Ick (Boooo!) Treatment for hardy fish

[duberii]

Hello,

I've been watching my clownfish for about a week now- originally she had just a single spot of ich- but this morning, I woke up to this.

She clearly needs some help. She ate yesterday, shes not itching herself besides the normal swimming in and out of that frogspawn, and I only have her and one other fish (a scooter blenny) in the tank (along with various corals and inverts).

The scooter blenny has natural white dots all over its body, so it's a little difficult to tell if she has ich. I'll probably treat her with my clownfish anyways.

I didn't want to have to treat her or my scooter blenny, but I think I have reason enough to do so now. I have never treated a fish for any disease before, so I'm extremely nervous to do something as intense as cupramine that I could easily screw up. What do you guys think I should do? (Also, I have a 10-gallon tank I could treat the fish in or I could set up a 30 gallon tank- which do you think would be better?)

 

[HuduVudu]

I guess I will write the heresy.

Your gas exchange needs to be worked on.

I will start with the tank and then move to the house.

First make sure that air can easily reach the top of your tank. Try to get everything that might impede air flow out of the way. Next make sure you have good turn over in your tank. Make sure that that water flow is disturbing the top of the tank. Watch for scum on the top of the tank this impedes air flow. Skimmers are awesome to get gas exchange going. I had to put one on my 20 breeder because my gas exchange was garbage and I only really use the skimmer for that. Get good power heads that can really move the water. Wave makers help get those hard to reach areas.

Your house. You need to get the windows open or get some way of clearing your house of air on a regular basis. This is most especially important if there are a large number of humans in the house for extended periods of time.

Also one last thing ... stocking. Your tank only has a finite amount of oxygen that can get into it. Warm salt water is particularly hard to oxygenate. Make sure that you don't stock past the point that your tank can handle. I don't know how many posts I have see where someone adds a fish in and that fish gives all of the other fish ich and everything dies. At first blush it seems that the fish introduced the ich, the more likely answer is that the person exceeding there oxygen input.

An added bonus to all of this, is that your tank will be happier you will be happier and you won't have to continuously dose your tank or set up a QT.

This is how I handle this and I have handled this way for 20 years. Good luck in your journey

 

[duberii]

I guess I will write the heresy.

Your gas exchange needs to be worked on.

I will start with the tank and then move to the house.

First make sure that air can easily reach the top of your tank. Try to get everything that might impede air flow out of the way. Next make sure you have good turn over in your tank. Make sure that that water flow is disturbing the top of the tank. Watch for scum on the top of the tank this impedes air flow. Skimmers are awesome to get gas exchange going. I had to put one on my 20 breeder because my gas exchange was garbage and I only really use the skimmer for that. Get good power heads that can really move the water. Wave makers help get those hard to reach areas.

Your house. You need to get the windows open or get some way of clearing your house of air on a regular basis. This is most especially important if there are a large number of humans in the house for extended periods of time.

Also one last thing ... stocking. Your tank only has a finite amount of oxygen that can get into it. Warm salt water is particularly hard to oxygenate. Make sure that you don't stock past the point that your tank can handle. I don't know how many posts I have see where someone adds a fish in and that fish gives all of the other fish ich and everything dies. At first blush it seems that the fish introduced the ich, the more likely answer is that the person exceeding there oxygen input.

An added bonus to all of this, is that your tank will be happier you will be happier and you won't have to continuously dose your tank or set up a QT.

This is how I handle this and I have handled this way for 20 years. Good luck in your journey

It's certainly worth a shot. Never heard of death by oxygenation before haha. But I'm pretty sure this isn't the case. I have 2 fish, and have only ever had 2 fish in this tank. I have a protein skimmer, I have 2 powerheads, I have surface disruption from my return line. I'm sure an increase in oxygen could help reduce stress, but I doubt that in my 70 gallon system, the 2 fish I have and however many corals are even close to exceeding the carrying capacity of my tank.

 

[duberii]

Also, I just fed the fish, and they're both eating normally (aka like pigs). Seems like neither of them are on the verge of death yet.

 

[HuduVudu]

It's certainly worth a shot. Never heard of death by oxygenation before haha. But I'm pretty sure this isn't the case. I have 2 fish, and have only ever had 2 fish in this tank. I have a protein skimmer, I have 2 powerheads, I have surface disruption from my return line. I'm sure an increase in oxygen could help reduce stress, but I doubt that in my 70 gallon system, the 2 fish I have and however many corals are even close to exceeding the carrying capacity of my tank.

Is the top of your tank covered with a lid?

I look for a total turn over of the tank at once per minute so for you that would be around 70gpm or 4200gph. This is a lot and brings with it it's own problems but I find it a good target to shoot for. If you have an open system try to get good surface skimming with your drains this helps immensely. Corals don't contribute to issues of oxygenation as they are carbon dioxide consumers. In fact they slightly (very slightly) help with oxygen.

Don't forget your tank can't get oxygen if your house (or the room of the fish tank) doesn't have it.

The fish eating is good, but it isn't particularly relevant.

 

[duberii]

Is the top of your tank covered with a lid?

I look for a total turn over of the tank at once per minute so for you that would be around 70gpm or 4200gph. This is a lot and brings with it it's own problems but I find it a good target to shoot for. If you have an open system try to get good surface skimming with your drains this helps immensely. Corals don't contribute to issues of oxygenation as they are carbon dioxide consumers. In fact they slightly (very slightly) help with oxygen.

Don't forget your tank can't get oxygen if your house (or the room of the fish tank) doesn't have it.

The fish eating is good, but it isn't particularly relevant.

Well, fish eating was more about the progress of ich. Fish that are dying of ich will usually stop eating. I have an open top tank, with a suface skimmer to the overflow. My flow is a bit low by your standards, but regardless, that is an issue that likely has nothing to do with the ich

 

[HuduVudu]

Fish that are dying of ich will usually stop eating.

Assuming they are dying from ich.

On your build thread you have no real surface agitation. Also your cabinet is completely closed except for the back. That could be a problem.

I'll leave you to it.

 

[duberii]

I'm thinking of using the TTM- only issue is that I won't be able to add the fish back to my original tank because the TTM is extremely quick... not sure how I'd bridge the gap.

The more I read about any method though, the less I want to do it. :/