How long before ich that is present shows on fish?

[jtf74]

I just finished 77 days fallow in my DT while my fish went through copper treatment. They have been free and clear now of any symptoms in QT for that entire time. I put one fish back in DT today and wondering how long I should observe before moving the rest over? Was thinking two weeks but my original ich outbreak didn't show until a month later after the fish that brought it in was introduced.

 

[piranhaman00]

Depends on many factors that makes it impossible to answer. If you did a true fallow and proper qt you are good

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ich has a cycle and depends on certain stages but at t

I just finished 77 days fallow in my DT while my fish went through copper treatment. They have been free and clear now of any symptoms in QT for that entire time. I put one fish back in DT today and wondering how long I should observe before moving the rest over? Was thinking two weeks but my original ich outbreak didn't show until a month later after the fish that brought it in was introduced.

Ich has a cycle and depends on certain stages but at tIromont stage you will begin to see the salt like grains/dots
Recommended is 30 day quarantine and a fishless period of 45/60 days to assure the parasite has died off without a host fish

 

[MnFish1]

Ich can sometimes be 'silent' i.e. you can't see it - if the fish are so-called 'carriers'. There is some debate as to whether this is possible or not. However, your copper treatment and fallow period (assuming they were done correctly, mean you should be good to go. Many people observe for 2 weeks after QT/treatment

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Ich can sometimes be 'silent' i.e. you can't see it - if the fish are so-called 'carriers'. There is some debate as to whether this is possible or not. However, your copper treatment and fallow period (assuming they were done correctly, mean you should be good to go. Many people observe for 2 weeks after QT/treatment

+1

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ich can sometimes be 'silent' i.e. you can't see it - if the fish are so-called 'carriers'. There is some debate as to whether this is possible or not. However, your copper treatment and fallow period (assuming they were done correctly, mean you should be good to go. Many people observe for 2 weeks after QT/treatment

+2, I would wait 14 days, then move the other fish over. That assumes that the other fish are stable in the QT. If they are not, then I'd move them now.

No treatment procedure is 100%, but this method is very good and typically eliminates ich issues. We do see failures, but often, we also hear things like, "I ran my tank fallow, except for a goby that I couldn't catch" - of course, that sort of issue tends to ruin the entire process (grin).

Jay

 

[jtf74]

+2, I would wait 14 days, then move the other fish over. That assumes that the other fish are stable in the QT. If they are not, then I'd move them now.

No treatment procedure is 100%, but this method is very good and typically eliminates ich issues. We do see failures, but often, we also hear things like, "I ran my tank fallow, except for a goby that I couldn't catch" - of course, that sort of issue tends to ruin the entire process (grin).

Jay

Thanks. They are all doing great in QT now so no rush. I broke down the DT completely, rinsed all the sand with fresh water and kept the live rock/sand in tanks with no fish for 77 days. The copper power really was stable and worked quickly and only at water changes did I need to add more. I put my yellow longnose in first because its the easiest to catch as it will swim into almost anything for food.

 

[jtf74]

And the correct answer is 6 days. I just saw something whitish on my butterfly's fins. What a nightmare. At least it was in a smaller tank started from my infected DT so the DT is still fallow, though I don't know what to believe anymore about fallow periods. The tank had no fish for 77 days nothing added to it during those 77 days. I checked my copper levels often for 30 days and was between 2.25- 2.5 and my fish still in qT are all good so seems like the copper worked.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

And the correct answer is 6 days. I just saw something whitish on my butterfly's fins. What a nightmare. At least it was in a smaller tank started from my infected DT so the DT is still fallow, though I don't know what to believe anymore about fallow periods. The tank had no fish for 77 days nothing added to it during those 77 days. I checked my copper levels often for 30 days and was between 2.25- 2.5 and my fish still in qT are all good so seems like the copper worked.

Not all "whiteish spots" are ich. If you see multiple, sharply defined small white spots on the body and fins that come an go, but generally increase in number over days, then you can be more certain that it is ich. Larger spots, fewer in number that don't come and go day to day are typically not ich.

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Post photos or video. It may not be ich

 

[MnFish1]

And the correct answer is 6 days. I just saw something whitish on my butterfly's fins. What a nightmare. At least it was in a smaller tank started from my infected DT so the DT is still fallow, though I don't know what to believe anymore about fallow periods. The tank had no fish for 77 days nothing added to it during those 77 days. I checked my copper levels often for 30 days and was between 2.25- 2.5 and my fish still in qT are all good so seems like the copper worked.

No offense - the answer to the original question is not 6 days. Despite your experience. Something does not make complete sense.

 

[jtf74]

No offense - the answer to the original question is not 6 days. Despite your experience. Something does not make complete sense.

I was being sarcastic.

 

[jtf74]

Not all "whiteish spots" are ich. If you see multiple, sharply defined small white spots on the body and fins that come an go, but generally increase in number over days, then you can be more certain that it is ich. Larger spots, fewer in number that don't come and go day to day are typically not ich.

Its just the one white area on the fin. Could be lympho I suppose as the butterfly has lived for years in a lookdown pond so its a bit stressed with now being in glass. It moves too much to get a pic so I'm just watching for now but this is where its started before, one spot on the fin became two and then one day its covered in specks.

 

[jtf74]

Post photos or video. It may not be ich

It won't sit still long enough. Will try if it progresses.

 

[jtf74]

Wanted to provide an update in case someone stumbles across this thread later. Its looking like it was just a scuff or gunk as the spot disappeared after a couple days and nothing has returned. Its been such a bad year for me with everything breaking , I just assumed the worst. It does look like the fallow period worked.