Fowler display tank has ich

[payrawsa]

My fowler tank has ich. I have no inverts. I have some macroalgae. What are my options to qt the display? I heard hyposalinity maintained for 30 days can help at 1.009. I've also heard chloroquine phosphate can be used. I have a 8'x2'x2 tank

Stock list:

1. Achilles tang
2. Gem tang
3. Sohal tang
4. Powder blue
5. 3 hippo tangs
6. Kole tang
7. Sailfin tang
8. Naso tang
9. Diamond goby
10. Radiant wrasse

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I don't think I would dose that tank with chloroquine - it will kill off all of the algae, and probably cause an ammonia spike. Even hyposalinity may cause a die off of the macro algae, depending on the species. I would hand pluck as much as you can prior to going hypo. Here is a thread I started on hyposalinity:

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[Sharkbait19]

Post some pics to confirm ich. Copper in a qt tank is best, but hyposalinity can work as well if you aren’t able to qt. The macro will die in the hypo, so be sure to move that into a separate tank for 60 days to eliminate ich.

 

[payrawsa]

Post some pics to confirm ich. Copper in a qt tank is best, but hyposalinity can work as well if you aren’t able to qt. The macro will die in the hypo, so be sure to move that into a separate tank for 60 days to eliminate ich.

Two white spots can clearly be seen on the achilles.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Two white spots can clearly be seen on the achilles.

Assure this is ich as it can be grains of sand that will stick to them. Quarantine will be most effective BUT.. . . . see if the dots are the same or have increase over the next 12-24 hours.
Any additional photos you post, please do them under white lighting (minus blue)
If dots grow, you have to decide Hypo or coppersafe which would be effective treatment and done in quarantine unless macroalgae is no longer desired

 

[payrawsa]

Assure this is ich as it can be grains of sand that will stick to them. Quarantine will be most effective BUT.. . . . see if the dots are the same or have increase over the next 12-24 hours.
Any additional photos you post, please do them under white lighting (minus blue)
If dots grow, you have to decide Hypo or coppersafe which would be effective treatment and done in quarantine unless macroalgae is no longer desired

If I take macroalgae out to keep it alive when can I put it back in refugium?

 

[payrawsa]

Assure this is ich as it can be grains of sand that will stick to them. Quarantine will be most effective BUT.. . . . see if the dots are the same or have increase over the next 12-24 hours.
Any additional photos you post, please do them under white lighting (minus blue)
If dots grow, you have to decide Hypo or coppersafe which would be effective treatment and done in quarantine unless macroalgae is no longer desired

If I take macroalgae out to keep it alive when can I put it back inn

 

[vetteguy53081]

If I take macroalgae out to keep it alive when can I put it back inn

After assurance there is no trace of copper by doing a copper test

 

[jabberwock]

I have ich in a small 25 gallon system. I was advised to raise tank temp to 80 or 82 degrees F. Ink Bird is set to 81.5. It appears to be working. The fish look much better. I understand that this is ich management and not eradication.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have ich in a small 25 gallon system. I was advised to raise tank temp to 80 or 82 degrees F. Ink Bird is set to 81.5. It appears to be working. The fish look much better. I understand that this is ich management and not eradication.

That is correct as higher yemp speeds up the treatment cycle mainly when done in conjunction with meds

 

[Sharkbait19]

If I take macroalgae out to keep it alive when can I put it back inn

Wait 60 days to ensure that any parasites transferred on the macro die off.

 

[sc50964]

How about using coppersafe or power in your FOWLR?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

If I take macroalgae out to keep it alive when can I put it back in refugium?

It would need to be isolated from all fish for at least 60 days, else it could bring ich back into the tank.

Jay

 

[payrawsa]

How about using coppersafe or power in your FOWLR?

In the future I want to keep the option open of having corals

 

[payrawsa]

The spots have increased and spread on the fish. I will start switching out with rodi water until I hit 1.009. What is the best solution for a pH buffer? I plan to go hypo for 30 days God willing. Will keep updates here as I go in case it helps someone in the future. Thanks everyone

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The spots have increased and spread on the fish. I will start switching out with rodi water until I hit 1.009. What is the best solution for a pH buffer? I plan to go hypo for 30 days God willing. Will keep updates here as I go in case it helps someone in the future. Thanks everyone

You may not need to buffer the water. Just measure the pH every day or so. As long as it is above 7.6 or 7.7, you don't need to worry. At 7.4 or so, you could add a bit of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) but really, as long as the tank has good aeration to keep the CO2 level down, your pH should be o.k. for the duration of the hypo treatment.

Jay

 

[payrawsa]

@Jay Hemdal I have decided to go with coppersafe. How long do I need to sustain it for ich and all eggs to be dead? I have a hanna checker. I'm afraid what I have could also be velvet or both. Copper seems the safest route. I'm using coppersafe and targeting 2.5ppm.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal I have decided to go with coppersafe. How long do I need to sustain it for ich and all eggs to be dead? I have a hanna checker. I'm afraid what I have could also be velvet or both. Copper seems the safest route. I'm using coppersafe and targeting 2.5ppm.

I prefer to run coppersafe for 30 days. Some people run it for less time, but there are risks associated with that. At the very least go 21 days beyond the date you last saw symptoms.
Jay

 

[payrawsa]

I prefer to run coppersafe for 30 days. Some people run it for less time, but there are risks associated with that. At the very least go 21 days beyond the date you last saw symptoms.
Jay

I really appreciate the help. How long will it take before I visibally see my fish getting better? I currently have it at 2.13ppm with coppersafe checked with hanna checker. I also have another shipment of fish coming and wanted to know if any of these fish are sensitive to coppersafe? I will have to put them in at the 2.13 right away because I don't have enough space in another tank.


Some blennies
Cowfish
Emperor angelfish
Flame angel
Lamark angel
Dragonface pipefish
Cleaner wrasse
Tamarin wrasse
Some gobies

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I really appreciate the help. How long will it take before I visibally see my fish getting better? I currently have it at 2.13ppm with coppersafe checked with hanna checker. I also have another shipment of fish coming and wanted to know if any of these fish are sensitive to coppersafe? I will have to put them in at the 2.13 right away because I don't have enough space in another tank.


Some blennies
Cowfish
Emperor angelfish
Flame angel
Lamark angel
Dragonface pipefish
Cleaner wrasse
Tamarin wrasse
Some gobies

Can you postpone the shipment? It is never a good idea to add new fish to a group of currently sick fish - too many things can go wrong, no treatment is 100% certain or totally without risk.
Of the fish you listed the cowfish and flame angel are two that can be sensitive to copper. I’ve put them into 100% copper right away, but both species do better if you can ramp them up over 24 hours.
Jay