ICH in saltwater tank
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If there are coral in the tank, you will need to move the fish to a separate system and treat with copper. It is recommended that the main tank remain fallow for at least 3 months to allow the ich to complete its life cycle and die off.
For treatment, I was successful with a 90 gallon stock tank keeping the water at 1.010 for 6 weeks, then bringing it up to 1.025 for a few more while I left the display fish free for 10 weeks. I did loose a couple fish in the stock tank, but I had already lost half of them to ich while trying out the medicated food and hope strategy before I started low salinity treatment. It was a pain, but I actually had the stock tank outside from August until the beginning of November with no problems. Two 300W heaters kept the temperature stable.
in freshwater, i treated ich with increasing temperatures since tropical fish could withstand the higher heats for a short time. not sure if this treatment works in marine tanks...
Doesn't apply to saltwater.
There is a huge thread on ich treatment on reef central. Many people there seem to advocate the "tank transfer" method, but it seems troublesome when you have many fish, and you need to leave the display fallow for 10 weeks regardless.
Other people are successful with the medicated food, garlic and hope strategy, but I wasn't so lucky.
ic - good to know, thanks
Setup a Quarantine Tank and treat the fish with Cupramine. Leave the tank fallow for a minimum of 6 week. While fish are in QT feed them an enriched diet with vitamins/garlic guard.
Then become proactive not reactive. All new fish in the future go through a QT process for 4-6 weeks. I personally treat with medications even if the fish doesn't show signs of disease. Never had an issue since adopting this method
Then become proactive not reactive. All new fish in the future go through a QT process for 4-6 weeks. I personally treat with medications even if the fish doesn't show signs of disease. Never had an issue since adopting this method
The exact treatment you choose can vary, but QT is required if you want to avoid ich (and other issues). If you don't QT, you will get it eventually, and it will suck. I don't know of any area fish store that does a proper QT process which would allow you to confidently bring a fish home and plop it in your display.
If this is what you sent me a PM about, I don't think it's ich.
I think it's Lymphocystis. Don't do anything except look for what's stressing the Cardinal.
It's extremely rare for Cardinals to get ich - or any other disease, except the mysterious ailment that seems to claim newly harvested wild-caught Banggai specimens (that's another post).
Pajama cardinals are nearly indestructible.
If it's the same as this thread: http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103431">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103431</a>
A picture will tell the tale. In the other thread, somebody suggested fungus but fungus is very rare in saltwater, and even rarer, IME in Cardinals.
Jenn
I think it's Lymphocystis. Don't do anything except look for what's stressing the Cardinal.
It's extremely rare for Cardinals to get ich - or any other disease, except the mysterious ailment that seems to claim newly harvested wild-caught Banggai specimens (that's another post).
Pajama cardinals are nearly indestructible.
If it's the same as this thread: http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103431">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103431</a>
A picture will tell the tale. In the other thread, somebody suggested fungus but fungus is very rare in saltwater, and even rarer, IME in Cardinals.
Jenn
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Just my 2c but I don't do anything, stressed fish tend to get Ich and you need to solve that problem but trying to catch them, stick them into another tank etc usually just kills them. I just keep feeding, lots of garlic seaweed, try remove any stress factors and generally they make it on their own.
I have had good luck with the transfer and treat method. I have read (don't know as a fact, but it makes sense) that an elevated tank temp will speed up the ich life cycle. When I went through ich, I transferred, treated with cupramine, and elevated the DT temp to 82 degrees. Fallow for six weeks.
if they can handle fresh water for 7-10 minutes they get that.
just fresh tap water at 75f.
that is if they are covered in it and are laboring at the surface.
otherwise it goes away on its own ime.
if you have a dirty tank or bad parameters, there is no saving it short of copper
just fresh tap water at 75f.
that is if they are covered in it and are laboring at the surface.
otherwise it goes away on its own ime.
if you have a dirty tank or bad parameters, there is no saving it short of copper
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