Got my first fish from lfs, got it home & noticed Ich.

After the years I have been in this hobby, I have learned not to really sweat ich. Personally, I don't think there is a tank out there that is 100% pest/disease free. I remember, from the freshwater days, ich was almost certain death for fish. Not so much with saltwater in my experience. My powder brown had a little bit when I brought him home, as did my rabbit fish. Both of them are just fine now. If my powder brown popped up with ich tomorrow, I wouldn't sweat it. Just good food, water quality and good husbandry is generally all that's needed.

 

sorry to hear, ich sucks

 

qt tank, and cooper

 

Yeah totally not gonna sweat it any more. Ok, maybe a lil. But now I've had my first deal with ich, I've at least got some experience & the know how. As easily that he kicked it, I think he's had it before. He's pretty much full grown. And I only had him a few days & was feeding a few diff meats & the ich was gone. I didn't find any selcon around me, so I'm waiting til I put in a larger order to get it.

 

I'm not gonna go to that extent for just the few fish I'm gonna have. I don't have extra tanks & pumps & such to do that. He mostly fought this off on his own. So I'm a believer in less stress, who doesn't want that? Lol

 

Don't be surprised if it comes back, and don't be worried about it.

You do need to properly QT fish that you have. Even when a fish comes from a LFS they most of hte time use medications in their display tanks (one reason you NEVER EVER use the LFS water in your tank).

Just because the spots are gone does not mean that the ICH is. The only way to really get rid of it, is to take ALL fish out of the tank, Let the tank go fallow for at least 8-12 weeks. All the fish must be treated to get rid of the ICH. Taking out only the infected fish does nothing since ICH spores may have dropped from the fish.

As stated above ICH is in most systems and need to just keep it in check.

There is a new food out (well not sure how new it is right now), but it is made by Dr G's. Supposed to get rid of ICH by treating the fish from the inside out without copper.

Remember that the ICH starts in the gills and then moves out to the fish in the form of the spots. The spots then drop off the fish to the substrate/rocks and from there they explode and multiply. So after a small outbreak the second may be worse.

Keep the fish well fed and happy, stress is what can make the fish be more susceptable to ICH.

Do not raise the temp that is for FW only.

I am not sure how much coral you actually have in the tank, but the other way you could go at it is HYPO,(lowering the salinity). But you would need to transplant your corals elsewhere.

Good Luck!

 

Huge thumbs up.

 

Agree with previous poster. I will say that if you can prevent ich from entering from now on (through qt) the strain currently in your tank will wear itself down and die off but it takes almost a year.

 

If you truly want to keep ICH out then you must QT everything!!! Yes everything even corals.

For example.

You are at your LFS or see a nice frag online that you want to buy, and it is a beautiful torch (my favorites). But one of the heads is dead (which is not an issue in of itself). But remember what the skeleton of a torch looks like. It is like a crevace in a rock. So lets say that the frag was in a tank that has ICH, and when the spores dropped off of the fish and fell into the skeleton of the torch. You bring home that gorgeous gold aussie torch and put it in your tank, and then BAM all of a sudden you see spots on your fish but you havent added any fish to the tank.

ICH can ride in on anything. Now will dipping help the corals? Maybe something like a zoa since the ICH spore (as far as I read) does not attach to itself just kinda sits on the substrate, so you may be able to get them off with even a FW dip by shaking them pretty well,

But down deep in the crevace of a torch or other LPS? not so sure even a dip will help.

So unless you have the capability of QT'n everything then you are always open to something being brought in, even ICH.

 

Thanks, I never considered ich riding in on corals. I'm not saying that setting up a qt is not in my future, I'm just not big on fish. The only fish I really want to add later on is a jaw fish. I imagine a jaw fish or any sand sifter would be very susceptible to get ich from the sand. I might do a qt just for that fact. I still have my old 56 drilled tank. But it leaks along the bottom & needs completely resealed. I might put it on Craigslist & see if anyone wants to trade it for a 20g or so. I only have the one fish & 2 cleaner shrimp with some crabs. I currently have one colony of zoas, but I ordered more corals recently & will be in next week.