# No fish, darn. So how long in sick tank...



## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

Well instead of losing fish or watching them flash around the tank I've decided to take em all out.

Five chromis and couple of tangs. There getting treated with Cupramine and I'm just wondering how long to leave them out. I've heard 4-8 weeks which sounds vague.

Any input appreciated thanks.


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## Vinoy Thomas (Jan 4, 2013)

We need some information on what your treating them for...

Wild guess, ich???

If so, I've been successful a few times. Keep treating them all with cupramine for a month (or more if visible signs persist) and periodically check to see there visible stress level. Just keep stress to a minimum and you'll be fine (in my case at least). Don't move stuff around or move the fish themselves around, no drastic changes for the duration of their stay in the QT tank.

Vinoy


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## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

Yeah ich, missed that. From what I've heard on different forums is that you can irradicate ich as long as there's no one to host them. 

What worries me is my gold rim tang is such a wuss and is easily stressed and actually more at home in the sick tank. 

I'll update results in a month or so, maybe longer still unsure hence this post.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

I've had Ich problem in my tank before and a couple of my fish died from it so I purchased a 40 watt UV Sterilizer,installed it,only then that the Ich infestation diminished.Although some say that our tank has it at all time well,so far my fish are very healthy from then till now.I have a 90 gallon tank and I find that the bigger wattage works better than the recommended 20-25 watt for my system.Btw,there's alot of bullying in my tank so fish are very well stressed out.


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## ReefABCs (Nov 10, 2012)

Like lots of things in this hobby there is not one rule or proven fact that works for given problems like ich

It boils down to what level of risk are you comfortable with. If it does not work you didn't wait long enough and have to start over again. I think this is why people get so many different results they don't do it right the first time and blame the process. 

There is a thread/sticky on reef central and I think this is a good guide keeping in mind the longer you wait the lower the risk of having Ich survive in the display. Some say wait 72 days and I waited 10 weeks myself when I went through this as a few more weeks to reduce the risk of the display and the fish in QT at the time. 

Reef Central quote.
"These percentages are known as the "empirical rule". What this means for Cryptocaryon irritans is that leaving a tank fallow for 3 weeks will give you a 68% chance that you have eradicated the parasite, leaving a tank fallow for 6 weeks will give you a 95% chance of eradication, but if you want 99.7% chance, you will leave the tank fallow for 9 weeks. That is the reason you see different numbers being used on Reef Central and in the literature"

My only worry is I don't quarantine corals so there is a chance Tomonts (eggs) could be on them from fish in the tanks but I think this is a low risk.


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## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

Flameangel said:


> Btw,there's alot of bullying in my tank so fish are very well stressed out.


Yeah I did go the UV sterilizer route and picked up I believe it was a 36wt twist but it didn't help. Had tangs out of the tank for two weeks and left the chromis in the tank, put the tangs back in the tank and ich was back within a few days.



ReefABCs said:


> Like lots of things in this hobby there is not one rule or proven fact that works for given problems like ich
> 
> Reef Central quote.
> "These percentages are known as the "empirical rule". What this means for Cryptocaryon irritans is that leaving a tank fallow for 3 weeks will give you a 68% chance that you have eradicated the parasite, leaving a tank fallow for 6 weeks will give you a 95% chance of eradication, but if you want 99.7% chance, you will leave the tank fallow for 9 weeks. That is the reason you see different numbers being used on Reef Central and in the literature"
> ...


Looks like I'm doing the long haul and 9-10weeks of a fishless reef. This is the info I was looking for, I've probably thrown 3K plus at this tank and I think two months of patience should be easy. NOT!!

In regards to corals, do those coral disinfectants remove ich eggs..

I also just flop in corals.


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## ReefABCs (Nov 10, 2012)

UrbnRzqr said:


> In regards to corals, do those coral disinfectants remove ich eggs..
> 
> I also just flop in corals.


This I don't know and would also like some info.

I was thinking if the coral is a LPS or something fleshy maybe the coral itself stings or takes care of killing the ich? If I bring home a small frag I'm less concerned than brining home a larger coral on a rock for instance. All the same they go in the tank after dip in Coral RX for good measure.

On a side note my first reef tank years ago did have Ich and the fish lived with it. If the fish were extremely stressed for what ever reason my yellow eye tang or my Blue hippo tang would get some spots. It could be that some strains of Ich are less invasive and the fish are somewhat immune.

I would be curious to know if any critters in a well established reef tank eat these Tomonts and help to keep things in check.


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Another risk factor to take into account....

Anytime you buy coral you risk re-infestation, as it could have ich eggs waiting to be hatched on it

To be completely clean will require multiple tanks and a lot of maintenance hours


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Also something that hasn't been touched on is the health of the tank. If your tank isn't that healthy to start then the fish will be stressed...which ich loves! If fish are happy and healthy then it is harder for them to get ich.

Another tip I've heard others doing is to put some pulverized garlic in with the frozen food when they feed. The garlic really helps


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

Selcon has been around for years and is a good vitamin source.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

I just finished with a bout of ich. Just when Christmas season started. My research prior to treatment told me that ich is not a skin manifestation so much as a systemic problem (meaning by the time we see the skin infected, it has been IN the fish for some time (hence the reason ppl believe that it is always there waiting to strike).

The life cycle of ich is based on a few variables (temp. salinity and PH being the top three for me- but not only these). 4 weeks is the minimum I have heard, but I chose a full double cycle of 8 weeks just to be sure (it was such a pain doing the move to the QT tank that I did not want to do any half measures). 
One BIG BENEFIT to 8 weeks is the display tank was able to populate bugs-tons of them and was able to stop an outbreak of Hair algae incredibly fast (no fish food= reduced nitrates)
The 2 treatment that are popular are HYPOSALINITY (reduced salt content) and treating with copper. I opted to do both. QT tank started with isotonic saline with copper at display tank temp. I then added more pure water (hypotonic)over the next weeks and discontinued the copper (also water temp. to 81 degrees). AT week 4 I was at a reduced salt content safely and added a half dose of copper and gradually increased the salt content to the same as the display tank until week 8.
This treatment worked for me- not sure if everything was needed or correct, but it worked for me.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

That's good medicine,badmedicine.


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## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

badmedicine said:


> The life cycle of ich is based on a few variables (temp. salinity and PH being the top three for me- but not only these). 4 weeks is the minimum I have heard, but I chose a full double cycle of 8 weeks just to be sure (it was such a pain doing the move to the QT tank that I did not want to do any half measure).


Hey badmeds, how long has it been since you completed your double cycle of sick tank treatment. Have you seen any hint of ich at all, just not 100% sold on complete eradication of ich -- ever.

I'm a couple days in to 9 weeks of treatment, shucks.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

I am only 2 weeks from the day I returned the fish to the display. Not a sign of sickness and all my fish are happy (active when I enter the room). During the 8 weeks I did notice little white specks on the glass that I thought might be ich but in reality it was probably more bugs laying eggs. Any time of day I would see bugs running around my rocks.


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## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

badmedicine said:


> I am only 2 weeks from the day I returned the fish to the display. Not a sign of sickness and all my fish are happy (active when I enter the room). During the 8 weeks I did notice little white specks on the glass that I thought might be ich but in reality it was probably more bugs laying eggs. Any time of day I would see bugs running around my rocks.


 Nice to hear, just curious as to what your stocking... I've got a white cheek tang that's really sensitive to everything.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

No quarantine for my 90 just 40 Watt UV Sterilizer 24/7 and my Powder Blue is nice and clean.


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## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

Flameangel said:


> No quarantine for my 90 just 40 Watt UV Sterilizer 24/7 and my Powder Blue is nice and clean.


My powder blue was looking clean but the white cheek tang was covered by ich and the powder eventually inherited the parasite. Running a 36 watt twist sterilizer.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

UrbnRzqr said:


> My powder blue was looking clean but the white cheek tang was covered by ich and the powder eventually inherited the parasite. Running a 36 watt twist sterilizer.


Is your tang still alive?Mine is and very healthy.


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## UrbnRzqr (May 31, 2013)

Flameangel said:


> Is your tang still alive?Mine is and very healthy.


Yeah the powder blue was fine other than the ich, the white cheek was starting to slow down(check out).

Two days later alot more bounce in there step.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

My tang does get Ich from it's dorsal fin sometimes but most of the time,it's spotless and eats alot....always grazing on live rocks for algae,very active.Powder Blue Tangs are known for Ich magnets,fyi.


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