Ich, and black ich

[Wick]

So I have ich and black ich inside of my 125 gallon reef tank. I figured I would pull all my fish out[ lawnmower blenny, watchman goby,purple tang, blue tang, clownfish, and six line wrasse) into a qt 20 gallon tank. I would treat with prazipro to all the fish even though I only see signs of black ich on the blue tang? And have regular ich on my purple and wont have sand for it to have eggs lay in and explode. I figured after treating for the bleach ich first then use copper powder to rid of the regular ich?

Also how long does it take for the black ich to die off in my main display? I can leave my 2 cleaner shrimp,fire shrimp and pistol shrimp in the main dt correct? Thank you all in advance!!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Ich and black Ich are two totally different parasite and require two different treatments.

Fish Diseases 101

Fish Diseases 101 The purpose of this article is to provide a quick reference for identifying both “Common Diseases” and “Not So Common Diseases” afflicting saltwater fish. It is by no means a comprehensive list, but should cover the vast majority of fish diseases encountered by the average...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Wick]

Ich and black Ich are two totally different parasite and require two different treatments.

Fish Diseases 101

Fish Diseases 101 The purpose of this article is to provide a quick reference for identifying both “Common Diseases” and “Not So Common Diseases” afflicting saltwater fish. It is by no means a comprehensive list, but should cover the vast majority of fish diseases encountered by the average...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you for the link but how about my other questions? How long will my dt have to be fallow? How do you treat black ich in main dt?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Thank you for the link but how about my other questions? How long will my dt have to be fallow? How do you treat black ich in main dt?

DT needs be fallow for 72 days because of the Ich. That would be enough for both Ich and the black Ich.

Now treatment. If Ich is present, treatment for it is priority. Black Ich, formalin bath first, then QT for Ich.

 

[Wick]

DT needs be fallow for 72 days because of the Ich. That would be enough for both Ich and the black Ich.

Now treatment. If Ich is present, treatment for it is priority. Black Ich, formalin bath first, then QT for Ich.

Sweet! And thank you! So just a fresh water dip is no good first then prazipro in qt?

 

[Flippers4pups]

You could freshwater dip and then treat for Ich. May not get rid of the black Ich entirely.

 

[Wick]

You could freshwater dip and then treat for Ich. May not get rid of the black Ich entirely.

Anyone have any experience with prazipro in the reef tank to kill the worms? Thoughts? I just want to make sure they die too as I read that the worms can live in the water column and sand for a long time?

 

[Flippers4pups]

@HotRocks, @4FordFamily

 

[HotRocks]

Black ich can be difficult to get rid of with praziquantel. It seems to be quite resistant lately. Fenbendazole or formalin are going to be best for black ich.

You have gotten good info from @Flippers4pups so far.

Prazi is reef safe and will kill all wanted worms in the tank whether they are attached to the fish or not. It won't treat ich. So moving fish to QT treating with copper first and then prazi post copper is best course of action IMO. Display needs to be fallow for 76 days.

 

[Wick]

Black ich can be difficult to get rid of with praziquantel. It seems to be quite resistant lately. Fenbendazole or formalin are going to be best for black ich.

You have gotten good info from @Flippers4pups so far.

Prazi is reef safe and will kill all wanted worms in the tank whether they are attached to the fish or not. It won't treat ich. So moving fish to QT treating with copper first and then prazi post copper is best course of action IMO. Display needs to be fallow for 76 days.

So as long as the display is follow for 76 days the worms from black ich wont survive without a host or can they still live. I know regular ich that is the go to method but have been reading ( which I hope isn't true) that black ich, or the worms can live in the tank for over 7 months without a host?

And as for formalin, any recommendations for a brand? Thank you all for your time as I am learning how to treat fish and am now thinking I will qt everything, even coral and vertebrates

 

[4FordFamily]

So as long as the display is follow for 76 days the worms from black ich wont survive without a host or can they still live. I know regular ich that is the go to method but have been reading ( which I hope isn't true) that black ich, or the worms can live in the tank for over 7 months without a host?

And as for formalin, any recommendations for a brand? Thank you all for your time as I am learning how to treat fish and am now thinking I will qt everything, even coral and vertebrates

So many different kinds of flukes (black ich is actually a fluke) it’s hard to be sure. You can dose the DT with prazi at 2x recommended dose 5-7 days apart and rid the tank of them generally. I’d be shocked if many flukes could live that long without a host that’s news to me but you can medicate the tank to hopefully kill them off while you starve em!

 

[Wick]

So many different kinds of flukes (black ich is actually a fluke) it’s hard to be sure. You can dose the DT with prazi at 2x recommended dose 5-7 days apart and rid the tank of them generally. I’d be shocked if many flukes could live that long without a host that’s news to me but you can medicate the tank to hopefully kill them off while you starve em!

Hell yea! This is good to know! I only have 3 corals in there and 4 shrimp with a bristle star so. Rather start off fresh and get rid of this problem and start to qt all my stuff that I buy now even if people say they qt. Learning lesson I dont want to do again