Looking for Remedies to treat Ich

[waynemah]

I'm trying to beat this using garlic and water changes. I soaked dry foods in the morning and frozen at night. I also have garlic soaked seaweed for them to munch on during the day. Now the spots have gone away I'm performing many small water changes (10% every two days) for a two week period. Also, no new additions to the tank until the cycle is complete (Month without white spots).

[Reefie]

The Purple Tang seems to be doing ok so far. All livestock has been fed with NLS Thera+ with Garlic and Garlic soaked Mysis, and JS Sea Veggies.

I can't say the same for a few of my SPS. I have determined that Rid-Ich+ may not be tolerated by some SPS. I lost my Cali Tort, Hawkins Echinata, Blue Matrix, Caroliniana, Strawberry Shortcake, Purple Plasma, Ice Berry Acro, Robin's Egg Lovelli, Purple Austera, Tricolour Valida. My 2 Aussie Scoly's weren't tolerating the Rid-Ich+ either, I have transferred them to my daughter's tank for now.

Also lost 1 B&W Ocellaris and a Filamented Flasher Wrasse to Ich.

I have also read that it usually isn't the Ich that kills the fish, but the secondary infections.

I think my next plan of action is to salvage what I have left and drain the tank, catch all the fish and put them into my QT to be treated with Cupramine.

Wish me luck...........

[daniella3d]

I think that's best, because once you get rid of ick you will never seen it in your tank again unless you reintroduce it.

It is really nice to have a parasite free tank, it's worth the effort.

Sorry to hear about your fish and corals

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Reefie

I think my next plan of action is to salvage what I have left and drain the tank, catch all the fish and put them into my QT to be treated with Cupramine.

Wish me luck...........

[Reefie]

Thank you for your sympathy.

Just an update.......
I was lucky enough to have a buddy of mine, Bblinks, who was kind enough to lend me a 25 gal tank for an additional QT. It has about 1" of sand, I preferred it to be bare bottom. It was STINKY!!! But beggars can't be choosers. Haha! Took me about 2 hours to thoroughly clean out the tank and then fill with half of my DT's water and half fresh SW.

Bblinks, I really appreciate the tank and I'll be forever indebted to you, buddy!

I drained my DT took out all of the LR, broke a few corals, and caught all but 1 fish, a Yellow Wrasse. The bugger hides in the sand at night, and even after sifting through the whole tank I couldn't find it. Will have to try again during the daytime when he's out and about.

I've got 2 QT's going now, 1 that is running Cupramine with the Purple Tang and Powder Blue. The Purple Tang is fully covered with Ich, while the Powder Blue shows no signs of it. I am treating them both just to be on the safe side. As of this afternoon, half the spots are gone on the Purple Tang.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the regime for Cupramine to treat for 2 weeks and then 2 weeks to monitor without Cupramine?

The other QT is running Paraguard with the remaining fish that don't show any symptoms, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm going to do the same 2 weeks with Paraguard and 2 weeks without also.

Unfortunately there aren't clear instructions for how long to treat fish.

Does anyone know of an easy way to catch a timid Yellow Wrasse? I've got some pellets inside a net right now, I'm hoping it'll go in for the food so I can nab it.

Once I get him out, the DT will go fallow for 8-9 weeks and hopefully I'll finally be Ich FREE!!!

If anyone has anymore advice or tips, feel free to PM me!

Originally Posted by daniella3d

I think that's best, because once you get rid of ick you will never seen it in your tank again unless you reintroduce it.

It is really nice to have a parasite free tank, it's worth the effort.

Sorry to hear about your fish and corals

Good luck!

[Nuccio46]

I have used reef safe ich treatment for entire month and followed it to a tee.. Lfs had also said add extra doses.... Result no Ich and i lost no fish ...

[daplatapus]

Understanding the life cycle of the Ich parasite goes a long way in getting rid of it. I tried Hypo but my PH was just way too hard to keep under control past 1.015. I've also tried Cuprimine, but never having used it before and not doing enough research, I didn't know you couldn't use Amquel with it, so I ended up killing my fish
I've got 2 new fish in QT and I'm doing the tank transfer method to be pro-active. Keep in mind that just because the Ich isn't visible doesn't necessarily mean the fish don't have it. From my understanding many times they're buried in the fishes gills etc and only when they enter a certain stage of their life cycle and when the fish's own immune system can no long fight them off are they noticeable. When they are no longer noticeable, chances are the cysts have fallen off the fish and are burying themselves in the substrate of the tank where they will soon burst forth again looking for a host. That is why I think the tank transfer method will work the best with the least impact on the fish in the long run. But, alas, you still need to run a fishless DT for 8-10 weeks to starve out anything in there that remains in the substrate.

[Nuccio46]

I do agree that if can do a complete transfer of fish , would be the best method, how ever if you don't have place move your entire tank(which is stressful on the fish as well) RSI did work.... Perhaps your right about the ich may not entirely be gone and the fish had grown amune to them. Do not add any new fish until tank is safe. The important part of this , is the RSI only works when the ich is in the stage to fall the fish... Then the product works... Again in takes time...I hated how dark my tank water looked,but after several heavy water changes after the cycles... My tank was better. My Zenias loved the RSI product... Never seen them grow so well...now this only my experience, those that have mentioned qt tanks....and you can catch your fish without major consequences to your tank, then Perhaps that is a better choice..,

[jtbadco]

IMO anyone who 'successfully' treats ich with 'reef-safe' remedies would have been just as successful without using it.