Blue Regal with ICH!

Telford · #1 01-08-2008, 05:56 AM

He doesn't just a have a few spots unfortunately...He's completely covered in it.... thinking i gotta do something. Gonna try a dip i think

mark · #2 01-08-2008, 05:59 AM

Read this?

untamed · #3 01-08-2008, 06:05 AM

If he is still eating and not behaving too badly, I would just leave him be. There's really differing opinions on this particular topic...but that's my experience fwiw.

bv_reefer · #4 01-08-2008, 06:06 AM

are'nt scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp good for picking of parasites?

Der_Iron_Chef · #5 01-08-2008, 06:10 AM

They won't help with ich.

I would happen to agree with Untamed on this one. Make sure he is well fed and endures as little stress as possible.

Might I suggest seaweed soaked in garlic? I know some people think it's a farce, but other swear by garlic. Give it a go. Can't hurt, eh? If nothing more, it IS known to increase appetite, which has its benefits in this case.

fkshiu · #6 01-08-2008, 06:30 AM

You have 2 choices: learn to live with it or take steps to eliminate the ich properly.

The second choice is quite drastic if done properly and most people have neither the time nor the patience. You must remove EVERY FISH from your display system. Then you must place them in a q-tank and treat with copper or hyposalinity over the course of weeks. You must leave the display tank fallow (fishless) for AT LEAST 1 month, but preferably longer. Thereafter in order to keep ich out of your system you must quarantine each and every single thing you put in your tank.

As you can see, simply getting the fish out of a tank full of live rock will be a massive chore.

The first choice is what most people do and it's fine as the fish (esp. the tangs) will often go into a chronic low level infection - sometimes you sees the spots, sometimes you don't, but it's always there. If the tank is healthy, you feed right, etc, etc, things usually go OK. However, there's always the spectre that if anything goes out of whack the ich may come back with a sudden vengeance.

Telford · #7 01-08-2008, 06:50 AM

Thanks for all the advice so far. I've decided to leave him be for the moment. He seems to have less in the am when i first turn on the lights..?!

Der Iron Chef: Could you explain further how the garlic seaweed trick works. Where you get the seaweed, how much to use, how you soak it in garlic, where you put it in the tank, how long you put it there...and if they want parsley as well to freshen their breath. Thanks in advance.

Der_Iron_Chef · #8 01-08-2008, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telford

Thanks for all the advice so far. I've decided to leave him be for the moment. He seems to have less in the am when i first turn on the lights..?!

Der Iron Chef: Could you explain further how the garlic seaweed trick works. Where you get the seaweed, how much to use, how you soak it in garlic, where you put it in the tank, how long you put it there...and if they want parsley as well to freshen their breath. Thanks in advance.

You can buy the seaweed sheets (used to make sushi) at the grocery store, as long as it's unsalted/plain. You can also buy seaweed at the fish stores, but it's much more expensive for generally the same thing.

There are some prepared garlic products on the market, but I've actually chopped up fresh garlic and used that before (aka--let it juice all over the seaweed, lol).

The idea is....that most (if not all) Tangs gobble seaweed up like it's their last meal. If you don't already feed it, I suggest you start. Some people (and this is divisive...but again, it won't hurt) believe garlic to be helpful to the overall health of a fish, but also specifically to help fight ich. Again, nothing seems scientific or proven about it...but a lot of people do it. And again I say: it can't hurt.

Attach the seaweed sheets to the side of your aquarium using those cute little seaweed clips you can buy, or wrap it around a small piece of pvc with a rubber band and let it hang inside your tank. Whatever you gotta do.

Try it out. Have I said that it can't hurt?

P.S. The other fish might be thankful for a little parsley to freshen the breath. Good call. Haha.

Drock169 · #9 01-08-2008, 07:11 AM

If you remove all the fish from the display, I thought you are supposed to leave the display tank fishless for 6-8 weeks (for the ich cycle to complete).

Just buy the Nori/Dried Seaweed thats sold at your LFS, take a small piece or two (the amount you think your tangs can eat), apply a few drops of Garlic Xtreme (another product you can buy at your LFS), I also add about 0.5mL of Selcon, allow the Dried Seaweed to dry, and simply use an algae clip to feed your fish. As for length of time, I leave my clip in the tank until the Nori has been eaten, which usually isnt too long. Not sure about the parsley, but I've heard of them eating broccoli.

Hopefully that helps