Question....

Hi.. long time ago, we had a discussion on how washing everything with fresh water wouldnt get rid of ick in a tank.. And that the only way to go was to wait 6-8 weeks fishless.

im still waiting. (3 weeks now) no pressure.

i was bored, so i started reading on ick. I read that most of the parasites wouldnt resist fresh water. (thus the so-called freshwater dip)

so i was wondering. If this parasite is vulnerable to fresh water so much, how come i didnt get rid of them after i washed everything with fresh water??

supposedly the only way this annoyances can survive, is if they are already on a fish gills. where the mucus the fish produces protects it.

can you guys explain if this is wrong? partially wrong? or right?
and explain my tank situation too please.

 

Refresh us with the situation.
What type of fish has ich? What are you feeding and is it a new fish?

 

clowns. ( they dont have it anymore.. or at least not visible.) they have been in treatment for 3 weeks. tomorrow with copper.

the situation was, that i had it. but i used a reef safe medicine that turned my water green. Tried carbon. didnt work.

so took everything down and washed EVERYTHING. with fresh water. and so many people told me that i still had to wait the 6-8 weeks fishless. (which i am... but i came across a page with the info above.. and so the question)

 

anyone else?

 

????

 

no one really?

 

24 views and only 1 anwer? c'm on.

 

To truly understand ich you have to understand the life cycle.

I doubt I have this completely right but this should give you a good understanding of how elusive those little buggers can be.

Ill start in the cycle where they are in the fish. This is where the fresh water dip can help to kill the ich from the fish.

They then drop off the fish into the substrate and rock. They live in the substrate and rock for awhile and this is why fresh water dipping the fish does not kill it off.

there is then a stage where they are free floating in the water column. this is when they are susceptible to medication in the water.

Then they hop back on the fish again.

At any one time they are most likely partially in more than one stage so even a fresh water dip at just the right time leaves some either in the water or in the substrate or maybe both.

To truly eliminate all of them with fresh water you would have to: fresh water dip all your fish, replace all of your water, clean everything with fresh water, and nuke your live rock and substrate. All at the same exact time. You would then start a cycle with brand new water and have to put your fish in that water. The stress from all of this would most likely kill your sick fish.

This is why your tank has to be fallow. You need to put your fish in a tank you can kill off all small bacteria while the ich is left to live out and die its life cycle because it has no fish to get on and complete another cycle.

Again I want to say I'm sure some of this is not exact but this should show you why its a complicated thing to get under control and why only patience can work.

 

oh ok... that kinda makes sence. now that is what i was looking for. ( still willing to hear more though so keep the comments coming).

 

this will help many other people.. so spill your knowledge here!