All my fish died from Ich

Crackem · Aug 23, 2015

Long story short, I upgraded from a 72 bowfront to a 120. After the tank cycled in about a month (June 2015) I slowly transferred 3 true perculas, a flame and bellus Angel, and a blue hippo and black cap basslet in July. I added a clean up crew a few weeks later and a few sps frags. One day i noticed my blackcap didn't come out to eat and before I knew it he was struggling and floating. Not long after, my clowns got white spots on them. A friend came over and used a microscope and we caught a clown and got a sample and he positively identified Ich. I tried using medicated food but it didn't work. Within a week to 10 days all fish died. I did setup a 20 gallon qt but it was to late. It's currently running with cupramine in it

My first question is because of my rockwork I was unable to remove the flame angel after it died and my cleanup crew took care of it. My blue hippo tang disappeared so I'm assuming it died yesterday 8/21/15. Can Ich Live on a dead fish? I want to start over and Qt all my new fish so I plan on going fallow for 72 days. I have many more questions but this is the one I need answered first

broskie · Aug 23, 2015

Well first off I am really sorry for your lost of fish. Ive only had two fish that ever got Ich but they both lived after being moved to a different tank and treated. I haven't heard of Ich killing so fast but as with your experience I guess so. Have you checked your water parameters to make sure its not off and putting the fish under more stress?

Oscaror · Aug 23, 2015

Sorry for your loss, and yes, the dead fish can still be a contaminant

maroun.c · Aug 23, 2015

Sorry for your loss, dead fish flesh gets consumed/decays in 3-4days. If ur going fishless for 72 days then dead fish would not be a concern.

Diesel · Aug 23, 2015

^^^^ fishless for at least 72 days if not more.

miyags · Aug 23, 2015

I'd go 3 months

4FordFamily · Aug 23, 2015

The parasite cannot feed on dead fish for long, and hippo tangs are known to hide in rocks for up to a couple weeks and randomly emerge. I would search for him...

Did it put cupramine in your display with all of those coral and clean up crew?????

If so, it's gone.

Humblefish · Aug 23, 2015

Diesel said:
^^^^ fishless for at least 72 days if not more.

^^This. Although if 10 fish died within a week, I strongly suspect velvet.

cginter · Aug 23, 2015

Yup of they all died in a week, then it's marine velvet, not ich. Leave the tank fish less for 72 days-3 months. Then start to add fish slowly.

Good luck, sorry for your losses

kenjung · Aug 23, 2015

Anytime you transfer fishes to new tank its a big risk, big factor is stress that will bring out diseases. Something is not right with your new tank move slowly add only the most hardy fish for now.

3dees · Aug 23, 2015

glad your going to use a qt, but you may also research your fish choices for that tank. hippo's are know for being ich magnets and even if treated in a qt, you still are going to stress it out in a tank that is much too small. stress can and will bring on ich. bellus angels also need a larger tank and three clowns will probably become two.

4FordFamily · Aug 23, 2015

Velvet is running rampant right now, it seems to come in droves

Akida17th · Aug 23, 2015

If your fish are healthy and happy ich shouldn't be an issue even if it is in your tank. Try to feed them a healthy diet to improve their immune system. Also, ich isn't difficult to deal with as long as you can catch your fish, which is usually the hardest part, and place them in a hospital tank and dose. I've used ich-x and worked well when I had a breakout and removed my clowns which recovered.

Humblefish · Aug 23, 2015

3FordFamily said:
Velvet is running rampant right now, it seems to come in droves

+1 Almost every Petco I've been to lately seems to have it in their tanks. My local Petco gets fish in on Friday, by Monday what hasn't sold is starting to die from velvet. So the highlight of my Sunday is to go over there, and look for fish with velvet so I can get my discount.

Speaking of which... I gotta go.

4FordFamily · Aug 23, 2015

Akida17th said:
If your fish are healthy and happy ich shouldn't be an issue even if it is in your tank. Try to feed them a healthy diet to improve their immune system. Also, ich isn't difficult to deal with as long as you can catch your fish, which is usually the hardest part, and place them in a hospital tank and dose. I've used ich-x and worked well when I had a breakout and removed my clowns which recovered.

Many species can be kept utilizing ich management as you describe assuming the hobbyist:
1) selects species that can handle this (acanthurus tangs are not an example like powder blues, Achilles, powder Browns, etc)
2) has fantastic nutrient export/filtration
3) good and STABLE water parameters
4) has a very established tank
5) doesn't feed garbage food, or solely flakes and freeze dried foods.
6) feeds nori regularly
7) is OK killing new additions that may not be able to develop resistance quickly enough (for me it was 1/4 fish would succumb to ich even though the resident fish had no problems)
8) is quite experienced. It helps.

Cleo642 · Aug 23, 2015

Humblefish said:
+1 Almost every Petco I've been to lately seems to have it in their tanks. My local Petco gets fish in on Friday, by Monday what hasn't sold is starting to die from velvet. So the highlight of my Sunday is to go over there, and look for fish with velvet so I can get my discount. Speaking of which... I gotta go.

So you buy them from Petco and treat them? If so, thank you for rescuing some poor fish.