Ich treatment and going fallow

[just4plaay]

There are so many threads on the treatment of Ich and going fallow but one question keeps bugging me. My tank is fallow right now and has been since December 1st. All fish are in two seperate QT tanks both being treated for 2 weeks with cupramine. After the two week treatment both QT tanks will have fish in them until the 76 days is up on the DT tank. If copper can't kill ich in tomont stage and Ich can stay in tomont stage for up to 76 days isn't it possible that after 2 weeks of copper all my fish will become reinfected in the QT tank? On that same note wouldn't it be best to run copper for the last two weeks of the 76 days to ensure that when the fish come out of the QT tank they are ich free?

On that same note what is the risk of adding SPS coral without doing 76 day quarantine? I struggle enough with SPS in my display tank and can't imagine setting up a QT that they would do well in for 76 days. When I get a coral I always remove the frag plug it, inspect closely, and dip the coral but there are many that seem to think that isn't enough. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

 

[Pbh-reef]

I am no expert but what I have gathered is the following

Welcome to R2R!

1. 14 days in copper works IF you move the fish (and nothing else wet) to a totally new QT afterwards. You are then removing the fish from any of the cysts in the tank. If you're keeping the fish in the same QT then you need 30 days of copper. After 30 days I believe the copper makes any unhatched cysts non-viable. In your case it sounds like your fish will need 30 days in copper.

2. There is a risk of introducing disease when adding anything wet to the tank without going through the appropriate fallow period (which is 76 days for coral). There are things you can do to mitigate this risk (removing the frag plug is one, getting your coral from a fishes system or one that is less likely to have ich than a LFS frag tank, like a trusted fellow hobbyist). But there is always a risk unless you do the 76 day fallow thing. Even then there is a risk of cross-contamination I suppose. This article may help you if you haven't read it yet: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/coral-invert-quarantine-time-frames.382/ You can also consider buying corals and other inverts now and letting them be in your DT for 76 days and then not adding any later as a way to basically qt them in your main tank.

Its taking me time to realize that everything I do in terms of QT is there to minimize risk, but there are tradeoffs involved and risk is never going to be totally eradicated. I wish I could QT just my fish and know no disease will get through. That isn't the case, and for me (with a 10 gallon reef in a small apartment), QTing corals is a not in the cards, so I have to accept some risk every time I add a coral.

 

[just4plaay]

Thank you for the information. I already took advantage of the 76 day DT fallow period and loaded it with new coral. Currently my DT is my QT for coral . I just can't see 76 day QT for coral in the future as plausible for me, maybe a week or two tops.

 

[Pbh-reef]

I believe 45 days fallow is supposed to
Prevent all but one strain of ich.

Good luck with this process- I wish the hardest part of a reef tank wasn’t the very beginning (although I guess I’ll be happy to be through it once it’s all set up!)

 

[miyags]

Now the 76 days start when you added the last coral.A week or two won't work.

 

[miyags]

I believe 45 days fallow is supposed to
Prevent all but one strain of ich.

Good luck with this process- I wish the hardest part of a reef tank wasn’t the very beginning (although I guess I’ll be happy to be through it once it’s all set up!)

Witch strain is that? Thats why most people on this forum recommends the 76 days. Post like this is when people fail with treatment.

 

[Pbh-reef]

Witch strain is that? Thats why most people on this forum recommends the 76 days. Post like this is when people fail with treatment.

I’ve read Humblefish say their is one strain that lasts 76 days and the rest are covered by 45. What I am trying to say is if you can’t do the 76 days then 45 will reduce risk. I think I was pretty clear that it will not eliminate the risk.

 

[Pbh-reef]

Here is the post I’m referring to

35 days is technically correct. 20 days encystment period + 15 days of possible free swimmers. But I always like to tack on a buffer (in this case 10 more days) just in case, considering what's at stake (fish being reinfected with velvet). As an added bonus, 45 days fallow eliminates every known strain of ich except the 72 day variant.

 

[just4plaay]

So with that in mind I have to ask how common the 72-day variant is. If the 72 day variant is not common at all then the risk of going 45 days may be worth it but if the 72-day is the most common than the risk may not be worth it. Is there anyone that would be able to answer this or is it a guess?

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

I don’t have the answer but my logic tells me if I’m going 45 days might as well cover all of the bases with 76. Imagine putting your fish back into the DT on day 46 and having to pull them again on day 50 to start over. I would just be patient and do the 76.

 

[Pbh-reef]

I would agree it’s woryh it if you can do it.