Ich cross-contamination (baster, pipette etc.)

[346700984]

Hey all, we have a few tanks, one of which has ich. If I use a baster or pipette in the ich tank to feed coral, collect water samples etc and I rinse those tools out thoroughly with freshwater and air dry, will those tools (if used in another tank) cross contaminate the other tanks with ich or will the fresh water rinse/air dry kill any ich if ich were to even get in the tools? I was considering buying another set of tools for the other tanks not contaminated but if it wasn’t necessary then I won’t. What about nets that had been used, rinsed thoroughly in freshwater etc? Thanks.

 

[Squidward]

I believe ich will die on dry surface. But I'd rinse them off in scalding hot water just to be sure.

 

[346700984]

I believe ich will die on dry surface. But I'd rinse them off in scalding hot water just to be sure.

That was my thought also, but after a thorough freshwater rinse the inside of the pipette etc are/is still wet with fresh water when I need to use again. So not always dry when needed again.

 

[Squidward]

That was my thought also, but after a thorough freshwater rinse the inside of the pipette etc are/is still wet with fresh water when I need to use again. So not always dry when needed again.

If that's the case, then it's better off having new ones for the clean tanks.

 

[arking_mark]

I had a cross-contamination from my observation tank to my display tank. Not sure what caused it. So do take precautions.

 

[346700984]

I’m sure in the beginning before we had visible ich in the big reef tank, we had cross contaminated with the baster in the other tanks. It’s been 2 weeks since the initial outbreak and I see nothing on my lionfish in my other predator tank luckily.