Any tips for Ick?

[Emerald525]

We can't seem to get rid of Ick in the tank. The only fish prone to it are the 2 hippo tangs. Everyone else looks fine. We have tried using Murine Max which helps. We have a cleaner wrasse but he's more interested in the fish food then cleaning the tangs. We have tried feeding them garlic in the seaweed but they don't like it. Any ideas?

[ciao]

I've never heard of a cleaner wrasse. Has anybody else? What types do cleaning? I thought the only things that cleans the tangs are those cleaner shrimp

[reef165]

Ick is caused by or activated by stress. So you need to first let us know your water params, what other livestock you have. What seems to work pritty good is Hyposalinity, raise your salinity in the tank slowly over a couple days to around 2.5 ( I think is the # or maybe a little higher) Also you can quarentine them in another tank and use some copper in that tank. Copper will destroy them, but you need to know what's causing them the stress or they will keep getting it.

[reef165]

I just realized that 2.5 might be to high. I wasn't thinking. 1.8 or maybe a little higher is more like it.

[dsoz]

Only leaving your tank empty of ALL fish for 2 months will help to get rid of the parasite.

 

Then religious use of QT and treatment of all incoming fish/rock/frags/inverts/snails/crabs/etc.. Only then is there a chance of not having ick in your tank. Good luck. I was unsuccessful.

 

There are some that say that RubyReef KickIck works if you double the dose for double the time. The downside is that it is expensive.

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/Ruby_Reef_Kick_Ich_Saltwater_Parasite_Medications-Ruby_Reef-RR1111-FIMEPS-vi.html

 

 

dsoz

[jgf86123]

Getting rid of ich.

 

Ok the proper prcedures require 2 parts.

 

First: set up a QT tank, it will become your best friend. You will need a tank big enough to house all of your fish for the next 6-8 weeks. You will then slowly, after adding all of your fish to the tank, drop your salinity to 1.008 and you will keep it there for 6 weeks. Then raise your salinity back to normal, 1.025, after that add the fish back to the tank.

 

Second: for the entire time your fish are in QT, keep the display fishless. The ich, over that 6-8 week period will die out.

 

And from now on, any and all fish added are quarantined. Whatever you do, do not hypo your display, you will kill all of your corals and inverts. That is the only method guaranteed to keep you ich free for good.

 

Hypersalinity, what reef suggested can work, but its a much longer process and you are much more likely to lose fish.

 

Just my .02 worth.

[nnewhouse]

Ok the proper prcedures require 2 parts.

 

First: set up a QT tank, it will become your best friend. You will need a tank big enough to house all of your fish for the next 6-8 weeks. You will then slowly, after adding all of your fish to the tank, drop your salinity to 1.008 and you will keep it there for 6 weeks. Then raise your salinity back to normal, 1.025, after that add the fish back to the tank.

 

Second: for the entire time your fish are in QT, keep the display fishless. The ich, over that 6-8 week period will die out.

 

And from now on, any and all fish added are quarantined. Whatever you do, do not hypo your display, you will kill all of your corals and inverts. That is the only method guaranteed to keep you ich free for good.

 

Hypersalinity, what reef suggested can work, but its a much longer process and you are much more likely to lose fish.

 

Just my .02 worth.

 

 

X2 This process worked really well for our tangs! The only thing we did different was the time the fish were in quarantine. We had no time line (i.e. 6 weeks) we just left the fish in the hypo for 2 weeks after the last spot of ick disappeared. Some fish will react differently so it make take more or less time. Be sure to keep the QT very clean (regular water changes) otherwise the fish might develop lateral line.