Tang with Ich

[Kasey Grohowski]

3rd week into my tomini tang's quarantine and this morning he has ich. Fortunately I have API Super Ich Cure. My question is after he is cured (hopefully) do I need to start the quarantine process over? I planned on originally quarantining all my fish for 30 days. Thank you.

 

[Big G]

Hi Kasey. So you were observing the tang for 3 weeks without any treatment before the ich symptoms appeared?

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Hi Kasey. So you were observing the tang for 3 weeks without any treatment before the ich symptoms appeared?

Yes

 

[Big G]

API Super Ich Cure contains malachite green and a bit of nitrofurazone. Those chemicals work pretty good on bacterial infections (esp. nitrofurazone). Results can be mixed as those chemicals may not rid your tang of Ich. Usually recommend copper, like Copper Power to completely rid your fish of the parasite. Below is Humblefish's treatment advisory:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-cryptocaryon-irritans.191226/#post-2192627

 

[ngoodermuth]

API Super Ich Cure contains malachite green and a bit of nitrofurazone. Those chemicals work pretty good on bacterial infections (esp. nitrofurazone). Results can be mixed as those chemicals may not rid your tang of Ich. Usually recommend copper, like Copper Power to completely rid your fish of the parasite. Below is Humblefish's treatment advisory:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-cryptocaryon-irritans.191226/#post-2192627

This exactly ^

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Oddly, my tang no longer has white spots on his body. When I turned the QT lights on today at about 8am, he had 30-40 white salty looking pieces. Is it normal for ich spots to fade in the span of a few hours?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Ich stays on the body of the fish for 3-7 days.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Ich stays on the body of the fish for 3-7 days.

How long do you suggest keeping him in the qt for after the ich is gone?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

I always error on the side of caution. Better safe than sorry as parasites come out of the wood work. I've had ICH show up 6 weeks after observation with no meds because the slightest sign of stress will allow the parasite to take a foot hold on your fish. I always QT my fish as if they do have ICH. I use cupramine myself and raise the copper levels to therapeutic levels over 2-3 days and hold it at .5ppm for 4 weeks. I have never had an issue with ich or velvet again.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I always error on the side of caution. Better safe than sorry as parasites come out of the wood work. I've had ICH show up 6 weeks after observation with no meds because the slightest sign of stress will allow the parasite to take a foot hold on your fish. I always QT my fish as if they do have ICH. I use cupramine myself and raise the copper levels to therapeutic levels over 2-3 days and hold it at .5ppm for 4 weeks. I have never had an issue with ich or velvet again.

Hm so would it be best to start the qt over and treat with copper for 30 days?

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

This exactly ^

Stupid question, but just want to he sure. I have sharks in my display tank, will treating the tang with copper affect the sharks once the tang is transferred over?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

You'll be good. Just make sure you use separate supplies such as fish net, containers and tools for water changes, etc. to avoid any of the copper/QT water from entering your DT. Avoid cross contamination at all costs.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I use a kitchen colander instead of a net, so they can’t get caught up- works well. I use my specimen cup to scoop them up and then pour the water with fish into the colander over a bucket and plop fish into the tank.

Also, you’ll definitely want to treat... the coming and going of spots does not indicate that the ich is “gone” just that the mucous has faded away from the entry wounds. The spots are a symptom of the parasites, but not the parasites themselves. They can only be viewed via microscope.

Especially with sharks in the tank (they don’t handle treatments well, and you wouldn’t be able to have a true fallow period with them there). I wouldn’t risk introducing the fish until he has been treated and then observed med-free post treatment for 2-3 weeks minimum.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I use a kitchen colander instead of a net, so they can’t get caught up- works well. I use my specimen cup to scoop them up and then pour the water with fish into the colander over a bucket and plop fish into the tank.

Also, you’ll definitely want to treat... the coming and going of spots does not indicate that the ich is “gone” just that the mucous has faded away from the entry wounds. The spots are a symptom of the parasites, but not the parasites themselves. They can only be viewed via microscope.

Especially with sharks in the tank (they don’t handle treatments well, and you wouldn’t be able to have a true fallow period with them there). I wouldn’t risk introducing the fish until he has been treated and then observed med-free post treatment for 2-3 weeks minimum.

Yes I read that sharks are often times not affected by ich, but can be carriers.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I use a kitchen colander instead of a net, so they can’t get caught up- works well. I use my specimen cup to scoop them up and then pour the water with fish into the colander over a bucket and plop fish into the tank.

Also, you’ll definitely want to treat... the coming and going of spots does not indicate that the ich is “gone” just that the mucous has faded away from the entry wounds. The spots are a symptom of the parasites, but not the parasites themselves. They can only be viewed via microscope.

Especially with sharks in the tank (they don’t handle treatments well, and you wouldn’t be able to have a true fallow period with them there). I wouldn’t risk introducing the fish until he has been treated and then observed med-free post treatment for 2-3 weeks minimum.

I dosed my QT with api super ich cure 2 days ago, I have copper power now, do you know how long I should wait to dose with the copper, or can I dose at anytime?

 

[ngoodermuth]

I dosed my QT with api super ich cure 2 days ago, I have copper power now, do you know how long I should wait to dose with the copper, or can I dose at anytime?

Was it the liquid or the powder super ick cure?

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Was it the liquid or the powder super ick cure?

Liquid

 

[Sailfinguy21]

Super ich cure wont work... it woros great for fresh water ich.. itll kill ich in 3 or 4 days in fresh water... unfortunatpy ich in salt water is a different parasite called Cryptocaryns... ich in fresh water is called Ichthyophthirius.

People get them both confused. But good luck.. youll notice ich fall off.. youll think its cured.. but it isnt

The only way to cure marine crypt aka ich is to do hyposalinity or copper or tank transfer.


Also dont dose coppse with other medications.. copper will react with medicimes and uv light and make it really toxic.

I suggest a water change and use carbon for a few days to get the medicine out.. then do copper

 

[Sailfinguy21]

If it were me id do hyposalinity vs the copper you have.

I tried cupramine and it made things much worse.. as copper is also toxic.

If it truely is ich you csn change 60% of your water and fill it up with fresh water ( the drop in salinity wont hurt the fish) 60% will bring you to 1.010 if youre at 1.020 or just do the math for what your salinity is. Drop it 1.008 to 1.009 and use a refractometer. With calibration fluid.. or tbh use distilled or ro water as its closer to 1.000 then 1.026 calibration fluid.


Youll see ich fall off in 3-7 days.. and it womt c9me back... do this for at least 4-6 weeks and ich should be gone for good.

This is what i did to combat my massive ich infestation. And i have a tomini tang and can confirm he can handle hypo even at 1.007

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

If it were me id do hyposalinity vs the copper you have.

I tried cupramine and it made things much worse.. as copper is also toxic.

If it truely is ich you csn change 60% of your water and fill it up with fresh water ( the drop in salinity wont hurt the fish) 60% will bring you to 1.010 if youre at 1.020 or just do the math for what your salinity is. Drop it 1.008 to 1.009 and use a refractometer. With calibration fluid.. or tbh use distilled or ro water as its closer to 1.000 then 1.026 calibration fluid.


Youll see ich fall off in 3-7 days.. and it womt c9me back... do this for at least 4-6 weeks and ich should be gone for good.

This is what i did to combat my massive ich infestation. And i have a tomini tang and can confirm he can handle hypo even at 1.007

I have a well calibrated refractometer as well as an RODI unit. Although I'm scared that a change like that and as sudden as that would shock the fish.