Steven: I'll try to keep this as brief as I can. I just want to say thanks for the great articles you've written regarding ich.
I have a new 120 reef tank I set up three weeks ago, it was an upgrade from my 55.
It has about 130 pounds of live rock, some mixed coral, and five fish, a scopas and kole tang, two algae blennies, and a large old blue damsel.
In the dumbest move ever I placed some coral from a fellow local reefer in my tank with out quarantine, and now my two tangs are showing spots of ich. It's been two days since the white spots appeared.
The fish are otherwise healthy, and are eating normally.
My plan of attack is this.
1. remove the fish to a 29 gallon hospital tank for up to eight weeks, or more if needed.
2. I will first try feeding with the seachem medication Metronidazole, with focus, fresh garlic, all mixed with sanfransisco's brand emerald entree. I will use this method for 30 days and see if the ich goes away.
3. if the medication mix does not work, I will either try the 50% water changes you outlined, or try treating with cupramine. I know these are two drastically different methods, but I have not made up my mind which one to try.
my big problem is that I will not be able to be home for the two weeks required for either of the treatments. I will be able to have someone feed the fish in the hospital tank, which is why I was going to try the food/med combo first.
I could not have them do the required water changes or worse try to monitor the cupramine levels while I'm away.
Due to my schedule the fish may have to remain in the hospital tank for an extended period of time. I am going to get the fish out of the tank tomorrow, so that should give the tank more than enough time to clear.
4. another option I have is to switch the fish to another tank every four days, I have a 15 gallon tank I can set up as well. I know this is too small for the tangs, it would only be long enough to empty the 29, dry it and fill it with new water. though if you do this, what do you do for a biological filter? I would prefer to do the 50% water changes when I have the time, I'm just skeptical that it would remove all the ich. What if even just one tomont, or theront survives and gets transfered back to the main tank?
That's why I was thinking of using the cupramine to be sure that all the ich is dead. It seems like the only sure solution.
I thought if the fish were acclimated to the hospital tank for a while and eating well, that would keep there strength up for the time they were exposed to the copper treatment.
I would be grateful for any advice you can give me. I want to make sure the ich is gone for good. the amount of time the fish are out of the main tank is not an issue to me. if I have to get a bigger tank for the hospital tank I will.
sincerely,
Jonathan Hale
I have a new 120 reef tank I set up three weeks ago, it was an upgrade from my 55.
It has about 130 pounds of live rock, some mixed coral, and five fish, a scopas and kole tang, two algae blennies, and a large old blue damsel.
In the dumbest move ever I placed some coral from a fellow local reefer in my tank with out quarantine, and now my two tangs are showing spots of ich. It's been two days since the white spots appeared.
The fish are otherwise healthy, and are eating normally.
My plan of attack is this.
1. remove the fish to a 29 gallon hospital tank for up to eight weeks, or more if needed.
2. I will first try feeding with the seachem medication Metronidazole, with focus, fresh garlic, all mixed with sanfransisco's brand emerald entree. I will use this method for 30 days and see if the ich goes away.
3. if the medication mix does not work, I will either try the 50% water changes you outlined, or try treating with cupramine. I know these are two drastically different methods, but I have not made up my mind which one to try.
my big problem is that I will not be able to be home for the two weeks required for either of the treatments. I will be able to have someone feed the fish in the hospital tank, which is why I was going to try the food/med combo first.
I could not have them do the required water changes or worse try to monitor the cupramine levels while I'm away.
Due to my schedule the fish may have to remain in the hospital tank for an extended period of time. I am going to get the fish out of the tank tomorrow, so that should give the tank more than enough time to clear.
4. another option I have is to switch the fish to another tank every four days, I have a 15 gallon tank I can set up as well. I know this is too small for the tangs, it would only be long enough to empty the 29, dry it and fill it with new water. though if you do this, what do you do for a biological filter? I would prefer to do the 50% water changes when I have the time, I'm just skeptical that it would remove all the ich. What if even just one tomont, or theront survives and gets transfered back to the main tank?
That's why I was thinking of using the cupramine to be sure that all the ich is dead. It seems like the only sure solution.
I thought if the fish were acclimated to the hospital tank for a while and eating well, that would keep there strength up for the time they were exposed to the copper treatment.
I would be grateful for any advice you can give me. I want to make sure the ich is gone for good. the amount of time the fish are out of the main tank is not an issue to me. if I have to get a bigger tank for the hospital tank I will.
sincerely,
Jonathan Hale
