ICH Help

jimnchal · 11/24/2013, 10:20 AM

Just started my first saltwater tank about 5 months ago. I added a Zebra Mooray Eel, Lionfish and, Porcupine Puffer. The problem is I was so anxious to get the tank going that I did not QT. My porcupine puffer came down with ICH. I transferred him to a QT tank and started Cupramine (bringing it up slowly). Puffer started acting a little funny after a week in QT, so I started carbon to remove the copper and going HYPO. My lion unfotunately had gotten ICH and did not make it. The Zebra Mooray is still in the DT, after doing some reading it says that Moorays are very resistant to ICH because of the slime coat. He still looks great and eating very well. Could the tank be considered fallow if there is no way for the ICH to complete a life cycle if it can not attach itself to the eel? Getting the eel out of the tank will prove to be very difficult. He is nearly 4' long and never really comes out of the rocks. I would have to remove nearly 225lbs of rock to get him out.

I have now learned the importance of QTing. I was just so anxious to get things going

MrTuskfish · 11/24/2013, 11:22 AM

Ich can feed on an eel, the gills are especially vulnerable. An eel is a fish and your DT must remain fishless for about 12 weeks. If a fish doesn't seem tolerate copper; I'd use chloroquinine phosphate. I have no faith in hypo anymore. I wouldn't get another lion to put with the puffer, puffers often take a liking to a lions fins, generally not good tankmates. CP will kill velvet too, not just ich as hypo is supposed to do.

KeepNitReel · 11/24/2013, 04:31 PM

I might as well kick you while you're down. I'm going to play Monday Morning Quarterback.
You should've had your fish in the quarantine tank the same time your display tank was cycling. You played Russian roulette and lost now the penalty is 12 weeks (3 months) of a fishless display tank.

jimnchal · 11/25/2013, 04:06 PM

I deserve to be kicked. I set up a 40 gallon QT, and all new additions will be treated with copper from here on out. At least my loss was only one fish and not a complete wipe out.

KeepNitReel · 11/25/2013, 06:42 PM

The positive side of this, is lesson learned early & your tank was not fully stocked.
Sorry for your lost, good luck.

Guntotn · 11/26/2013, 07:25 AM

I did the same thing. Unfortunately for me, my tank was fully stocked.

jimnchal · 11/30/2013, 07:21 AM

One more question, when leaving the tank fishless, does this include inverts? I have apstasia and was going to get a few peppermint shrimp to take care of the problem.

Palting · 11/30/2013, 01:47 PM

Fishless means just that and only that: no fish. Shrimp, snail, crabs....they can all go into the DT. Just remember you have to reset your count to 0 in the count towards 8 weeks or more fallow period after you add anything wet and live to it, even liverock, just in case these carry Ich.

Vesper6 · 11/30/2013, 02:11 PM

I'm facing an ich problem with my new tank too and will be treating the 2 fish in a hospital tank with cupramine. Is it ok to add a coral during this time to the DT? (assuming water parameters are good of course).

I know some people are of the opinion that you quarantine everything - but it seems like others just use a coral dip like Coral RX. Wouldn't there still be a risk of introducing ich doing this?

11/24/2013, 10:20 AM	#1
jimnchal Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 171	ICH Help Just started my first saltwater tank about 5 months ago. I added a Zebra Mooray Eel, Lionfish and, Porcupine Puffer. The problem is I was so anxious to get the tank going that I did not QT. My porcupine puffer came down with ICH. I transferred him to a QT tank and started Cupramine (bringing it up slowly). Puffer started acting a little funny after a week in QT, so I started carbon to remove the copper and going HYPO. My lion unfotunately had gotten ICH and did not make it. The Zebra Mooray is still in the DT, after doing some reading it says that Moorays are very resistant to ICH because of the slime coat. He still looks great and eating very well. Could the tank be considered fallow if there is no way for the ICH to complete a life cycle if it can not attach itself to the eel? Getting the eel out of the tank will prove to be very difficult. He is nearly 4' long and never really comes out of the rocks. I would have to remove nearly 225lbs of rock to get him out. I have now learned the importance of QTing. I was just so anxious to get things going

11/24/2013, 11:22 AM	#2
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	Ich can feed on an eel, the gills are especially vulnerable. An eel is a fish and your DT must remain fishless for about 12 weeks. If a fish doesn't seem tolerate copper; I'd use chloroquinine phosphate. I have no faith in hypo anymore. I wouldn't get another lion to put with the puffer, puffers often take a liking to a lions fins, generally not good tankmates. CP will kill velvet too, not just ich as hypo is supposed to do. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef Last edited by MrTuskfish; 11/24/2013 at 11:28 AM.

11/30/2013, 01:47 PM	#8
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Fishless means just that and only that: no fish. Shrimp, snail, crabs....they can all go into the DT. Just remember you have to reset your count to 0 in the count towards 8 weeks or more fallow period after you add anything wet and live to it, even liverock, just in case these carry Ich. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

11/24/2013, 04:31 PM	#3
KeepNitReel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Henrico, Virginia Posts: 490	I might as well kick you while you're down. I'm going to play Monday Morning Quarterback. You should've had your fish in the quarantine tank the same time your display tank was cycling. You played Russian roulette and lost now the penalty is 12 weeks (3 months) of a fishless display tank.

11/25/2013, 04:06 PM	#4
jimnchal Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 171	I deserve to be kicked. I set up a 40 gallon QT, and all new additions will be treated with copper from here on out. At least my loss was only one fish and not a complete wipe out.

11/25/2013, 06:42 PM	#5
KeepNitReel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Henrico, Virginia Posts: 490	The positive side of this, is lesson learned early & your tank was not fully stocked. Sorry for your lost, good luck.

11/26/2013, 07:25 AM	#6
Guntotn Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 59	I did the same thing. Unfortunately for me, my tank was fully stocked.

11/30/2013, 07:21 AM	#7
jimnchal Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 171	One more question, when leaving the tank fishless, does this include inverts? I have apstasia and was going to get a few peppermint shrimp to take care of the problem.

11/30/2013, 02:11 PM	#9
Vesper6 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 88	I'm facing an ich problem with my new tank too and will be treating the 2 fish in a hospital tank with cupramine. Is it ok to add a coral during this time to the DT? (assuming water parameters are good of course). I know some people are of the opinion that you quarantine everything - but it seems like others just use a coral dip like Coral RX. Wouldn't there still be a risk of introducing ich doing this?