ugghhh... now what..

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I swear to all the diligent fish keeper gods I QTd all my new fish. Even qt my acros.. so long story short. My DT full of very nice fish has ich in it now.

I am not the type of guy that takes the "just live with it" approach but that said.. I have some big fish and to get them all out and go fallow... ugh.

looking for suggestions.
280 display tank, about 400 gallon total system. lots of SPS and zoa.
Fish:
2 clowns
flame hawk
tail spot Blenny
melanarus wrasse
red tail tammarin wrasse
smallish majestic angel
sadistic adult Achilles
adult blonde naso
adult Desjardini
adult hippo
adult sohal
adult foxface
small scopas.. he was the first to show signs so I pulled him out and put in copper AT.

I have a 40 gallon and three 20 gallon tanks.

thoughts? I just can't see any of those fish being happy for what...78 days?

 

[Humblefish]

First, how do you know for sure that it's ich? Can you submit photos of some of the affected fish for diagnosis?

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

That would be a very stressful event for them I would look for at least a 55g for 3 or 4 of the bigger fish. keep the temp on the display around 80 deg and go let it run for 90 days. Treat all fish with copper.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

First, how do you know for sure that it's ich? Can you submit photos of some of the affected fish for diagnosis?

I can try to get a couple pics. I do know what it looks like however. those tiny white round bumps right underneath the skin. The scopas had a couple on him (he has been getting bullied) I pulled him out last night. today the hippo has a couple on him.

I can try tomorrow when the lights are on. I don't know what else it could be though.

 

[HotRocks]

I can try to get a couple pics. I do know what it looks like however. those tiny white round bumps right underneath the skin. The scopas had a couple on him (he has been getting bullied) I pulled him out last night. today the hippo has a couple on him.

I can try tomorrow when the lights are on. I don't know what else it could be though.

I wouldn't freak out yet. Especially if the scopas was being bullied.

Also, if ich were present it likely would have shown on your Achilles tang first.

Any type of skin irritation/injury shows as a white spot on a darker fish. Blue hippos as well and they constantly rub up against/wedge themselves in rock etc.

Pics definitely helpful here.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I used a 150 gallon stock tank when I had to fallow my 300. Much cheaper than a true aquarium and plenty of room for my tangs and angels. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/search/rubbermaid stock tank

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

woke up late today, took about 20 pics.. none of which are clear enough.

I had the hippo square to the lens.... then of course...

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

there is no way on earth it isn't ich. came home, Achilles covered in it.

Mother F#&#&^×R!!!!!!!

all that QT time, all that testing, all that feeding 3 separate tanks... and I get ich!!!

Now what??

stop carbon dosing.. throw my whole DT bacteria colonies off. $1,000 worth of fish in totes??

sigh. frustrating. very very frustrating.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

yeah.. my prize Achilles now a spotter Achilles

 

[cancun]

Oh man! Sorry....! What a PITA! Is there any way to try a reef safe treatment first...? I know there isn't much of that out there though....but that would be terrible loosing any of those fish....!!!!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I had someone at the LFS tell me I could try some probiotic stuff he had but honestly, I don't really value his opinion that much.

I really think going fallow is the only way. I took pictures of my Achilles and then my phone updated and lost the pictures.

I got a line on a 200 gallon white tote. it's like 40x40 I think. I may divide it with diffuser and use that.

At this point i am just really disheartened. This is my dream tank and I put a LOT of effort into keeping pests out of my tank. All that husbandry down the drain... I believe because I put some acans into my connected frag tank instead of QT.

I can't think of what else it could be.

 

[HotRocks]

Sorry @Brian Bieger it's a frustrating event for sure. Since your Achilles is covered now it probably is ich.

The coral is probably what got you. You are on the right track. There are no known successful reef safe remedies. Copper or CP once you get your Temp QT system up and running.

 

[Slicktop]

Its been a while since I had any ich but in the past I would use medicated food and and raise the temp in my tank. If the fish still eating well this should help but be patience. Also you can add a UV sterilizer that will kill any ich in the water column.

 

[reefproaquatics]

unfortunately no quarantine is 100%. All it takes is for one protozoan to slip through. Fish do seem to develop a bit of a resistance to crypt after repeated exposure. That certainly doesn't mean that they are immune. I'm also under the impression that fish in reef tanks handle outbreaks better then fish in fish only systems.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

yeah, so maybe I will wait it out and see. The scopas is in qt now but the Achilles would trash him. Here is the Achilles now. maybe I will wait till winter to go fallow.

 

[reefproaquatics]

Yeah, that definitely looks like crypt.

 

[cancun]

Wow.....yea totally frustrating! Let us know how your fish are doing! Beautiful Achilles by the way!!!