Help on treating ich

[daniella3d]

It has been proven that ick can survive up to 70 days so why go to all the trouble to do this treatment only to put them back in the tank and recontaminate them if it is not gone? 8 week might be a little extreme but I would wait at least 6 weeks if the fish can live in quarantine without being too stressed and if they eat well.

If anyone is not going to quarantine their fish, at least they should always do a one hour dip in Seachem Paraguard. This one hour dip would probably get most of the parasites off. This is really important with clownfish as Paraguard will kill brooklynella so the dip might catch all the parasites before they even enter the tank.

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

That pretty much sums it up, but I think a fallow period of 5 weeks should be long enough. You'd have to be pretty unlucky to get a strain of Cryptocaryon that has a Tomont stage of longer than even 3 weeks at 26C.

Remember, once you go down the QT path, EVERYTHING that goes in your tank has to be QTed. That includes the frags you get from your buddy's, macro algae, etc. I only used to QT corals for 2 weeks, but even that was stressful... for me and the corals.

[Reefer Rob]

Most Ick cycles seem to be between 4 to 10 days from what I've seen in my tanks. It's about managing risk, as I say, you would be unlucky indeed to get a strain that has a 70 day cycle. You need to keep reef keeping fun Quarantining everything that goes into your tank including corals for 8 weeks would be a PTA, as well as a strain in the animals.

[daniella3d]

I don't see how doing a quarantine on fish can be any more strain to the animals than being taken out of the ocean and put in a small box. An aquarium is an aquarium no matter what and if the water quality in the quarantine tank is top notch and the quarantine is set up right than there is no stress at all. I currently have 3 fish in my 21 gallons, one cleaner wrasse and 2 black ice clownfish. There is liverock in there and hiding places and everybody is doing great.

They are receiving a Paraguard treatment to eliminate the possibility of ick and brook and everybody is eating like little pigs 3 to 5 times per day. They have been there for 10 days now and will be there another 3 weeks in treatment, then in the display.

I did quarantine on sensitive fish like the copperband butterfly for a month in that 21 gallons and the fish was not in very good health when I got it. Now it's doing great one year later. If I can do it, anyone can, it's just a matter of setting this properly and the fish are not stressed at all. Why would they be more stressed in the quarantine tank alone and in peace rather then being dumped in the DT with other possible territorial fish chasing them around and making their life a nightmare? Quarantine is a time for a fish to recover, get fat and healthy, alone and in peace, not being harrassed by any other fish.

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

Most Ick cycles seem to be between 4 to 10 days from what I've seen in my tanks. It's about managing risk, as I say, you would be unlucky indeed to get a strain that has a 70 day cycle. You need to keep reef keeping fun Quarantining everything that goes into your tank including corals for 8 weeks would be a PTA, as well as a strain in the animals.