Stupid me.

[Phishguy3.0]

I have a new 75 gal 48x24x22. It’s been up for over a year now. I battled with ich before I upgraded from my 40 gal breeder. I have a canister filter and a reef oct hob. 9 days ago I introduced a gbt anemone into my tank. Two days ago I watched as my malanarus wrasse appeared to choke after digging in the sand for food. Heaving breathing and scratching, but the scratching was more in open water rather then on something. Last night I saw one salt speck on my swallowtail angel. I know know ich is presant. I didn’t do my research apparently and free swimmers caught a ride in inside the anemone. So my question is when getting anything new from my lfs do I need to qt even for shrimp, crabs, snail and corals? I can’t believe I will be ripping my tank apart so I can medicate my fish again. 78 days till I can enjoy my display ‍ I guess it’s karma because I didn’t realize until after that the nem and cc star are not compatible

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

unfortunately if ich is present in the tank then there is not much of an option to cure in tank. will have to take all fish out into qt and treat there while inverts and corals are ok to stay in main tank. DT will have to stay fish less for 10-12 weeks.

I have personally never qt inverts or corals and i dont recall ever having any trouble. I do qt all fish and treat accordingly.

 

[watdachuck]

FWIW...I do not qt either and have had instances of ich in my DT. That being said I have found well fed stress free environments work just as well to cure and are preferred for me over medicating and relocating fishes. The fish have immune systems, I prefer to let then use them.

I've had Tangs, Angels, etc etc all recover and live nice long lives without ever medicating.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Anything "wet" you put in your tank could possibly carry ich into your tank, unless it comes from a fish free tank. Ich can't live on inverts or corals, but the cysts from ich can come in on these items. That is why they say you can leave them in your tank while it is fallow, but to guarantee an continued ich free environment any new additions need to be in a qt for the 76 days to be sure they are ich free.

 

[Phishguy3.0]

I’ve read lots on ich in the past and many professionals in this field that state ich will be presant in the tank and on gills if not seen on the body. I don’t feel like setting up my hospital tank and deconstructing my display to get all my fish out but am going to. My water quality is very good but I know that a dip can cause stress and seeing ick on my fish upsets me. I would like to know if there are set guidelines for introducing inverts and corals because I obviously didn’t know better. Thanks for your help

 

[Phishguy3.0]

Anything "wet" you put in your tank could possibly carry ich into your tank, unless it comes from a fish free tank. Ich can't live on inverts or corals, but the cysts from ich can come in on these items. That is why they say you can leave them in your tank while it is fallow, but to guarantee an continued ich free environment any new additions need to be in a qt for the 76 days to be sure they are ich free.

So basically going forward anything such as crab shrimp stars ect need to be qt for 78 because you can’t medicate, corals too unless they are in a coral only tank?

 

[ngoodermuth]

So basically going forward anything such as crab shrimp stars ect need to be qt for 78 because you can’t medicate, corals too unless they are in a coral only tank?

Yep, Coral/Invert QT would ensure any incoming piece does not have encysted ich. Good thing though, it’s 76 days for each thing added...not the whole tank. So if you add something else, as long as you keep track of how long each addition has been there you don’t have to reset the clock each time.

 

[Phishguy3.0]

Right because there’s nothing for the free swimmers to attach to.

Yep, Coral/Invert QT would ensure any incoming piece does not have encysted ich. Good thing though, it’s 76 days for each thing added...not the whole tank. So if you add something else, as long as you keep track of how long each addition has been there you don’t have to reset the clock each time.

t

 

[ngoodermuth]

Right because there’s nothing for the free swimmers to attach to.

t

Exactly. I would give them a good rinse with tank water, just in the off-chance that a free swimmer just happened to come out and is in the droplets of water sticking to the coral surface... very unlikely, but why take chances?

But, without a fish to attach to... they die pretty quickly and the lifecycle is broken.