Six line wrasse eats ich off other fish????

[christyf5]

Ya know, for the $14.99 or whatever that you'll spend on the neon goby I'd just try it anyways. Depending on how far advanced the ich is, it may not help but will probly help slow the life cycle if nothing else. And if it doesn't work you've got a new fun little fish in your tank It beats tearing the tank down for a first try anyways.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by christyf5

Ya know, for the $14.99 or whatever that you'll spend on the neon goby I'd just try it anyways. Depending on how far advanced the ich is, it may not help but will probly help slow the life cycle if nothing else. And if it doesn't work you've got a new fun little fish in your tank It beats tearing the tank down for a first try anyways.

That's what I'm thinking Thanks Christy!

[fishoholic]

So I went to buy a neon goby and I ended up coming home with a very healthy looking mysis nibbling cleaner wrasse! I ended up buying him because he was 1/2 the price of the neon goby. So far he's doing great

[Johnny Reefer]

Is he cleaning the Tang yet?

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

Is he cleaning the Tang yet?

Yes he is

[christyf5]

Woohoo!

[naesco]

I would continue with the garlic extract treatment. It is keeping the ich in check. Don't stop the feeding.
As you know, the chances that the clearner wrasse you bought lasting more than a few weeks are remote.

I have had luck with the very small angel and neons also performing cleaning duties.

If I were you I would have a QT ready to go. Keep greenex, formalin and a good size air pump on hand.

Ich is an external parasite.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by naesco

I would continue with the garlic extract treatment. It is keeping the ich in check. Don't stop the feeding.
As you know, the chances that the clearner wrasse you bought lasting more than a few weeks are remote.

I plan on continuing to soak the food still with garlic extract and selcon.

The wrasse I bought had been performing cleaning duties for about a month on other fish at the LFS. The wrasse is plump and very healthy looking, he is eating chopped up mysis and has been cleaning the other fish in the tank. He is usually out in the open swimming along with everyone and all the fish seem get along well each other.

I think the problems with about 95% of cleaner wrasses are:

It's almost impossible to find a healthy one, never mind one that eats frozen foods.

If you find one semi-healthy they might last a little while, but if they are only eating parasites off other fish, that will not be enough to sustain them for the long run.

From what I understand most cleaner wrasses (best case scenario) will live for about 2 years. Most die within a couple of weeks.

I think that because my cleaner wrasse seems healthy, is swimming out in the open, and eats mysis, I have a good chance of having him around for awhile.

Here's a pic

[IMG][/IMG]

[wickedfrags]

Give this a read if you are interested in ick. I found it to be a good read about 6 months ago and just re-read it myself. Aside from the life-cycle stuff, enjoy the info about dispelling the myths about ick, specially No. 10 below (not my words!).

http://www.txinstall.com/ich/ich.htm

No. 10 The parasite burrows into the fish, below the mucous layer and into the skin. (This is why cleaner fish/shrimp can’t get to it in order to remove them from the fish). The second dumbest thing an aquarist can think: I'll get some cleaner fish or cleaner shrimp to remove/eat the parasite. THESE MARINE LIFE DO NOT EAT THE PARASITE NOR WILL FISH OR SHRIMP REMOVE THE PARASITE FROM THE INFECTED FISHES.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by wickedfrags.com

Give this a read if you are interested in ick. I found it to be a good read about 6 months ago and just re-read it myself. Aside from the life-cycle stuff, enjoy the info about dispelling the myths about ick, specially No. 10 below (not my words!).

http://www.txinstall.com/ich/ich.htm

No. 10 The parasite burrows into the fish, below the mucous layer and into the skin. (This is why cleaner fish/shrimp can’t get to it in order to remove them from the fish). The second dumbest thing an aquarist can think: I'll get some cleaner fish or cleaner shrimp to remove/eat the parasite. THESE MARINE LIFE DO NOT EAT THE PARASITE NOR WILL FISH OR SHRIMP REMOVE THE PARASITE FROM THE INFECTED FISHES.

As I stated before in this thread, I know that I will still have the ich parasite in my tank until I do the proper QT hyposalinity rote. Which I will do if I notice my fish getting stressed out or acting really sick from the ich.

Since none of my fish seem to be bothered by the ich at all (other then the white spots on the Lavender tang which don't even seem to bug her) I thought I'd get a cleaner wrasse to help remove the white cysts that the ich leaves on the fish.

I realize the cleaner wrasse is not a cure. I was just hoping that he might better enable the fish to fight off some of the ich parasite by themselves, or at least help the fish feel more comfortable.

*Edit*

After reading though the link (great link BTW) #16 stands out for me

16. Spots are MI. Untrue. Probably one of the most problematic causes for rumors and myth-information in the hobby is assuming the spot is Marine Ich when it may be one of another few dozen other parasites or conditions (e.g., pimple-like reaction to infection) that look like Marine Ich. The mis-diagnosis is often the cause for claims of what cured MI, when the fish didn't have MI to start with.

I have been wondering if it's really ich or if it's something else. The fish has had the spots for over 4 months now and everyone seems fine. If it's really ich wouldn't the fish be showing signs of not being fine?

Anyone know what the few dozen other parasites or conditions that look like ich but aren't ich are? Thanks Laurie