Ich.... :(

[TJDaddio]

Well, we went away for a week (Aug 12-18th) and made the mistake of raising my A/C from the usual 73-75 degrees, to a constant 77.....Had someone come daily to feed the fish and an eye on the tank. We also had out lights on a timer that turned them on at 11am and off at 7pm like usual. Didn't even thinkkk that it would affect the water temperature in the tank, but it did. We returned after three days (coming from one trip and leaving for another), and the water temperature was at 82 degrees... Lowered the A/C back down to 73degrees and left for our second trip for the last 5 days.

Came home on Sunday, Aug 19 and the Flame Angel was swimming sideways, mostly near the bottom, and clearly had ich... I've never felt so sick to my stomach just watching him and knowing I can't do anything to change it... He died the next morning, and my clean up crew feasted. Removed what was left once they slowly lost interest after an hour or two.

Today my Black ocellaris clown started doing the funny swim, and also had ich all over him now....He had just settled on the bottom of the tank on the sand when one of my olive snails came out and then dragged him under the sand.... I want to cry.... I know it is my fault for raising my A/C and brought this on myself... but now what? I currently have a Sixline Wrasse and a Blue/Green Reef Chomis left... Is there a chance they can make it? No white spots on them.. yet... Didn't see any on the clownfish until this morning, and now he's already gone...

They say you have to go 10 weeks fishless to rid the tank of ich? What about hermits, snails, and live corals, as I have all of these as well? Are they safe from ich? Any info or advice would be appreciated....

[daninflipflops]

pull those other fish out and start treating in a hospital tank. they most likely have parasites on them. either copper or hypo for treatment. ich needs fish to live. corals, inverts, etc wont be a host, so they stay in the DT.

[TJDaddio]

Unfortunately I do not have a hospital tank, nor am I able to set one up... financially I cannot have a third tank... as bad as that sounds..

[MrTuskfish]

I doubt that the raise to 82 had much to do with anything; that's not that high, especially short-term. Sudden changes in temp can shock fish; but if your tank didn't have ich in the first place, you wouldn't have it now. The timing of the death may mean a different parasite. Ich is usually visible for a while before it kills. Velvet or brooklynella are possibilities too. You can find all you need for a QT/HT on Craigslist, probably for less than the price of the fish you lost. All of the parasites listed are very contagious and deadly; I'm afraid you can expect more fish losses if you can't/won't use a QT/HT. there is no reef safe cure for these parasites.

[TJDaddio]

I saw white spots on the Flame Angel about 2 days before it died, and the clown I noticed spots early afternoon yesterday, and it died today..

[TJDaddio]

Are those parasites generally the same as Ich tho> in the sense that if you go fishless for 10 weeks it would be ok?

[jimmyj7090]

That rapid decline is what suggests one of the other parisites already mentioned.

As difficult at this sounds, having a QT really isn't optional in this hobby. Without one you will see this happen over and over.

[loup]

Yes those parasites would die off in a 10 week fallow period. But if you're buying new fish and not qt than you take a risk of going thru the same situation again.

[reeferstace]

Originally Posted by MrTuskfish

I doubt that the raise to 82 had much to do with anything; that's not that high, especially short-term. Sudden changes in temp can shock fish; but if your tank didn't have ich in the first place, you wouldn't have it now. The timing of the death may mean a different parasite. Ich is usually visible for a while before it kills. Velvet or brooklynella are possibilities too. You can find all you need for a QT/HT on Craigslist, probably for less than the price of the fish you lost. All of the parasites listed are very contagious and deadly; I'm afraid you can expect more fish losses if you can't/won't use a QT/HT. there is no reef safe cure for these parasites.

Totally agree on all points. Temperature changes did not cause disease. Parasites did. Please consider a QT set-up. Good luck.

[daninflipflops]

Originally Posted by TJDaddio

Unfortunately I do not have a hospital tank, nor am I able to set one up... financially I cannot have a third tank... as bad as that sounds..

doesnt have to be anything fancy, you could probably use a pair of 5 gallon buckets and try the tank transfer method? buying two buckets and buying a cheap $15 HOB filter has to be cheaper than replacing fish, just my 2 cents

[TJDaddio]

True. So its just a coincidence that my tank was perfect and the ich happenned right after the water temp was raised then lowered?

[MrTuskfish]

Originally Posted by TJDaddio

I saw white spots on the Flame Angel about 2 days before it died, and the clown I noticed spots early afternoon yesterday, and it died today..

Ich can be unseen and still really damaging the fish, parasites love the gills. But, the time frame you describe really sounds like velvet. I'd do some research and learn how to identify marine ich, velvet, and brooklynella. With ich, you usually have some time to treat it; the other two are much faster and deadlier. All are very contagious. I'm convinced that a lot of the ich reports on our forum are really velvet. Can't tell for sure with your fish, though. What other fish are now in the tank? When was the last fish added? Any peeling/sloughing skin; or just spots? I think you're getting the message on a HT/QT---but I had to mention it anyhow. Its not just us; every decent book on our hobby will say a QT isn't optional---its a must.

[Spyderturbo007]

I am by no means an expert, but I don't think the temperature swing caused your issues. It's been nice enough to shut off the AC in my area and open the windows. My tank moved up from its normal 79 - 80 degrees to at its highest point of 82.3 degrees.

The change in temperature didn't cause me any issues with the fish or corals.

[MrTuskfish]

Originally Posted by Spyderturbo007

I am by no means an expert, but I don't think the temperature swing caused your issues. It's been nice enough to shut off the AC in my area and open the windows. My tank moved up from its normal 79 - 80 degrees to at its highest point of 82.3 degrees.

The change in temperature didn't cause me any issues with the fish or corals.

There are many reefs in the world where the temp commonly hits 90F. Big, sudden swings are dangerous; temps in the 80s are not. SW fish are a whole lot tougher than we expect sometimes.

[jimmyj7090]

Moreover no amount of stress of any kind will create parisites out of thin air.

[wbradenpt]

if you can't afford a QT (i actually have 2 10g and 1 30g) then you can't afford this hobby longterm. no other way to say it.

[cameronpalte]

If you can't afford a QT, take you're sump, empty it and put some acrylic in their (siliconed) to make a section where no water flows (put a separate filter and heater for that section) let it dry and start things back up. Then you can keep fish their without having to worry about them spreading diseases to other parts of the tank.

[wbradenpt]

Originally Posted by cameronpalte

If you can't afford a QT, take you're sump, empty it and put some acrylic in their (siliconed) to make a section where no water flows (put a separate filter and heater for that section) let it dry and start things back up. Then you can keep fish their without having to worry about them spreading diseases to other parts of the tank.

on my next setup i might just get an even larger sump and take you up on this idea.

[wbradenpt]

mainly because my wife isn't crazy about the looks of my QTs.

[worm5406]

A QT does not have to be beside the DT. You can put it in a closet if you want.

A QT is an empty (no rock or aggregate) 5-10 gallon tank with a single air driven filter and maybe a slow power head. Heck if I got rid of my own stuff in some of the closets I could put a few in my house.

Some people put it right on the kitchen counter or workbench near a sink to make water changes even quicker. In the open (kitchen) it gives you a chance to see it and notice what it is doing.

Just my 3 cents.

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by TJDaddio

Unfortunately I do not have a hospital tank, nor am I able to set one up... financially I cannot have a third tank... as bad as that sounds..

You have two reef tanks....condense them into one and use the other for the hospital tank. Simple solution.

[jimmyj7090]

Originally Posted by cameronpalte

If you can't afford a QT, take you're sump, empty it and put some acrylic in their (siliconed) to make a section where no water flows (put a separate filter and heater for that section) let it dry and start things back up. Then you can keep fish their without having to worry about them spreading diseases to other parts of the tank.

Be careful with this approach, cross contamination would be significant concern.