Ich in my main tank, moving tanks, what can I do?

kfennell · 04/06/2009, 10:58 PM

OK so for background I didn't quarantine the very first fish I bought when I was learning and it had Ich and the tank has had Ich from day 1.

I have the following right now

65g + sump + 33g frag tank with ich
Fish:
DFP
CBB
Rabbit Fish
Pair of Black Clowns
3x Disbar Anthias
Six line
Dragon Goby
Banded Cat Shark <--- Important to note cant go in copper
Lots of corals and frags.

I have the following other systems I could put fish in for holding
30g QT with canister filter and Copper
40 breeder that is probably not cycled and no copper
20g nano that is already full, but if I do more water changes it could hold more fish, the question is can i ever get them out if I put them in there.

I am changing the 65g to a 240 and I would like to keep the ich out of the tank if possible, I have like 50 lbs of dry rock in the garage, 150 lbs of live rock in the 65g and sump, and I will get about 100 lbs of live rock with the 240g tank.

Does anyone have any ideas for a strategy to change tanks and get rid of the ich?

I was thinking I could move the DFP and Rabbit fish, the clowns and CBB to the 30g QT, move the small fish into the crowded 20g?

But then I am left with the shark, maybe I could set him up in the 40 breeder and change the water every day? This leads to the question of how do I QT him? DO sharks carry Ich? Can I hypo him?

What about the rocks, will they carry the ich if I move them between tanks?

What about the sand in the frag tank?

What about the skimmer, will washing it with vinegar for a few hours work?

I am really at a loss for what I can do here, sell all the fish and start over with new water and everything leaving the tank empty for 6 weeks (bad plan fiancee loves LOVES the DFP it is a really nice one with lots of yellow). And the shark we raised from an egg and got it eating now so we're kind of attached to it.

If anyone can come up with a great plan to fix this I would be really grateful. Thanks in advance!

Kevin

kfennell · 04/06/2009, 10:59 PM

Also I could probably take all the fish but the shark to a LFS to hold for me, but I am still confused how to QT a baby shark.

wetWolger · 04/06/2009, 11:25 PM

Well....the bad news is you can't treat the shark :-(

Please don't put the shark in any coper based treatment, there is a good chance it will kill him

If he was eating, I would say soak his food in garlic with vit C.....but I don't think he is? So I don't really know anything you can do with the shark.

As for moving tanks without transferring the ich, it is almost impossible, unless you don't plan to move any rock/sand/water from the old tank, and you plan to QT the fish in copper before the move. If not the rocks/sand/water will need to have at least 1 to 2 months without hosts before you can add any fish.

My suggestion is don't worry so much about getting rid of the ich. It is not realistic, without stressing your fish to death. Treat the fish till they are showing no signs, give an extra 3 or 4 days, then put them in the tank and hope that there immune system is strong enough to combat any parasites that try to attack them.

Hope that was some help, I recently have looked into ich a lot, so know quite a bit about the life cycle and such

jenglish · 04/06/2009, 11:34 PM

I remember Steven Pro writing that most sharks cannot get crypto omn another forum but it was being debated a bit http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic24597-10-1.aspx

ich or not a shark will genereally not tolerate copper or hypo.

crypto has a stage that attaches to sand an rock. You can move all the sand rock corals and inverts to your new tank and leave it fishless for 6 weeks (some go 8). Copper or hypo can be used for the others but the shark.... I just don't know what to tell you

kfennell · 04/07/2009, 08:16 AM

Bump for more opinions

jenglish · 04/07/2009, 08:37 AM

Aside from the shark, the treatment of ich is easy, straightforward and better in the long run. I might post something on sharks and crypto in the advanced topics forum or maybe aggressive fish.

goldmaniac · 04/07/2009, 08:41 AM

going fishless in the display tank for 8 weeks and going hypo on all of your fish in a QT tank (1.009 for 6 weeks) at the same time will take care of ich. that will eliminate ich.

but the shark, as far as I am aware, cannot be treated and it will be a carrier, a host, to ich when you put it back into the display tank, negating all of your work.

I would either not worry about ich at this time, or get rid of the shark if you want to clear out all the ich in your tank. And you're probably not interested in #2 option, and i don't blame you.

\ i'm currently hypo QT'ing my 1st fish that i'm putting into my ich-free display tank that has been fishless for 3+ months. So i'm in the middle of what you want to do and I'm tryihg to be VERY careful.

\\ I'm sure i'm going to screw up some time and infect the display tank again somehow.

kfennell · 04/07/2009, 09:57 AM

Can someone confirm that the shark WILL be a carrier?

Would having a powerful UV system help something like this?

I am really upset about all this because I got a fat healthy powder blue, he was in the tank for 3 days, then he got ich and died within 8 hours. he was COVERED with white spots, the other fish are asymptomatic except the rabbit fish who has perpetually a few dots.

goldmaniac · 04/08/2009, 08:51 AM

You may want to look into the Transfer method for the shark. I don't perform it myself so I cannot give advice, but it may be a possibility.

althought UV would help, it won't completely eliminate ich out of the tank, as there will always be cysts that aren't getting run through the sterilizer.

I feel for ya - i really do...

Yes, confirm that the shark would be a carrier, I don't have experience with keeping sharks.

kfennell · 04/08/2009, 11:55 AM

Im thinking just to keep the shark and eel in a 40 breeder and change the water alot and use UV and dip them before going back into the main tank may take care of them?

robot2222 · 04/08/2009, 12:26 PM

SAME HERE FIRST FI. SH I PLACED IN TANK HAD ICH. MAYBE FEED GARLICAND ADD A STRONG UV .

goldmaniac · 04/08/2009, 12:26 PM

A quick lookup of transfer method is similar to what you're referring to, but I'd bet it would stess the shark significantly.

Fish goes into a new tank of clean, unused, ich-free water, daily, for up to 2 (or 3) weeks. the old water is discarded and that tank is sterilized of ich cysts. This will interrupt the life cycle of organism.

I don't know if you can dip sharks.

doing what you're suggesting won't eliminate ich, only reduce it. It would help a sick fish, but not totally rid you of the organism.

I would research more before subjecting the shark (and eel) to these changes.

\it's a significant process

jenglish · 04/08/2009, 12:47 PM

yes, the TTM is stressful, but arguably no more so than copper or hypo. It is expensive to use that much SW and requires a couple of good sized tanks and filtration systems (unless you are sterilizing every day)

It is all around quite a pickle

04/06/2009, 10:58 PM	#1
kfennell Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Firestone, CO Posts: 407	Ich in my main tank, moving tanks, what can I do? OK so for background I didn't quarantine the very first fish I bought when I was learning and it had Ich and the tank has had Ich from day 1. I have the following right now 65g + sump + 33g frag tank with ich Fish: DFP CBB Rabbit Fish Pair of Black Clowns 3x Disbar Anthias Six line Dragon Goby Banded Cat Shark <--- Important to note cant go in copper Lots of corals and frags. I have the following other systems I could put fish in for holding 30g QT with canister filter and Copper 40 breeder that is probably not cycled and no copper 20g nano that is already full, but if I do more water changes it could hold more fish, the question is can i ever get them out if I put them in there. I am changing the 65g to a 240 and I would like to keep the ich out of the tank if possible, I have like 50 lbs of dry rock in the garage, 150 lbs of live rock in the 65g and sump, and I will get about 100 lbs of live rock with the 240g tank. Does anyone have any ideas for a strategy to change tanks and get rid of the ich? I was thinking I could move the DFP and Rabbit fish, the clowns and CBB to the 30g QT, move the small fish into the crowded 20g? But then I am left with the shark, maybe I could set him up in the 40 breeder and change the water every day? This leads to the question of how do I QT him? DO sharks carry Ich? Can I hypo him? What about the rocks, will they carry the ich if I move them between tanks? What about the sand in the frag tank? What about the skimmer, will washing it with vinegar for a few hours work? I am really at a loss for what I can do here, sell all the fish and start over with new water and everything leaving the tank empty for 6 weeks (bad plan fiancee loves LOVES the DFP it is a really nice one with lots of yellow). And the shark we raised from an egg and got it eating now so we're kind of attached to it. If anyone can come up with a great plan to fix this I would be really grateful. Thanks in advance! Kevin

04/06/2009, 11:25 PM	#3
wetWolger Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,955	Well....the bad news is you can't treat the shark :-( Please don't put the shark in any coper based treatment, there is a good chance it will kill him If he was eating, I would say soak his food in garlic with vit C.....but I don't think he is? So I don't really know anything you can do with the shark. As for moving tanks without transferring the ich, it is almost impossible, unless you don't plan to move any rock/sand/water from the old tank, and you plan to QT the fish in copper before the move. If not the rocks/sand/water will need to have at least 1 to 2 months without hosts before you can add any fish. My suggestion is don't worry so much about getting rid of the ich. It is not realistic, without stressing your fish to death. Treat the fish till they are showing no signs, give an extra 3 or 4 days, then put them in the tank and hope that there immune system is strong enough to combat any parasites that try to attack them. Hope that was some help, I recently have looked into ich a lot, so know quite a bit about the life cycle and such __________________ cheers, jent d-_-b Current Tank Info: 66gal = 32x24x20

04/06/2009, 11:34 PM	#4
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	I remember Steven Pro writing that most sharks cannot get crypto omn another forum but it was being debated a bit http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic24597-10-1.aspx ich or not a shark will genereally not tolerate copper or hypo. crypto has a stage that attaches to sand an rock. You can move all the sand rock corals and inverts to your new tank and leave it fishless for 6 weeks (some go 8). Copper or hypo can be used for the others but the shark.... I just don't know what to tell you __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

04/07/2009, 08:37 AM	#6
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	Aside from the shark, the treatment of ich is easy, straightforward and better in the long run. I might post something on sharks and crypto in the advanced topics forum or maybe aggressive fish. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

04/08/2009, 12:26 PM	#11
robot2222 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: phoenix, arizonia Posts: 1,283	SAME HERE FIRST FI. SH I PLACED IN TANK HAD ICH. MAYBE FEED GARLICAND ADD A STRONG UV . __________________ 14 gallon biocube Current Tank Info: 72 gallon bowfront

04/06/2009, 10:59 PM	#2
kfennell Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Firestone, CO Posts: 407	Also I could probably take all the fish but the shark to a LFS to hold for me, but I am still confused how to QT a baby shark.

04/07/2009, 08:16 AM	#5
kfennell Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Firestone, CO Posts: 407	Bump for more opinions

04/07/2009, 08:41 AM	#7
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	going fishless in the display tank for 8 weeks and going hypo on all of your fish in a QT tank (1.009 for 6 weeks) at the same time will take care of ich. that will eliminate ich. but the shark, as far as I am aware, cannot be treated and it will be a carrier, a host, to ich when you put it back into the display tank, negating all of your work. I would either not worry about ich at this time, or get rid of the shark if you want to clear out all the ich in your tank. And you're probably not interested in #2 option, and i don't blame you. \ i'm currently hypo QT'ing my 1st fish that i'm putting into my ich-free display tank that has been fishless for 3+ months. So i'm in the middle of what you want to do and I'm tryihg to be VERY careful. \\ I'm sure i'm going to screw up some time and infect the display tank again somehow.

04/07/2009, 09:57 AM	#8
kfennell Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Firestone, CO Posts: 407	Can someone confirm that the shark WILL be a carrier? Would having a powerful UV system help something like this? I am really upset about all this because I got a fat healthy powder blue, he was in the tank for 3 days, then he got ich and died within 8 hours. he was COVERED with white spots, the other fish are asymptomatic except the rabbit fish who has perpetually a few dots.

04/08/2009, 08:51 AM	#9
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	You may want to look into the Transfer method for the shark. I don't perform it myself so I cannot give advice, but it may be a possibility. althought UV would help, it won't completely eliminate ich out of the tank, as there will always be cysts that aren't getting run through the sterilizer. I feel for ya - i really do... Yes, confirm that the shark would be a carrier, I don't have experience with keeping sharks.

04/08/2009, 11:55 AM	#10
kfennell Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Firestone, CO Posts: 407	Im thinking just to keep the shark and eel in a 40 breeder and change the water alot and use UV and dip them before going back into the main tank may take care of them?

04/08/2009, 12:47 PM	#13
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	yes, the TTM is stressful, but arguably no more so than copper or hypo. It is expensive to use that much SW and requires a couple of good sized tanks and filtration systems (unless you are sterilizing every day) It is all around quite a pickle __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry