New Reef Ich Problem

[Reef Pilot]

This probably won't sound right..., but I think it was good that Brad and a few other highly experienced reefers recently had this problem. When a newbie has ich or velvet break out, people are sympathetic, but I'm sure many just think it was due to inexperience and less than perfect tank conditions. And they go on thinking it won't happen to them, if they practice good reef husbandry. Well, as we now know, it can happen to anybody.

I don't want to sound like the Tang or Copperband police, but I do think good quarantine practice is an important part of our reef keeping hobby. You might get away without it 8 out of 10 times, and it's true that healthy unstressed fish have a better chance fighting it (ich, that is). But the consequences can be huge, so why take the chance.

[jtbadco]

I also have a 33 gal reef and developed an ich outbreak about 3 mnths after I started. I tried different 'reef safe' meds with little to no effects.

I fed garlic and selcon regularly and let it run its course.

If I had a larger tank I would definitely QT any new fish and/or corals

[Reefer Rob]

I voted never, but I might change my mind if I came across velvet. Ick always seems to just run it's course.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

This probably won't sound right..., but I think it was good that Brad and a few other highly experienced reefers recently had this problem.

Honestly, I think it happens more often that people say. It's a bit embarrassing, you know, I've been doing this stuff a long time and damn, I know what I'm doing. I know a sick fish from a healthy fish, blah blah blah. And that worked for a lot of years. Ich schmich, not worried about a little ich, one little bit. But....velvet is a different story. Pretty much by the time you admit you might have a problem, your fish are dead.
Now, I'll still likely not use a Q tank, but I will collect all my must have fish at once, treat in the tank while it's up and that's that. I suppose if I come across a free Achilles one day, I might think about quarantining, and will keep a foam block in the sump just in case one day I need it. That alone would have saved most of my fish, IMO.

[sumpfinfishe]

I have been doing this along time, and yes i just had a bout of ich, just five days ago-who hasn't.
I made a big newbie mistake and turned off the two koralias in my reef for two nights, thinking my hob filter would provide enough oxygen-NOT!

I lost four fish due to a stupid mistake, and yes I'm embarrassed to say the least.

Two small fish made it through but I'm almost certain that they wouldn't have if it wasn't for Kents Garlic Xtreme. I have used this product before and I believe the natural benefits of boosting the fishes immune systems with this product is amazing. After five days of loosing four fish I'm 99% sure these other two fish will survive the outbreak.

It's not a cure for all fish health problems due to reef keeper error, but it has helped save some of my fish some of the time

[Finisher604]

What would a foam block do ?

[gregzz4]

It gives you the bacteria to put in your QT

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

It gives you the bacteria to put in your QT

Zactly. A huge factor in my fish loss was not having a mature biological filter to use on the treatment tank. Huge NH4 spike caused damage to the gills of most of the fish, which when sick, made it impossible to recover. A foam block fully matured would have avoided that.

[Finisher604]

I'd like to read up more on that got a link ?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Finisher604

I'd like to read up more on that got a link ?

On what, exactly?