How fast will Ich kill?

[Charley Diesing]

So this might be a weird question lol...

Here's my story I got a 3/4" inch blue tang in my QT, I wanted to wait until finals were over before I treated him for ICH(just didn't want to have to deal with fish), although today I started noticing white dots(definitely Ich).

Finals for me are over on may 10th... Can I wait that long? He's still eating healthy, started feeding him garlic+seaweed, and he's on NLS Pellets. Any recommendations to boost his immune system?

Thanks a ton!

Charley

[Shellyfish]

I personally wouldn't wait too long. I think it's likely better to start the treatment while he's still happy and eating. Are you going to do copper or hypo?

[Charley Diesing]

I'm doing copper. How long is to long?

[agreeive?fish]

personally i would already have started treatment

[f3honda4me]

No one can say. Remember ich can be present without visible dots. It often is in the gills so who knows how long it's had it. May 10 I'm betting you'll have a dead fish if you haven't started it by then.

[Charley Diesing]

Alrighty I ordered a salifert copper test kit. Can I start doing copper without the test kit? My LFS don't sell copper test kits, except API and I'm using cupperamine.

Thanks a ton!

Charleys

[Palting]

How long until Ich kills? Hard to say. I had fish last several months, and eventually survive. The fish were sometimes fully covered in white spots for several days, somethimes looking healthy, while I tried all the nonsense products. Finally did hyposalinity. I had 11 fish in that tank, all survived, despite several months of silly treatments before I ddid the right thing. So, who knows?

If you neglect the fish, the worst thing is the fish dies. And I don't thik that will happen. If you negect your finals, the worst thing is you flunk and you waste a whole semeter's worth of work. Forget the stupid fish. Concentrate on your finals.

[Ostara]

Treating with copper really isn't difficult or time consuming. You don't have to obsessively monitor it like hyposalinity.

That said...

Originally Posted by Palting

If you neglect the fish, the worst thing is the fish dies. And I don't thik that will happen. If you negect your finals, the worst thing is you flunk and you waste a whole semeter's worth of work. Forget the stupid fish. Concentrate on your finals.

This is excellent advice. If for some reason you think that it will prove to be too big of a distraction or if you don't have 10-15 minutes to give it when required, just let it be. School is far more important. It would be unfortunate if the fish died. It would be much more unfortunate if you were unprepared for or did poorly on your finals. Especially considering how much tuition is these days.

Just keep an eye on the fish when you can. If it's really 3/4" (which would mean its body is about as long as a dime) then it will probably be far more delicate than an older, larger specimen. By the way, where on earth did you find one so small?

[BigCountry74]

could be velvet? tangs develop it when they come from the wild straight into captivity tanks. 3/4" is pretty small, hope it pulls through.

[reeferstace]

You are obligated to care for your fish. Please don't get fish if school prevents you from providing them the care they deserve.

[Charley Diesing]

Originally Posted by Ostara

Treating with copper really isn't difficult or time consuming. You don't have to obsessively monitor it like hyposalinity.

That said...




This is excellent advice. If for some reason you think that it will prove to be too big of a distraction or if you don't have 10-15 minutes to give it when required, just let it be. School is far more important. It would be unfortunate if the fish died. It would be much more unfortunate if you were unprepared for or did poorly on your finals. Especially considering how much tuition is these days.

Just keep an eye on the fish when you can. If it's really 3/4" (which would mean its body is about as long as a dime) then it will probably be far more delicate than an older, larger specimen. By the way, where on earth did you find one so small?

He's probably more like an 1"-1"1/4" but still super tiny guy, my LFS has them all the time.

I think I can do both... If I do copper can I start without a test kit?

Its probably more like an inch. Really fat, really healthy, just gots specks.. I don't think its velvet. I'm 98% sure its ICH. And yeah I won't let it distract me.

[Charley Diesing]

Originally Posted by reeferstace

You are obligated to care for your fish. Please don't get fish if school prevents you from providing them the care they deserve.

Obligated by whom? lol... Thats kind of a stupid thing to say.

[Palting]

Originally Posted by Charley Diesing

I think I can do both... If I do copper can I start without a test kit?

Its probably more like an inch. Really fat, really healthy, just gots specks.. I don't think its velvet. I'm 98% sure its ICH. And yeah I won't let it distract me.

Okey. It will take a few days to get to the proper levels, anyway, and there are instructions based on dose/volume. Use Cupramine, it's a little safer due to a wider margin for error. Plus, they say two weeks of treatment, but most would recommend 4 weeks. So, yes, you can start without a test kit, then start monitoring levels when you do get the test kit.

[thegrun]

Originally Posted by Charley Diesing

Obligated by whom? lol... Thats kind of a stupid thing to say.

God, Karma, or the plain desire to be a responsible aquarist and decent human being. This is a time consuming hobby, I think what they were trying to say is that if your schedule does not allow you to properly care for your livestock you should consider waiting until you can do so.

[Charley Diesing]

Originally Posted by thegrun

God, Karma, or the plain desire to be a responsible aquarist and decent human being. This is a time consuming hobby, I think what they were trying to say is that if your schedule does not allow you to properly care for your livestock you should consider waiting until you can do so.

I can understand that, but I propose this forum with questions all the time, and TBH I get sick of stupid responses like that. If its not helping the problem why say anything?

On the side note, I love my fish, and I do want to give them the home they deserve, but there are more important things in life, and sometimes they get in the way of your Hobbies... Its just part of life, sometimes you just gotta take things as they come.