Upgrading to a new tank with ich.

[yoteru]

So I have a new tank on order and was thinking the new tank will be a good time to treat for ich. I have not lost any fish to ich yet. They are all healthy, but I do see the parasites on my fish from time to time.

Was thinking about moving my rock and coral to the new tank and leave it fishless for 72 days.

While the 72 days is passing, I was thinking about leaving my fish in my old tank and treating that tank with copper or some kind of ich treatment.

The only thing I am worried about is will having no rock work or sand for 72 days. (no biological filter)
Tank is a standard 90 gallon 48x18x24

Can the fish go that long? Most of the fish have been in the tank for over a year and are healthy. They do chase each other around, but never seen any of them do physical damage to one another. Was worried with rocks and dividing territory, they might get more aggressive to one another?

Purple tang
flame angel
flame hawk
bicolor blenny
gold stripped maroon clown
yellow coris wrasse
yellow and purple wrasse
radiant wrasse
dusky jawfish.

Also, what about transferring the fish to the new tank, should I put them in a few days apart in a particular order? to give them time to establish themselves over the more aggressive fish? (purple tang and flame hawk)

OR, should I just transfer everything over and not worry about the ich? Since they all seem to be strong enough to fight it off?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Maritimer]

It'd be a good idea to score a sponge for your filter system in the 90, and allow it to build up a population of bacteria, so that when you move the rock over, you'll still have a biofilter in the tank. (I use Aqua-Clear 110 HOBs on my QT). You can also dose one of the bacteria-in-a-bottle products, such as Bio-Spira or Dr. Tim's. As far as adding them back in, if you've been ghost-feeding your new tank, keeping the biofilter ticking over in there, you may be able to get away with moving them all in at the same time. It's nobody's territory, so nobody should feel the need to defend it. I'd be surprised if the social dynamic in the tank didn't change some. If you do decide to add fish back in stages, you could start with the wrasses, blenny and jawfish, then the hawk, angel, tang and clown.

~Bruce

 

[yoteru]

It'd be a good idea to score a sponge for your filter system in the 90, and allow it to build up a population of bacteria, so that when you move the rock over, you'll still have a biofilter in the tank. (I use Aqua-Clear 110 HOBs on my QT). You can also dose one of the bacteria-in-a-bottle products, such as Bio-Spira or Dr. Tim's. As far as adding them back in, if you've been ghost-feeding your new tank, keeping the biofilter ticking over in there, you may be able to get away with moving them all in at the same time. It's nobody's territory, so nobody should feel the need to defend it. I'd be surprised if the social dynamic in the tank didn't change some. If you do decide to add fish back in stages, you could start with the wrasses, blenny and jawfish, then the hawk, angel, tang and clown.

~Bruce

Thank you very much for the reply.

As for the "sponge" you are referring to the sponge that comes in the aqua-clear 110?

So it would be good to purchase it, take the sponge out, cycle it in the tank before hand?

Thanks again!

 

[4FordFamily]

Thank you very much for the reply.

As for the "sponge" you are referring to the sponge that comes in the aqua-clear 110?

So it would be good to purchase it, take the sponge out, cycle it in the tank before hand?

Thanks again!

Yes, any “sponge-like” product like that. I buy bulk on amazon, basically anything bacteria can colonize.

I find that fish are less aggressive in close quarters in a QT than in the DT — but that’s mostly with tangs, as they get overwhelmed and their aggression is subdued for a short time in QT. Long-term they stress and die or resume aggressive behavior.

 

[Smo]

To reduce risk of cross-contamination the new tank should ideally be at least 10’ from the old tank during the fallow period. Use separate utensils (cleaning, feeding, etc.) and be sure to wash your hands and dry after working in the new tank with old rock prior to working on the old where the fish are in QT.