My Potters Angel has ich!

Chelsey · May 2, 2007

My Potters has had a spot or two of ich for about a week now, but tonight he has gotten MUCH worse and has stopped eating (he ate great yesterday, both mysis and flake but won't touch either tonight). I am going to catch him and put him in a QT tank @ hyposalinity. Does anyone have any other ideas? I know that Potters are very picky fish, but here are the meds that I have available to me:
-fungus cure tablets for zoa dipping
-pure formalin
-pure metronidazol (liquid)

I REALLY hope this guy makes it, I will feel terrible if he doesn't :crybaby:

ficklefins · May 2, 2007

I wish I could help you, but I have no experience with this type of thing. Good luck!

cardgenius · May 2, 2007

Try formula 2 pellets. I use that for my tangs when ever they break out and it will nocks it out right away. Or I just soak any food in garlic and it works just as good.

Acro76 · May 2, 2007

Try Seachem Paraguard, you can use it as a dip or for treatment in a QT tank. Works awesome, and is less toxic than formalin.

Mr.Firemouth · May 2, 2007

Chelsey, all of my Tangs came down with ich because a tang was a carrier. All were healthy, then 3 days after a new yellow from a friend and they all had ich. I used a cleaner shrimp and the ich was gone in 2 days. Maybe one would help.

Chelsey · May 3, 2007

I have a cleaner shrimp, and while he does clean the Potters I think this job is a bit too big for him. If I put one in the QT he would die because of the hyposalinity.

Is there such a thing as liquid garlic? I think I remember some product out there but I can't remember the name.

ficklefins · May 3, 2007

Chelsey said:
I have a cleaner shrimp, and while he does clean the Potters I think this job is a bit too big for him. If I put one in the QT he would die because of the hyposalinity.

Is there such a thing as liquid garlic? I think I remember some product out there but I can't remember the name.

Most companies supply a garlic extract, which is a liquid form.
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KM3631

Azurel · May 3, 2007

Hypo is one of the best forms of cure you can get with ick.....

Chelsey · May 3, 2007

He's in there right now...gosh I hope this fish lives. Being a prevet student it bothers me A LOT when I can't fix an animal or can't take it to someone who can fix it

I hate being helpless

Azurel · May 3, 2007

Hypo should help out a lot....Infact it is very easy on fish, alot of LFS's around here keep there fish tanks in a psudi-hypo water.....Because it is less stress full in acclimation to the new water after shipping.

Chelsey · May 3, 2007

Well, as of right now he's still alive, but that's about all I'm gonna say

I am correct in assuming that a cleaner shrimp would not be able to handle hypo and die, aren't I?

JGoslee · May 3, 2007

I've battled ich a few times. The only sure way to get rid of ick is to QT your fish and leave your tank fallow for at least 6 weeks. This is the method I use.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html
The most important thing is to make sure the QT is clean. Ammonia can get to dangerous levels real fast in a small tank. I have a blue face angel in QT right now and I do 25% water changes every 2 days.

Raptor · May 3, 2007

Nope the hypo would kill the shrimp. Get lots of flow on the surface. Angels and tangs need lots of dissolved air. Once that goes they do too.
I would take it down to 1.019 and use seahems copper.

Chelsey · May 3, 2007

The article I read in reefkeeping magazine said to take it down to 1.009 for two weeks and then bring it up .001 per day until you're back at normal levels.

Raptor · May 3, 2007

I don't like hypo as it kills just as easy. If the fish is really stressed it can kill them. JMO
1.019 is just low enough to ease it for them to get freshwater in thier systems, and the copper to knock it out.
Good luck! I hate copper, But i hate hypo more.

Chelsey · May 3, 2007

I'll work on adding some salt to bring the salinity up then, but ever so slowly.

JGoslee · May 4, 2007

How's the fish doing Chelsey?

I always thought hypo was better for the fish than using copper. I've tried both methods and they both have worked for me.

revhtree · May 4, 2007

Was he eating prior to the ich showing?

If not I would say that is what brought the symptoms on. I am a firm believer that a well fed fish will not succomb to ich or be overtaken by it. They may every once in a while show a spot or two, but will stay healthy.

I come by my beliefs through many trial and errors. I have completely qt a whole fish lot for 8 weeks at a time, a few different times. I hae also said forget it, cause it always came back somehow even after i treated with copper and know I did everything correct.

Finally when I said forget it, i get my multiple tangs and other fish well fed. Never lost one, and I had lost several in qt and other ways. They all stayed healthy. On the occasion they would show a spot or two, but woud loose it in a matter of days.

A couple years ago I thought people like me were crazy fo what they said, but now I feel different. I was a HUGE advocate of take all the fish out and QT.

Just my opinion.