Ich in my display

[Adzz]

Hi, my fish got ich in my main display with coral and anemones. I have moved them to QT using copper and I will also use the TTM.

My question now is what do I do with the coral in my now fishless display tank? Will the parasite die off after a certain amount of time?

If someone could advise me on my next step with the coral it would be much appreciated.

 

[Sharkbait19]

You only need to treat the fish with copper - ttm is just added stress.
For the display tank, just let it sit with no new additions for at least 60 days to starve out the ich. You can continue maintenance as usual, just don’t use the same equipment in qt and the dt.
Now is a good time to pick up a new coral or invert without risk of infecting any fish - just start the fallow clock after the last addition.

 

[nereefpat]

I agree if you're using copper, there's no need for tank transfer method, assuming copper is at therapeutic levels.

My question now is what do I do with the coral in my now fishless display tank? Will the parasite die off after a certain amount of time?

If someone could advise me on my next step with the coral it would be much appreciated.

The corals just need to stay in the display, while it remains completely fishless for a period of time. If you can bump the display temperature to 81 degrees (27 C), 45 days should be long enough for fallow period.

 

[mfinn]

I believe the current accepted protocol for leaving the display fishless is now 45 days.

 

[mfinn]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I believe the current accepted protocol for leaving the display fishless is now 45 days.

45 days at 81 F. is the minimum time. I prefer 60 days if the temperature is below 80. The old 76 days time frame was never practical, and longer than needed in every instance except really cold systems.

Jay

 

[mfinn]

45 days at 81 F. is the minimum time. I prefer 60 days if the temperature is below 80. The old 76 days time frame was never practical, and longer than needed in every instance except really cold systems.

Jay

I remember the discussions here on R2R when the person ( I believe the first one) posted the 76 day time frame.
I looked into it and had talked with a couple people about this time frame and if I remember correctly the 76 days was the amount of time ick was kept alive in a lab.
So I guess the idea was if it could happen once, it could happen again?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I remember the discussions here on R2R when the person ( I believe the first one) posted the 76 day time frame.
I looked into it and had talked with a couple people about this time frame and if I remember correctly the 76 days was the amount of time ick was kept alive in a lab.
So I guess the idea was if it could happen once, it could happen again?

I've got the study around here somewhere - It was in a PhD thesis by Colorni. In it, he showed 76 day viability in a cold, anoxic, xeric culture....basically a chilled petri dish with no oxygen, and no bacteria (which might feed on the tomont). That just doesn't have any real world application, and was a classic case of over-extrapolation.

From that point, people then started to say 90 days, or that tomonts could survive in anoxic areas in a tank (but they are too large to fit into crevices that small).

I'm not a great proponent for hurrying quarantine processes, but 76 days is completely unnecessary.

Jay

 

[mfinn]

I've got the study around here somewhere - It was in a PhD thesis by Colorni. In it, he showed 76 day viability in a cold, anoxic, xeric culture....basically a chilled petri dish with no oxygen, and no bacteria (which might feed on the tomont). That just doesn't have any real world application, and was a classic case of over-extrapolation.

From that point, people then started to say 90 days, or that tomonts could survive in anoxic areas in a tank (but they are too large to fit into crevices that small).

I'm not a great proponent for hurrying quarantine processes, but 76 days is completely unnecessary.

Jay

I had my first case of ick in my display tank ( first in a couple decades) a few years ago and had to quarantine 18 surviving fish in a 105 gallon tank. I did the whole 76 days and it was a huge pain. Once the copper was at full strength, all the fish survived.

 

[Adzz]

I had my first case of ick in my display tank ( first in a couple decades) a few years ago and had to quarantine 18 surviving fish in a 105 gallon tank. I did the whole 76 days and it was a huge pain. Once the copper was at full strength, all the fish survived.

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies, much appreciated. My only other question would be - after the course of copper treatment is there anything else I need to dose to aid the fish’s recovery?

If you recommend any specific medication please let me know

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies, much appreciated. My only other question would be - after the course of copper treatment is there anything else I need to dose to aid the fish’s recovery?

If you recommend any specific medication please let me know

As long as you get an effective treatment started soon enough, the ich infection will be uncomplicated and just go away. In severe cases, fish can develop secondary bacterial infections. Don't treat for that unless you see symptoms though: white mucus, red patches on the skin, all developing after the ich spots go away. You may have trouble getting gram negative antibiotics in the UK though.

Jay

 

[Johnnyracer]

Good luck! You will prevail with patience.