agree in removing them from the system and treating immediately in a lower salinity and higher temperature, maybe 82 degrees. Although live rock is a great biological filter and natural surrounding for the fish, the price you pay is the inability to medicate. In our experience with the feeding demands on predators, and using a FOWLR system, this will not be the last time you experience this. The waste levels are much higher then a typical fish only system, and the aggression between species will increase stress levels.
Are you running a UV sterilizer? If not that would be a must in this type of system. Proper sizing and flow rates are key for a successful kill rate of Ich. Circulation in the aquarium can probably be increased to reduce dead spots as well where the eggs accumulate as does organic waste. Is there a protein skimmer on the system? Hypo-salinity can help as suggested but your best prevention is with a UV and removing the fish and treating in a quarantine tank.

Good luck,
Big Al's BC