Ich and feather dusters?

Sgt Jonny Cat · 02/04/2015, 02:10 PM

Hi all...

So since my tank is still fallow due to ich, I was wondering if it would be safe to add a feather duster to the tank? Will ich infect something like a feather duster worm?

Thanks all...

FraggledRock · 02/04/2015, 02:11 PM

No, ich will not affect the feather duster.

HOWEVER; it could transport ich eggs with it from the source water it was in.

gone fishin · 02/04/2015, 02:13 PM

Invert's will not get ich. As fraggledrock pointed out there is the possibility that the feather duster could bring ich to the tank. It is a calculated gamble. Some folks will take the gamble while others will QT anything wet that goes into the tank. It is up to you and your risk tolerance. Good luck with the feather duster.

3FordFamily · 02/04/2015, 02:38 PM

I concur with the other two posters. I would say the risk is relatively low, but certainly possible. I would say that if the tank they came out of appears "ich free" then I would go for it. If it came from the LFS, I would not. LFS nearly all have ich as a function of moving thousands of different fish through their system every year.

Sgt Jonny Cat · 02/04/2015, 02:46 PM

Thanks everyone....I figure its a good time as I have about 7 more weeks of a fallow tank, Also the LFS I deal with has all the corals and feather dusters in a separate tank from all the ones housing fish. I'm thinking this could be a good thing.

Nina51 · 02/04/2015, 03:03 PM

my lfs uses the same nets and dip containers in their invert tanks that they use in their ich-infested fish tanks so on the rare occasions i buy anything from their invert tanks, it goes through qt.

Sk8r · 02/04/2015, 03:06 PM

Be sure the SUMPs are separate.

Reef Frog · 02/04/2015, 03:20 PM

To be ABSOLUTELY sure your tank is ich free after the fallow period, the clock must start again if you add anything from another system. This applies to feather dusters, corals, whatever.

7 weeks would not be enough time for the parasite's life cycle to complete and ensure your tank is ich free. Ich coming in on an invert is probably rare but it is absolutely possible.

02/04/2015, 02:10 PM	#1
Sgt Jonny Cat Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: North of Boston Ma. Posts: 685	Ich and feather dusters? Hi all... So since my tank is still fallow due to ich, I was wondering if it would be safe to add a feather duster to the tank? Will ich infect something like a feather duster worm? Thanks all... __________________ In the process of putting together a 150 gallon mixed reef. Ill keep you posted. Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon

02/04/2015, 02:11 PM	#2
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	No, ich will not affect the feather duster. HOWEVER; it could transport ich eggs with it from the source water it was in. __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

02/04/2015, 02:13 PM	#3
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Invert's will not get ich. As fraggledrock pointed out there is the possibility that the feather duster could bring ich to the tank. It is a calculated gamble. Some folks will take the gamble while others will QT anything wet that goes into the tank. It is up to you and your risk tolerance. Good luck with the feather duster. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

02/04/2015, 02:46 PM	#5
Sgt Jonny Cat Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: North of Boston Ma. Posts: 685	Thanks everyone....I figure its a good time as I have about 7 more weeks of a fallow tank, Also the LFS I deal with has all the corals and feather dusters in a separate tank from all the ones housing fish. I'm thinking this could be a good thing. __________________ In the process of putting together a 150 gallon mixed reef. Ill keep you posted. Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon

02/04/2015, 03:03 PM	#6
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	my lfs uses the same nets and dip containers in their invert tanks that they use in their ich-infested fish tanks so on the rare occasions i buy anything from their invert tanks, it goes through qt. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

02/04/2015, 02:38 PM	#4
3FordFamily Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fishers, Indiana (Indianapolis suburb) Posts: 488	I concur with the other two posters. I would say the risk is relatively low, but certainly possible. I would say that if the tank they came out of appears "ich free" then I would go for it. If it came from the LFS, I would not. LFS nearly all have ich as a function of moving thousands of different fish through their system every year.

02/04/2015, 03:06 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Be sure the SUMPs are separate. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/04/2015, 03:20 PM	#8
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	To be ABSOLUTELY sure your tank is ich free after the fallow period, the clock must start again if you add anything from another system. This applies to feather dusters, corals, whatever. 7 weeks would not be enough time for the parasite's life cycle to complete and ensure your tank is ich free. Ich coming in on an invert is probably rare but it is absolutely possible.