Ick Question

[rk4435]

I have two new fish that have Ick, a Powder Brown Tang and a Blue Throat Trigger. I picked them up Tuesday from a LFS. Both are still active and eating.

They are in my old display tank (36 gallon) waiting to go in the 90 gallon display. I removed them from the tank and did a freshwater dip (RO/ DI ) and I was wondering what conventional knowledge you guys may have for how I should move forward.

A) Do nothing as long as they are active and eating.

B) Use a copper based treatment and dip them per instructions.

C) Do periodic freshwater dips.

For what it's worth I have Ick X and copper safe by Sentry on hand to dip with based on feedback from the experts here.

Feel free to offer any other advise.

 

[rdnelson]

Mix a batch of food with Metro, Focus and Garlic Guard. Feed small amounts 3 or 4 times a day. Keep feeding that for several days after you no longer see the ick.


I am going on a cruise.....on my lawnmower around my yard.

 

[rk4435]

Thanks, do you know who makes those, I've heard of them but have never seen them in my area.

Also, are they safe to use in the display tank?

 

[cutman1975]

While u have them already out treat them with the copper yes its hard on the fish but u know its gone I have use focus and metro and that is hit and miss the only true way to get rid of is copper just my two cents

 

[rdnelson]

I have never used CU but if there is nothing else in the tank you should be good with it. Metro and focus should be available at any fish store.


I am going on a cruise.....on my lawnmower around my yard.

 

[jennm]

I'd be careful with the copper. IF you feel you must use copper, I'd go with Cupramine by Seachem - it's less harsh. That tang is sensitive - I'd avoid copper altogether if possible, the Ich-X is good, IMO - it's Formalin based and also addresses a variety of other ectoparasites. Since you have it on hand, that would be my drug of choice.

Seachem also makes Metronidazole and Focus (mentioned above)... do that in the food (versus as a water treatment). You can do that instead of copper OR Ich-X... keep them well fed regardless of the method, but do keep a close eye on water quality too.

Since you have them in a quarantine tank :yay: You can also try hyposalinity (low salinity) and that can be used with any of the suggestions above.

Jenn

 

[brandonmason]

I know you said blue throat trigger and powder brown tang, but just fyi if there are other fish that were in the tank with these guys chances are they are all infected. If you have a puffer fish I would advise against Copper as I've read that it is especially rough on them. I would do like Jenn said as it typically works 9 times out if 10

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[rk4435]

I decided to go hypo salinity, sadly the two fish were in my old display and it still has substrate. I moved them to another tank ( since I have too many) to properly quarantine and treat.

I found a couple of good journal articles about hypo treatment and feel comfortable with it. I am going to break down the 36 and get it set back up to properly handle the hypo treatment long term.

I am resisting any efforts to medicate but will use Ich X if I need to. It is my understanding that using any medication while doing the hypo treatment could be bad because the medicines are formulated to work in the normal salinity range.

I may have missed this above, is it safe to use the metro and focus in my display tank with the non affected fish just in case I ever suspect a problem there. The thought of trying to catch fish in there is scary and would be difficult.

 

[cutman1975]

To answer ? Yes it is just mix with food.

 

[rk4435]

Sadly, the Chattanooga LFS do not carry Metro or Focus, yet another Amazon order.

 

[jennm]

You should ask them to stock it - any of the suppliers they might use, should carry it. It's like "first aid kit" stuff.

Sounds like you have a good plan. Keep us posted

Jenn

 

[jennm]

Sounds like "morning ich". I've made similar observations and so have many others, where fish present with spots that are gone by noon. Still needs treatment, as a full-blown infestation would, it just oddly manifests itself in the early part of the day.

Jenn

 

[rk4435]

Pleasure to meet you as well JW. I'll let you know if the shipment shows up today, I am not sure who is delivering it. Fedex and UPS tend to get to my house rather late.

 

[rk4435]

My Seachem Metro arrived but the Focus and Garlic Guard did not.

Is it effective to treat the two fish in QT with Metro in the water column while doing the Hyposalinity treatment or am I better off to wait until tomorrow for the other items and do it with food?

 

[jennm]

Yes, it can be treated. Usually ich doesn't kill the fish - the secondary bacterial infection does.

RK... you can either treat the water, or treat the food. Focus helps bind the medicine to the food, but in a pinch you can put a bit in the food for now, til the Focus arrives. Garlic just helps mask the taste, and provides a natural immune booster - you can use fresh garlic if you wish. I've used the juice out of a jar of minced garlic in the past.

Jenn

 

[rk4435]

Thanks for the advice Jenn. My sick fish tore up the mysis with Metro and minced garlic juice. The real question now, will J.W. Manage to pick up the Metro that I left out for him w/o getting picked up for drug trafficking?

What do you think when you see someone pick up a small container with white powder?

 

[jennm]

:lol:

I know the feeling - I've dished out baggies of buffer and stuff, if somebody was short of cash but needed a "fix" ... for low pH.

Or the time I met somebody behind a gas station to buy a frag... he's in a black Escalade... I pull up, roll down my window, he jumps out of his vehicle, hands me a baggie, I hand him a 20... I realize lots of members do this sort of thing regularly - folks used to bring their stuff right to me - I felt so weird doing a deal in a parking lot! Was waiting to get busted! :lol:

Jenn

 

[rdnelson]

Visions of Jenn in a dark alley wearing a trench coat saying "pssst Hey Kid. Want to buy a coral?"



I am going on a cruise.....on my lawnmower around my yard.

 

[jennm]

LOL! Well people *did* accuse me of fueling their (coral) addiction...

Jenn

 

[rk4435]

No problem J.W., glad I could help. I hope my Metro arrives today, the Amazon package was damaged at some point so UPS returned it before it made it to me.