ICH out break...Now what??

[bullseyereef]

Hey everyone, so I had an ICH out break in my display. Took out half my fish. Seems like I'm on the down side of the outbreak, as things are looking better.
So now my question is, do it QT my new fish?
As we all know ICH is now in my tank. So what's the right steps to adding new live stock? Do i add a UV and manage the ICH the best i can? Or should i setup and QT my new fish only to be put into a tank with ICH?
I can also can get a fish trap and run the tank fishless for a few months.
Just looking for some advice as to what to do next. I know removing all the fish is really the correct answer but looking for opinions.
Thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Fis

Hey everyone, so I had an ICH out break in my display. Took out half my fish. Seems like I'm on the down side of the outbreak, as things are looking better.
So now my question is, do it QT my new fish?
As we all know ICH is now in my tank. So what's the right steps to adding new live stock? Do i add a UV and manage the ICH the best i can? Or should i setup and QT my new fish only to be put into a tank with ICH?
I can also can get a fish trap and run the tank fishless for a few months.
Just looking for some advice as to what to do next. I know removing all the fish is really the correct answer but looking for opinions.
Thanks

Fishless for 10 weeks, and treat all the fish you remove with copper would be how I would address it. However, you only lost half you fish, which means the remaining ones managed their infections (not really common). You might consider management going forward and just avoid ich prone fish like powder ble tangs, etc.
Jay

 

[bullseyereef]

Fis

Fishless for 10 weeks, and treat all the fish you remove with copper would be how I would address it. However, you only lost half you fish, which means the remaining ones managed their infections (not really common). You might consider management going forward and just avoid ich prone fish like powder ble tangs, etc.
Jay

and of course one of the fish that passed was a powder blue and my favorite fish lol he had it for awhile like 3 weeks or so before it killed him

 

[vtecintegra]

Take all of the fish out.

 

[DrZoidburg]

Fish only tank? Treat the tank, or go fishless. Qt new fish would have no benefit to ich cause its already in there.

 

[Supa]

I would say let DT go fallow for 8-10 weeks……. QT all surviving fish until then(hopefully in decent size QT for less stress etc) my concern would be trying to figure out where the ich came from…. And If one of the surviving fish makes it through Copper and shows healthy then move to the main tank after going fallow only to have the fish introduce ich again. Maybe you could do large water changes while dosing the main tank try to vacuum out all the ich durring their cycle…… but man what a task and idk if the medication will stain the tank or anything I’m new to all of this still.

 

[DrZoidburg]

I'd deal with blue silicone before trying to catch fish sometimes heh. There other alternatives to copper if the idea of that really bugs you. Also other coppers without amines wont change the colors. Also yes to above uv will help manage it but not a fix all solution.

 

[Gtinnel]

It seems like you already know the proper answer is to remove all fish and treat with copper while the tanks stays fallow.
If you do not go that way then it seems pointless to qt fish that you are going to put in a tank that you know has ich, unless you are qting new fish to try and avoid introducing some other disease/parasite.

 

[jmichaelh7]

No fish in tank for 73+ days and Isolate fish with Cupramine immediately.

 

[Squidward]

If you want an ich free tank you'll have to do the harder work. I prefer to cure it than just putting a band aid on the problem.

 

[socalfishy]

just like everyone said, empty tank. Ich lives a life cycle that goes from living on the fish to eggs dropping off and them floating in the water looking for a new host when they hatch. This cycle goes on until all the fish are gone. My only advice in regards to this process is turn your heather up high. The heat speeds up the life span cycle of the ich and drop the salinity down to a "hyposalinity" level of treatment, meaning less salty, while there are no fish in the system.

 

[bullseyereef]

just like everyone said, empty tank. Ich lives a life cycle that goes from living on the fish to eggs dropping off and them floating in the water looking for a new host when they hatch. This cycle goes on until all the fish are gone. My only advice in regards to this process is turn your heather up high. The heat speeds up the life span cycle of the ich and drop the salinity down to a "hyposalinity" level of treatment, meaning less salty, while there are no fish in the system.

i cant go crazy with the display because of the corals. Ill have to set up a QT system and run fishless for a few months

 

[bullseyereef]

I would say let DT go fallow for 8-10 weeks……. QT all surviving fish until then(hopefully in decent size QT for less stress etc) my concern would be trying to figure out where the ich came from…. And If one of the surviving fish makes it through Copper and shows healthy then move to the main tank after going fallow only to have the fish introduce ich again. Maybe you could do large water changes while dosing the main tank try to vacuum out all the ich durring their cycle…… but man what a task and idk if the medication will stain the tank or anything I’m new to all of this still.

im pretty positive i know where it started, and the fish that brought it in is fine and thriving