Soo angry! Help help help!!

[joelpeavy]

Couple of things to know...ich is ever present in your tank regardless. You don't notice it until there's an outbreak and that comes from stress of some sort. Most times in aquaria it's from poor water parameters such as elevated ammonia type, but could also be from too low heat, rapid water changes in salinity, and low oxygen. It's no big deal if you catch it and deal with it properly.
Increase the heat, lower salinity to 1.019 (fish only tank or QT) and check out everything you can test for. Copper treatments will forever work the best it seems, but you can't add that to reefs and rocks. A fresh water dip is just as it sounds...grab some RO/DI water and put it in a container. Make sure the heat matches the same as where the fish is coming from, run an air stone for a few minutes and put the fish in there for 2-3 minutes. If you notice the fish list to one side and start struggling, then pull them out and put them back in the saltwater. Hopefully the ich cysts have ruptured and you don't need to repeat that.
To lower you chances of ich outbreaks, add garlic supplements to your normal feeding routine and don't buy Hippo Tangs. For some reason, those guys are just super succeptable to ich as well as the Powder Blues. In 30 years I don't think I ever had a Hippo or Poweder that didn't come with or get ich.
But the always best thing is the QT. If you constantly add live stock of any sorts, then keep one up and running. If you add occasionaly, then set it up a few days prior with a small water change from your DT, hyper-oxygentate, filter with charcoal and keep the heat right. Make sure to add some fresh water to lower salinity a touch and as soon as you start floating the fish remove the charcoal. Low lights, proper heat and water and about 2 weeks you should be good to go to put him in his new home. For tangs, I will usually pull some calerapa from my fuge and feed them as well as start acclimating them to their new diet and finding out what it is they like so I can adjust it to them. Sounds like a lot of work I know, but it's really simple once you get your routine down and when you consider the average 55G reef will cost you about $10K to get it long term established, I'd say it's a ton cheaper to do that than to crash the whole system and have to start from scratch.

Good luck to you and let us know if you have any questions or issues we can help with.

 

[Marshall O]

I took exception to a few of your points. They are in red:

Couple of things to know...ich is ever present in your tank regardless. No. Proper QT, and treatment when necessary, and you can have an Ich free tank. You don't notice it until there's an outbreak and that comes from stress of some sort. Most times in aquaria it's from poor water parameters such as elevated ammonia type, but could also be from too low heat, rapid water changes in salinity, and low oxygen. It's no big deal if you catch it and deal with it properly. Agreed.
Increase the heat, lower salinity to 1.019 (fish only tank or QT) and check out everything you can test for. Why would you recommend increasing temp? All that will accomplish is increasing the metabolism of fish and reducing dissolved oxygen. It does nothing to prevent or eradicate Ich. Second, lowering salinity to 1.019 also won't eradicate Ich. You would not want to do this combined with a treatment; either hypo (1.009) or another treatment (tank transfer, copper, CP). Not both. A reduced salinity during QT is fine, but I wouldn't go much lower than 1.022 personally. Copper treatments will forever work the best it seems, but you can't add that to reefs and rocks. A fresh water dip is just as it sounds...grab some RO/DI water and put it in a container. Make sure the heat matches the same as where the fish is coming from, run an air stone for a few minutes and put the fish in there for 2-3 minutes. If you notice the fish list to one side and start struggling, then pull them out and put them back in the saltwater. Hopefully the ich cysts have ruptured and you don't need to repeat that. I'm not sure if you are recommending a FW dip for Ich or not. But it won't do anything to prevent or treat Ich. It may offer some short term relief for a sick fish, but won't treat it. (although again, I wasn't sure if you were recommending to do one to treat Ich, or just explaining how to do it)
To lower you chances of ich outbreaks, add garlic supplements to your normal feeding routine and don't buy Hippo Tangs. Garlic is ok to use as an appetite stimulant for fish that won't eat, but has not been proven to do anything for a fish's immune system or ability to fight off Ich. You do want to keep fish well fed with a varied and appropriate diet though. For some reason, those guys are just super succeptable to ich as well as the Powder Blues. In 30 years I don't think I ever had a Hippo or Poweder that didn't come with or get ich.
But the always best thing is the QT. If you constantly add live stock of any sorts, then keep one up and running. If you add occasionaly, then set it up a few days prior with a small water change from your DT, hyper-oxygentate, filter with charcoal and keep the heat right. Make sure to add some fresh water to lower salinity a touch and as soon as you start floating the fish remove the charcoal. Low lights, proper heat and water and about 2 weeks you should be good to go to put him in his new home. QT advice is fine, except two weeks is not long enough. It's more of a personal opinion, but I do a minimum of 6 weeks for fish not known to get Ich, and up to 12 for those Ich prone (i.e. Tangs). Also, keep a sponge filter in the DT. Move this over to the QT/HT before adding any fish to it. This will give the tank a head start in establishing required bacteria. For tangs, I will usually pull some calerapa from my fuge and feed them as well as start acclimating them to their new diet and finding out what it is they like so I can adjust it to them. Sounds like a lot of work I know, but it's really simple once you get your routine down and when you consider the average 55G reef will cost you about $10K to get it long term established, I'd say it's a ton cheaper to do that than to crash the whole system and have to start from scratch. Agreed on the point of QT, although $10k for a 55 gallon??? That would be quite the 55

Good luck to you and let us know if you have any questions or issues we can help with.

 

[bond300]

It will kill most or all parasites See About.com That's where I got it from....always reading!!!
One of the simplest and fastest ways to reduce and eliminate the numbers of all types of ich organisms, as well as flukes and lice that are parasitic on saltwater fishes is to give them a quick freshwater dip or bath. This method of hyposalinity is very effective, takes little time to prepare for, and is strongly recommended as the first step in treating ich diseased fish prior to placing them into a QT for long term treatment with the proper medication for what ails them.

 

[Mike in CT]

I have never done hypo-salinity myself, but from what I read it requires a lot of monitoring and things can go wrong pretty easily. It has to done exactly to plan or either it won't kill the ich, or it will kill your fish.

 

[Marshall O]

It will kill most or all parasites See About.com That's where I got it from....always reading!!!
One of the simplest and fastest ways to reduce and eliminate the numbers of all types of ich organisms, as well as flukes and lice that are parasitic on saltwater fishes is to give them a quick freshwater dip or bath. This method of hyposalinity is very effective, takes little time to prepare for, and is strongly recommended as the first step in treating ich diseased fish prior to placing them into a QT for long term treatment with the proper medication for what ails them.

Sorry, but FW dip will not kill off Ich on an infected fish. It will definitely help with other parasites such as flukes as you mentioned, but not Ich. And again its a preference thing, but I would not treat all new fish with hyposalinity before introducing them to a QT. Instead, acclimate them directly into an appropriate QT. If it is a fish prone to Ich, have this be a hospital tank setup (bare bottom, no rock, PVC for hiding places). No reason to treat every new ($ stressed!) fish right off the bat IMO.

 

[dankreef]

I've done copper, hypo, QT, praying to the fish god. I'd leave them in your display feed 2-3 a day everyday & your fish will be brighter and fatter than anyone elses on this forum telling you to rip your reef apart to nothing and start over for 5 months. I have multipul tangs, 4 clowns, tons of ich prone fish. You just have to keep them healthy and they will fight it off on its own and eventually the parasite will die on its own to the fish being able to fight it off and not let it produce. Anyone can say whatever about how you have to QT for 3 months but put my fish up next to yours I bet mines brighter and better looking. Best of luck to you, saltwater can be a tough sport because theres so many different ways to do everything. If it was ME, I would never rip apart my reef and take all the fish out, to me you risk putting everything in jeopardy by cramming all your fish into a small tank for 3 months. The garlic will help attract the fish to food, you want to feed the crap out of him if he has ich. I'd soak in garlic and feed him like 3-4 times a day everyday. I always QT for a week or so before adding to tank just to make sure the fish is swimming around right and eating very well. That way when you put them in DT they are packed with food if they don't eat for a day or so its no big deal. But most of the time if you add them at night and feed 3-4 everyday your fish will be brighter and your coral will POP. Win win.

 

[Ahora0803]

Fish died... Sad day...

 

[joelpeavy]

I took exception to a few of your points. They are in red:

I appreciate the feedback. No doubt most of my knowledge is extremely old school and dated. Basically, I've always been under the impression that it was forever present but after searching for more information after your post I see I am wrong. I sincerely apologize for giving bad advice and meant no harm. As to the freshwater dip and garlic...the tough process there is that the cysts and parasites will burst and kill off the most of them. I know it won't cure it, but will reduce the amount. And on the garlic, if I'm not mistaken, the idea that garlic repels most parasites on land animals such as fleas and stuff was the basis behind the theory for marine treatments or preventions. I won't lie, I have pretty much kept the same mentality about this hobby since the late 80's/early 90's. No doubt things have changed a bit and I'm hoping this old dog can learn a few new tricks.

 

[Marshall O]

I appreciate the feedback. No doubt most of my knowledge is extremely old school and dated. Basically, I've always been under the impression that it was forever present but after searching for more information after your post I see I am wrong. I sincerely apologize for giving bad advice and meant no harm. As to the freshwater dip and garlic...the tough process there is that the cysts and parasites will burst and kill off the most of them. I know it won't cure it, but will reduce the amount. And on the garlic, if I'm not mistaken, the idea that garlic repels most parasites on land animals such as fleas and stuff was the basis behind the theory for marine treatments or preventions. I won't lie, I have pretty much kept the same mentality about this hobby since the late 80's/early 90's. No doubt things have changed a bit and I'm hoping this old dog can learn a few new tricks.

No worries at all. As mentioned, garlic has not been proven to do anything besides stimulate a feeding response. It is fine to use sparingly to get a fish to eat, but nothing I would use daily or count on to prevent or treat parasites. It's amazing how much this hobby has changed over the last 10-20 years. It truly is still in its infancy compared to other hobbies, including FW tanks. Most of the "facts" out there are just one person's opinion repeated over and over. Much of this hobby is just seeing what works for you