Blue Hippo - Ich - Treating with copper

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Glad to hear that you aren't keeping a tang in a 15 Gallon. I didn't think that was the case.

Again, personally I don't believe in hospital tanks. The stress of catching them, the stress of putting them in a new environment, usually much smaller and not of the same water quality usually would stress them out more. Again, just my opinion, but why do that.

I have had ICH, and I have only ever lost one fish to it in my big tank. I find if your environment is spot on, and you keep your parameters good, just let them be and feed them a good varied diet. This also goes for HYPO, I don't believe in it.

Now in saying that, I have great success with fish... I can't say much lately for my coral though. Oh Well.

i have the same thought that if your fish are healthy and your tank is healthy then ich wont be a problem in most cases, i know a few people who battled bad bouts of it only to end up with healthy systems without having them fishless for weeks on end.


it all comes down to this any new arrival never hits your tank... all fish are quarantined even if for a short time is all one can do, it goes to show that if you only ever introduce healthy fish to your system then your systenm will be healthy...if you do introduce a fish into your tank who didnt show signs but do now that doesnt mean the rest of your fish will get it , fish that are healthy swimmers with good appetites and strong immune systems can fight it off or are barely affected.

[plutoniumJoe]

** All treatments are up to the individual (Disclaimer).

I don't think that a hospital tank in this situation is a bad idea. I have had my dealings with ich and I still wake up at night with the sweats occasionally thinking about it. I agree that once a tank gets established ich becomes less of an issue but you sometimes have to give a new fish a fighting chance. Considering what the fish probably went through to get from the ocean to your tank a few weeks recouping in a hospital tank might be what the doctor ordered.

If the fish gets introduced and is too small or to sick to compete with the other fish their chances decrease. By treating the fish and nursing them back to health maybe they will have a strong immune system next time they go back into the display and can fight it off this time. Even removing all fish and treating while the DT remains fallow for 6 weeks or so is not always effective. There are some strains of ich that can live without a host for considerably longer.

I often wondered if the fish can sense my stress over these situations and react accordingly. I added a Powder Blue a few months ago and the other tangs cut it up like swiss cheese. Of course he developed some ich and I thought his days were numbered. For once I didn't stress about it and he healed up and is doing fine now.

Anyway good luck and keep us posted......Just keep swimming.