How long to quarantine new fish for ich.

downhillbiker · 03/28/2008, 11:56 AM

I just purchased some new fish:
coral beauty angel
royal gramma
2 green chromis
rainford's goby

I noticed several spots of ich on my coral beauty and it quickly got bad and other fish were showing some spots. I treated the tank with copper, hyposalinity, slowed down the flow for uv sterilizer, and fed with garlic. The ich went away and hasn't come back, but I'm wondering when I can take the copper out, and when I can put them in the main tank.

I dont have ich in the main tank, so I shouldn't have to do the 6 week no host in main tank thing, so when should I put them in with my other fish:
tomini tang
regal tang
maroon clown
striped damsel

Hal · 03/28/2008, 05:22 PM

I'd continue treating with hypo or copper for 4 weeks after the last sign of ich. Then your fish should be safe to put into your main tank. Note that I say TREAT for 4 weeks, as opposed to WAITING for 4 weeks.

downhillbiker · 03/29/2008, 12:19 AM

so you are saying that i should run the copper the whole time. the ich dissappeared about 4 days ago, so I guess I should just keep counting weeks, till I get to 4....I think that it takes less time to kill it all off, but I will do the 4 weeks just to make sure. Thanks for the input.

Hal · 03/29/2008, 09:31 PM

In theory, one lifecycle of the ich parasite is about 10 days at typical reef temps. Therefore you could THEORETICALLY only treat the tank for 20 days (this assumes you just missed the stage where the copper/hypo kills and the parasite lives out its normal lifecycle and breeds once, etc.) However, much like Jurassic Park, nature loves to play tricks. For this reason, 4 weeks is recommended; you'll cover multiple ich lifecycles by doing this.

In the unlikely event that an ich parasite survives through the first lifecycle, it pretty much is guaranteed that it won't live through 3-4 lifecycles when you're treating with either copper or hypo.

Hal · 03/29/2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by downhillbiker
so you are saying that i should run the copper the whole time.

Yes. Although personally I prefer hyposalinity. It's not quite as harsh on the fish.

Take a look at this:
All you ever wanted to know about ich

downhillbiker · 03/29/2008, 09:36 PM

so i have heard that higher temps increase turnover time for the ich cycle. I have the tank at 80 now, should i raise it a degree or two? i will probably cycle for 4 weeks anyway, but if i can kill 5 potential cycles instead of 3 then i would probably do so.

livelycorpse · 03/29/2008, 10:20 PM

srry double post

livelycorpse · 03/29/2008, 10:20 PM

I keep my QT at about 83 while it only has fish being treated, it does shorten the ich life cycle at higher temps.

Hal · 03/30/2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by downhillbiker
so i have heard that higher temps increase turnover time for the ich cycle. I have the tank at 80 now, should i raise it a degree or two? i will probably cycle for 4 weeks anyway, but if i can kill 5 potential cycles instead of 3 then i would probably do so.

Correct. Higher temps equal quicker life cycles for the ich. It might help.

03/28/2008, 11:56 AM	#1
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	How long to quarantine new fish for ich. I just purchased some new fish: coral beauty angel royal gramma 2 green chromis rainford's goby I noticed several spots of ich on my coral beauty and it quickly got bad and other fish were showing some spots. I treated the tank with copper, hyposalinity, slowed down the flow for uv sterilizer, and fed with garlic. The ich went away and hasn't come back, but I'm wondering when I can take the copper out, and when I can put them in the main tank. I dont have ich in the main tank, so I shouldn't have to do the 6 week no host in main tank thing, so when should I put them in with my other fish: tomini tang regal tang maroon clown striped damsel __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

03/28/2008, 05:22 PM	#2
Hal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 1,889	I'd continue treating with hypo or copper for 4 weeks after the last sign of ich. Then your fish should be safe to put into your main tank. Note that I say TREAT for 4 weeks, as opposed to WAITING for 4 weeks. __________________ Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints. Current Tank Info: 250g starphire: 72x28x30, BeanAnimal drain with an oversized non-durso emergency drain, 4 inch DSB, 3x Reefbreeders Value LED fixtures, SWC/MSX 300A skimmer, Geo kalk reactor, 3 Vortechs w/bb, carbon reactor, and a RKL

03/29/2008, 12:19 AM	#3
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	so you are saying that i should run the copper the whole time. the ich dissappeared about 4 days ago, so I guess I should just keep counting weeks, till I get to 4....I think that it takes less time to kill it all off, but I will do the 4 weeks just to make sure. Thanks for the input. __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

03/29/2008, 09:31 PM	#4
Hal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 1,889	In theory, one lifecycle of the ich parasite is about 10 days at typical reef temps. Therefore you could THEORETICALLY only treat the tank for 20 days (this assumes you just missed the stage where the copper/hypo kills and the parasite lives out its normal lifecycle and breeds once, etc.) However, much like Jurassic Park, nature loves to play tricks. For this reason, 4 weeks is recommended; you'll cover multiple ich lifecycles by doing this. In the unlikely event that an ich parasite survives through the first lifecycle, it pretty much is guaranteed that it won't live through 3-4 lifecycles when you're treating with either copper or hypo. __________________ Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints. Current Tank Info: 250g starphire: 72x28x30, BeanAnimal drain with an oversized non-durso emergency drain, 4 inch DSB, 3x Reefbreeders Value LED fixtures, SWC/MSX 300A skimmer, Geo kalk reactor, 3 Vortechs w/bb, carbon reactor, and a RKL

03/29/2008, 09:36 PM	#6
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	so i have heard that higher temps increase turnover time for the ich cycle. I have the tank at 80 now, should i raise it a degree or two? i will probably cycle for 4 weeks anyway, but if i can kill 5 potential cycles instead of 3 then i would probably do so. __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

03/29/2008, 10:20 PM	#7
livelycorpse Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 97	srry double post __________________ People said I was dumb, but I proved them! Current Tank Info: 65 gallon Reef; 75 gallon FOWLR Last edited by livelycorpse; 03/29/2008 at 10:25 PM.