Stupid Ich!

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Late to the party - @Kryptonian is correct regarding "reef safe" medications. These herbal tonics will not cure acute protozoan infections. I understand the photo that you posted was just representative, but folks need to understand the geometric progression of ich parasites: 2 ich, then 50 offspring = 100, then 500, 2500 and then 125,000. At some point around 100 to 500 trophonts on the fish, the disease is replicating so fast that herbal tonics have no chance, indeed even copper may not stop fish loss. Ich management works best when there are less than 20 total trophonts on a fish.

Jay

 

[ThRoewer]

What treatment have you found that works best?

Acquired immunity (there has actually been a good deal of scientific research done on that)
Basically, clean up the sick fish with tank transfers (NOT Copper), after that give them a month to recover and build up their immune system, then throw them back in. And most importantly remove all potential stressors (= ditch the tang).
I've done it that way and it works if you can control yourself and only add fish that get along well with each other.
While Cryptocaryon isn't "caused" by stress, stress will weaken the fishes immune system and let the parasite get the upper hand (if it is in the system). Without stress and no new additions (fish, coral, anything that could bring in a new strain) there is a high likelihood that the strain dies out. I had that happen.

Best is of course not to let the parasite in in the first place.

 

[Paul B]

Ich management works best when there are less than 20 total trophonts on a fish.

Thank God my fish never get more than 19 trophonts.

 

[Bubbagump69]

Finally caught that little b@$t@rd! LOL

 

[Mr. Fishy Fish]

Thank God my fish never get more than 19 trophonts.

LOL, is all I have to say. I don't think many people understood your joke haha.