advice on ICH treatment

coolsurf;533858 wrote: My input was based on my personal experience. When I first entered the hobby, I experienced Ick early on and it really makes you want to throw your hands up and say the he** with it all. Once you settle back down and understand it, you realize it can be defeated. Kick Ick was not my savior but it may? have helped. I firmly believe in the all natural appoach and feed garlic and vitamins (AminOmega) eveyday. No Ick outbreak in ages.

so where can i get the garlic(brand) and the vitamins:up:
 
No prob. All Things Aquatic had 8 oz Garlic Guard there that I purchased not too long ago. You may want to call John and see if he has any in stock. It'll last you a long time and I mean a real long time. ATA is the closet for reef supplies that we have as well and he's decent to deal with.

Prior to that I was using Garlic Power by Brightwell and I think I bought it at Optimum. It's a lot more expensive but also will last a while.

When you add the garlic, you don't need more than a drop or two in their food.

BTW, if you join the club, you can get the additional club discount at most of our sponsers stores! Well worth it.
 
I hear putting putting powder in your shoes works. LOL.
I had a trainer in college, that would recommed that regardless of your injury! I guess that's why D-1 schools up north never quite perform well.

Anyway, just some levity.

On a more serious note. Many times, as we all know, the infected fish don't eat regardless of how hardily they were eating the day before.

Amanda, from Seachem, doesn't believe there is a reef-friendly treatement out there. Don't shoot messenfer (or Amanda, she is super).
 
I'm of the firm belief that "Kick-Ich" doesn't work. I also believe that anything short of UV exposure that will kill Ich is NOT reef-safe. My opinion is that it goes like this:
1. owner spots ich on fish.
2. owner does quick reading on what to do and runs off to store.
3. owner starts treatment
4. by a couple of days into treatment, the ich has finished its parasitic phase, and has dropped off the fish.

So, the owner believes that the stuff worked.
He or she may believe that for a long time, since it is very possible that the tank has remained stress-free for quite a while and the fish have avoided any further outbreaks.

I have had ONE fish show ich in my tank. It was very short-term, and I fed well... things turned out OK. Nothing (knock on wood) in over a year. However, I'm not naive enough to think that ich is not living in my system... just like 99% of the systems in our homes.
 
+1,000 on CR500's opinion
Some try feeding "metro" and a bonding agent, but what good is it if the aren't eating.
I also did that cleaner wrassee thing. I shoud have saved the $22. It got ick too and who knows what the heck they really eat. Probably excess mucus.........
I lost 4 fish, waited 2 months then added a "test" fish back. All is well. I will tell you my six line and one firefish survived. It all apparently</em> started with a blue tang.
 
IVEgotCRABS;533848 wrote: not what i meant here
you guys are taking this all wrong
jmaneyapanda i have read at least 30 to 60 articles on this and many other marine disiese(spell check)
i just wanted all of your adventures and tales of what works and what doesnt


thanks to all of you who actually gave your input but i give up on this thread
and by the way nothing will ever stop me from wanting to learn more about reef tanks. im not a quiter

IVEgotCRABS;533863 wrote: so where can i get the garlic(brand) and the vitamins:up:

Ok, I done with your nonsense. Youve read 30-60 articles on marine disease, but dont know how to treat the most common, prolific, and most commonly treated disease?! And, then just flat out ask, what should I buy, and where? Good luck dude. I foresee failure. just my opinion.
 
cr500_af;533990 wrote: I'm of the firm belief that "Kick-Ich" doesn't work. I also believe that anything short of UV exposure that will kill Ich is NOT reef-safe. My opinion is that it goes like this:
1. owner spots ich on fish.
2. owner does quick reading on what to do and runs off to store.
3. owner starts treatment
4. by a couple of days into treatment, the ich has finished its parasitic phase, and has dropped off the fish.

So, the owner believes that the stuff worked.
He or she may believe that for a long time, since it is very possible that the tank has remained stress-free for quite a while and the fish have avoided any further outbreaks.

I have had ONE fish show ich in my tank. It was very short-term, and I fed well... things turned out OK. Nothing (knock on wood) in over a year. However, I'm not naive enough to think that ich is not living in my system... just like 99% of the systems in our homes.


agreed 1 dillion percent.
 
Healthy fish will not show signs of ich, everyone of us has ich in our system whether we agree or not. Healthy fish cannot die from ich. Stressors are the primary cause. Usually ich is just a sign of other ailments or stress that have weakened the immune system.

Kinda like HIV and Aids. If you live healthy and eat properly and have HIV you will not go full blown.
 
I agree with Assault. QT everything and you won't get ich in your DT!

I don't believe ich can be beat with vitamins. Yes, it will build the fish immune system and help it to fight off ich.
However, ich will still be in your system and feeding on your fish, just maybe not in numbers that are noticeable.

Ich is not a disease, it is a parasite.:eek: A living thing, that must be killed to get rid of.

If you truly want to rid ich from your system, you must pull all fish out for a period of 6 weeks. I know the cylcle is considered to be 4 weeks, but there are factors which can speed up/slow down this process. I recommend 6 or more weeks to be sure. During this time the ich will go thru 4 stages of life. At the stage where it would feed on your fish, there won't be any fish to feed on, and it will starve and die.

That takes care of the DT. During this time, you need to treat your fish(which are in QT) with either hyposalinity(maintained daily and accurately at 1.009) OR with copper. Do not do both.

Side note: The benefits from garlic(other than to stimulate appetite) are only present when garlic is freshly crushed. If you want to use garlic for it's anti-biotic value, get garlic cloves and crush them. Soak your fish food in this, no more than a minute, and feed immediately.

This is just my opinion and my experience.
 
Shrimpy Brains;534041 wrote: I agree with Assault. QT everything and you won't get ich in your DT!

I don't believe ich can be beat with vitamins. Yes, it will build the fish immune system and help it to fight off ich.
However, ich will still be in your system and feeding on your fish, just maybe not in numbers that are noticeable.

Ich is not a disease, it is a parasite.:eek: A living thing, that must be killed to get rid of.

If you truly want to rid ich from your system, you must pull all fish out for a period of 6 weeks. I know the cylcle is considered to be 4 weeks, but there are factors which can speed up/slow down this process. I recommend 6 or more weeks to be sure. During this time the ich will go thru 4 stages of life. At the stage where it would feed on your fish, there won't be any fish to feed on, and it will starve and die.

That takes care of the DT. During this time, you need to treat your fish(which are in QT) with either hyposalinity(maintained daily and accurately at 1.009) OR with copper. Do not do both.

Side note: The benefits from garlic(other than to stimulate appetite) are only present when garlic is freshly crushed. If you want to use garlic for it's anti-biotic value, get garlic cloves and crush them. Soak your fish food in this, no more than a minute, and feed immediately.

This is just my opinion and my experience.

I never stated it can be beat with vitamins..please don't put my name by that statement (not that you did but I want to be clear). I stated that I use vitamins and garlic daily and never had an issue. I also did not state the purpose of the garlic. Garlic is intended to enhance food and make it enticing to eat for the fish. It has not been proven nor disproven to be beneficial to the immune system but the belief is it may </em>have some health value as it does in human beings. Once again not proven. I have never heard of it being of anti biotic value. It works for me and I will continue to use it going forward.

Kick Ick may </em>be reef safe. I say this because it seemingly does not work. If a product worked, chances are it would not not be reef safe. The studies I have done on it show it is basically harmless. I am sure there are others that say it does harm. I do not believe it works but I have reputable people in the field (including sponsers) that do testify that it works and they use it. Garlic Guard and others are useful not just freshly crushed garlic. That is why the product is made.

I just wanted to clarify my position. I believe in all natural approaches but also use vitamins as an all natural approach as well. <u>QT is a preventive from spreading ich to other inhabitants. It does not stop ich. Even after a fish is QT'ed, once exposed to a DT, ich can still start up based on the stress level.</u></em> My .02 and I am sure others will disagree which is to be expected in this hobby.
 
There is so much lost, when reading, as opposed to hearing someone talk. I was only stating my opinion/experience, as the OP requested.

I apologize if it seemed to be anything else. :sad:
 
Shrimpy Brains;534064 wrote: There is so much lost, when reading, as opposed to hearing someone talk. I was only stating my opinion/experience, as the OP requested.

I apologize if it seemed to be anything else. :sad:

No problem. Forums and emails are soooo impersonal!!! :)

I just wanted to clarify myself. This is a very passionate hobby!!
 
Not to threadjack, but here is a link about garlic. It is not the one I originally read, but it does have the basic info. If you google
garlic and allicin, you find alot of info. Thought it was interesting!

a>
 
Fish Scales2;533826 wrote: NO MEDS ARE NEEDED. I turn off lights when introducing new fish and I add them at night. (less likely to have any battles. Feed less food but more often. Use vitamins to help build immune system. And for you fish' sake get a small qt. Angels are suspect to osmotic shock as well.

Why would you not want links? It helps so much to read other peoples experiences.

This is how I won. I tried everything, left the tank fallow for 80 days. Treated the fish in a glass bottom tank (75 gallon) 50% water changes every three days, Formalin/Formaldehyde with methylene blue dips, fresh water dips, hypo salinity. None of that crap worked NONE! 6 MONTH BATTLE and allot of money!! What worked for me is what Chris said, through the chemicals in the garbage, let them fish build its immune system back up, feed it high quality foods, and give it vitamins via water treatment (buffered sodium ascorbate - pure powder vitamin c) and let it come out of shock. If a human has immune system deficiency do you put them through chemotherapy. Also remember that to many antibiotics are just as bad. Last as I have stated along with several others, you have to slow down, read and QT........
 
Fish Scales2;534039 wrote: Healthy fish will not show signs of ich, everyone of us has ich in our system whether we agree or not. Healthy fish cannot die from ich. Stressors are the primary cause. Usually ich is just a sign of other ailments or stress that have weakened the immune system.

Kinda like HIV and Aids. If you live healthy and eat properly and have HIV you will not go full blown.

My conclusion after the worst outbreak I ever experienced lost a wonderful blond naso through it. Guess what! All the fish ended up in the tank as I ran out of money, feed them well and left them be added a new Naso and why is it that my fish are ich free! They are healthy and no longer stressed out. Eating well and taking 1 teaspoon of vitamin c into my 115 gallons of water a week. If they live healthy have clean water and the vitamins that they get when there in the ocean they will be healthy I promise. The harder you fight the more it wins. I think I spent 500.00 learning this. Yes my fish are in a tank that had an ich outbreak 12 months ago, 6 months ago, 3 months ago, and now no more. Hmmmm it disappeared. A stressed fish will get ich. I have added fish and have watched this happen. Chris is 1 million % right IMO and IME!
 
Assault;534113 wrote: I have had my share of stressed fish, but never a fish with Ich or any other health problems, I've never had any parasite problems whatsoever. I'd like to think it was because of the super long QT periods, or the UV doing it's job, or only buying from stores and members that practice good methods themselves. The guy that did maintenance on my tank taught me one thing. If anythings questionable don't do it. So nothing risky ever went in my tanks.

I will say that I have bought from stores that have great fish some are wonderful sponsors some are not even sponsors, but every fish has still been the flip of a coin. I never disagree with long QT. Not everyone has this option though. Should they leave the hobby? I went 4 years with no issues. Then one day I bought a fish from a sponsor dosent mater who, they QT and treat there fish, and that was 500.00 down the tube to learn how to deal with it. NOW I know how to deal with it. Once a fish has been at a members house that takes care of them its all:up:. Those are the best fish to buy! I spent way to much to learn this lesson. Its a sensitive situation. Johnr knows ohh so well what I went through.
 
Assault;534113 wrote: If anythings questionable don't do it. So nothing risky ever went in my tanks.

I agree with him 110% on that. See I had to learn this the hard way. You are right.

:up:
 
Not only fish but I feel the same way about corals. Members corals have always done better than store bought IMO.

Mike...are you going to the BBQ? Wondering if you could bring me some vitamin C please?
 
coolsurf;534138 wrote: Not only fish but I feel the same way about corals. Members corals have always done better than store bought IMO.

Mike...are you going to the BBQ? Wondering if you could bring me some vitamin C please?

I dont think we will make it. I could meet you at ATA if need be! You need to see my tank though!!!!LMK
 
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