Correct action for isolated ich outbreak?

[pacificdiver]

I have a 3 month old 130 gallon system with 2 ocellaris, 3 green chromis, and a royal gramma, with two cleaner shrimp. Everyone was playing nice, without a single trace of any problems, and then yesterday the royal gramma wedged himself into a crevice on the outside of a rock, which got my attention. This morning, he had about 8-10 ich lesions on his pectorals. Everyone else is happy and healthy (for now).

I believe the problem might be due to a wonderful little ball of chaeto I added, without quarantine, about a week ago. It came from the same LFS system that all of my fish came from, and the entire facility is pristine. (lesson learned - didn't even occur to me for a plant to have to be quarantined, but that should have been obvious).

My question is, what do I do now? I've hospitalized the royal gramma and treated him with API Super Ick, and my fingers are crossed for him. But regarding the display, should I treat it now, or wait and see? Raise the temp? Drop the salinity?

My main concern is that the water parameters in the DT are fine, from what I can see.
pH 8.2
Alk 4
temp 78
Ammonia 0
NO2 0
N03 5ppm
Mag 1300
Ca2+ 420

I had been planning on starting to add some "beginner" corals, but it looks like they'll have to wait. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[jar41]

Alk at 4? Isn't that way to low?

[pacificdiver]

Originally Posted by jar41

Alk at 4? Isn't that way to low?

My units are mEq/L. The conversion to dKh is about 11.

[Rybren]

First of all, you need to confirm that it is ich. If it is, then you have two choices:

1 - leave everything in the tank, feed well, cross your fingers, and hope that all of your fish survive.

2 - remove all of the fish from your tank, follow the ich treatment protocols listed in the stickies, and leave your tank fallow (fishless) for a MINIMUM of 72 days (some say 76 days)

Over the counter ich remedies like API super ich do not work, nor does garlic, ginger, or eye of newt.

[sde1500]

Remove and treat all the fish and leave the tank fallow for 72+ days or do nothing. Only options really

[billdogg]

Originally Posted by Rybren

First of all, you need to confirm that it is ich. If it is, then you have two choices:

1 - leave everything in the tank, feed well, cross your fingers, and hope that all of your fish survive.

2 - remove all of the fish from your tank, follow the ich treatment protocols listed in the stickies, and leave your tank fallow (fishless) for a MINIMUM of 72 days (some say 76 days)

Over the counter ich remedies like API super ich do not work, nor does garlic, ginger, or eye of newt.

So you're telling me that that top shelf eye of newt with nothing but 5 star amazon reviews is actually snake oil??? Talk about false advertising


And - ^^^WHAT HE SAID^^^^

[ericarenee]

A P I Super iCH.. is this like ich in a bottle..
I Agree nobody has had any luck with these things.. There are Tropical ich treatments but none for marine life.

Can you post some images of the fish.. are you sure its not a sting from something or just scraped itself on the rocks.. this happens to my tangs sometimes when they squabble behind the rocks.. My tangs have a on and off relation ship..

[monkeysee1]

Pacificdiver-
Are the spots/lesions blotchy looking and cream colored or regular white salty / sugary grains in appearance? If it's the former, I would suspect a bacterial infection OR a fluke! If it's the latter, you can be pretty sure it's ich.

Only Copper or Hypo have been shown to treat ich effectively, and ALL exposed fish in your DT MUST be treated, and your DT must run fallow for 2 months.
Prazi Pro effectively gets rid of flukes. Dr. G's Kankamycin caviar treats bacterial infections quite well.

[gone fishin]

Originally Posted by Rybren

First of all, you need to confirm that it is ich. If it is, then you have two choices:

1 - leave everything in the tank, feed well, cross your fingers, and hope that all of your fish survive.

2 - remove all of the fish from your tank, follow the ich treatment protocols listed in the stickies, and leave your tank fallow (fishless) for a MINIMUM of 72 days (some say 76 days)

Over the counter ich remedies like API super ich do not work, nor does garlic, ginger, or eye of newt.

I agree.

[Rybren]

Originally Posted by monkeysee1

Pacificdiver-

Only Copper or Hypo have been shown to treat ich effectively,

And TTM - Tank Transfer Method.

[Julius Chen]

I chose option one, doing nothing.

Here is my thread
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2612513

[pacificdiver]

Originally Posted by monkeysee1

Pacificdiver-
Are the spots/lesions blotchy looking and cream colored or regular white salty / sugary grains in appearance? If it's the former, I would suspect a bacterial infection OR a fluke! If it's the latter, you can be pretty sure it's ich.

The lesions are definitely bright white, sugary-looking spots. Looks like ich, based on appearance and comparison to photos online. It's only on the pectoral fins. Does early/mild ich cause behavioral changes like that (wedging himself in full view of everyone)? I would have expected him to wedge himself hidden, not exposed on the outside of a rock.

Thanks to everyone for all the replies. Lots to take in!

[pacificdiver]

Also, would there be any value to adding a 1 megawatt UV sterilizer? Maybe something that would dim the lights in my neighborhood?

[ericarenee]

Originally Posted by pacificdiver

Also, would there be any value to adding a 1 megawatt UV sterilizer? Maybe something that would dim the lights in my neighborhood?

I have heard that a sterilizer can help But I am suspect to this.. The parasite would have to go thru the sterilizer all of them.... VERY UNLIKELY...

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by pacificdiver

Also, would there be any value to adding a 1 megawatt UV sterilizer? Maybe something that would dim the lights in my neighborhood?

Uv needs to be sized right, and way bigger than what is recommended usually to kill ich. There was a great write up I found on a different forum that broke it down real well. Wish I could find it again. Yea it can kill ich, but you need a real powerful one, plus impossible to guarantee it kills them all. More like manages to keep the population smaller.

[Sk8r]

The water has to spend long enough in the light to do any good, and with the strong flow healthy tanks need, this isn't real practical. The way to get rid of ich in your sandbed (and it is, by now, if you have it) is to have the tank fishless for 72 days or more.

[tkeracer619]

Fallow the tank. Ttm all of the fish. Be glad you learned about this now with a handful of small fish.

I bought a used RSM 130D (34gal) all in one that I put in the entry way to my house. All coral, inverts, and misc wet stuff stay there for at least 73 days before making it past 3ft of the front door

[ru4serious]

Do a search on chloroquine phosphate it's easier to use than copper