Ick/Ich problem...

[thedeper]

So I woke up this morning and my new Coral Beauty has a bunch of white spots, which leads me to think it is Ick.

What should I do? I don't have a quarantine tank, I am gonna go down to the LFS and get some treatment for it. Does anyone have any suggestions so that I dont have an outbreak with my other fish?

BTW the fish is not sluggish or anything like that and I gave a lil food to see if it would eat and it is eating fine.

 

[jtshack]

Whoa!! Before you go get treatment, what's in your tank? Any invertebrates or corals? Be careful...the treatment for ick can kill invertebrates and corals. If your fish is still eating and acting okay, there are other ways to treat that won't hurt anything else in your tank. (And as long as your fish continues to eat and act normally, there's a good chance it'll heal on it's own.) Since you don't have a QT, you may need to consider those alternative treatments. Do you have a UV sterilizer? Good investment if you don't. Won't cure ick, but it can be helpful in ridding your tank of it a little quicker. I've always raised my temp to 82 degrees for a week as well to speed up the ick life cycle. My mom invested in a cleaner wrasse and it literally began eating the ick off her Dory. With this thread, you're sure to get a LOT of members who can offer various things to do to naturally cure your Coral Beauty of ick. Meds are dangerous in a SW tank and can do more damage than the ick itself. Please, please, please be cautious...and good luck! :thumbs:

 

[thedeper]

I have actually raised my temp to 80-81 range. I suppose I did jump the gun on the treatment part but I just did not want a total system crash because of Ich. I have read on a freshwater dip, but have never attempted it. Is this a good solution or should I maybe just ride it out for a day or two and see what happens?

 

[jtshack]

If you're already seeing the ick, it's already all through your system. I would ride it out and see how it goes. You're right to be concerned, but don't be in a rush to do anything else that will stress him out further. Just give him a little time and keep your eye on him. Have you moved LR in the tank or added new fish or done anything that you can think of that might have stressed the little guy out over the last few days?

 

[thedeper]

Not really... I picked him up from the LFS last week sometime. He was in their tanks probably no more than an hour, so maybe the combined shipping stress then acclimating could have sparked it.

 

[jtshack]

Ahh...there ya go. Just give him some time. Keep an eye on him and keep us posted.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3661">Start reading here</a>...

FW dip is ok but you have to be careful when doing them... You HAVE to have a PH pen to make sure the PH is exactly right... A better way to go would be Formalin dip IMHO. Just know that most "treatments" sold by LFS do not work. You are going to have to start up a QT/Hospital tank if you want to treat, there is just no other way...

 

[thedeper]

Thanks a lot for that thread...

 

[skriz]

I would feed, feed and feed! Keep the fish full and healthy; it will fight off the ich by itself.

 

[jtshack]

Skriz;195305 wrote: I would feed, feed and feed! Keep the fish full and healthy; it will fight off the ich by itself.

That was my thought too Raj, but I didn't want to buck the Prez!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

jtshack;195306 wrote: That was my thought too Raj, but I didn't want to buck the Prez!

LOL... You can buck me... I do not mind... and it would not be the first time.

 

[jtshack]

Xyzpdq0121;195308 wrote: LOL... You can buck me... I do not mind... and it would not be the first time.

I know, and I appreciate that about you, but there seems to be a lot of it lately and that's not a train I want to board. Didn't get to meet you at my first meeting in June, so looking forward to meeting you at the BBQ!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Look forward to meeting you too Tracey... Except I know the crowd you run around with (that Chris guy) and I am not sure that is the best first impression that you can make!!!

Ok end Hijack... Back to curing Ich and the open debate as to what is the best way.

To clear up one thing... You will not have a "total system crash" due to Ich. Pretty unlikely..

 

[brazilian]

where did you buy the fish? I have the same problem witha blue hippo from the aviarium....

 

[jtshack]

Brazilian;195319 wrote: where did you buy the fish? I have the same problem witha blue hippo from the aviarium....

Not really the point...can happen from livestock from ANY supplier, local or otherwise.

 

[skriz]

jtshack;195310 wrote: I know, and I appreciate that about you, but there seems to be a lot of it lately and that's not a train I want to board. Didn't get to meet you at my first meeting in June, so looking forward to meeting you at the BBQ!

You're not missing much!

Brazilian;195319 wrote: where did you buy the fish? I have the same problem witha blue hippo from the aviarium....

Irrelevant. Ich is not an issue with a particular vendor or lfs. It is a parasite that exists in the wild and is the most common problem you'll encounter in this hobby. Ich is especially prevalent among blue hippo tangs.

 

[thedeper]

The lil guy is still feisty and ruling the tank with an iron fist, kicking all of the damsels butt's. I am doubling my normal feeding for him and giving him some extra garlic supplements and just going to monitor him for now and try to not stress him out too much.

 

[skriz]

thedeper;195332 wrote: The lil guy is still feisty and ruling the tank with an iron fist, kicking all of the damsels butt's. I am doubling my normal feeding for him and giving him some extra garlic supplements and just going to monitor him for now and try to not stress him out too much.

Good plan. A way to reduce hostility and stress when introducing a new fish is to rearrange the rocks a bit and turn off the lights for a day. May be a little late for that now, but maybe for future additions?

 

[thedeper]

Yeah I will for sure remember all of these steps for any future additions into my tank. I have cut down my lighting time this week as well because of an algae problem, so maybe all will be ok.

 

[derek_s]

How's it going? I'm fighting an ick reoccurence on my Hippo as well. Bah.