Where do I go from here?

[kkgaskin90]

Alright, my tank is a graveyard. My water parameters were OK so all I can figure is Ich got to us. I followed advice to not remove the fish and treat unless they were showing symptoms. Well that didn't work out (and may not have even if I did remove). Here's where I stand: I lost (so far) 2 premium Picassos and a Flame Angel (1 clown & angel on monday, the last clown this morning). I have a Melanurus Wrasse and a Blue/Green Chromis left (along with my inverts and corals)

Should I remove these 2 fish from the system and quarantine? I do have a 10 gallon quarantine I can set up... If I do need to do this, do I use tank water to set it up or try to acclimate them to new RO saltwater?

Also, I'm reading a mix of how long to wait after ich until all parasites would have died off and it would be safe to add fish back in. I've read everywhere from 3 weeks to 72 days. Any advice would be fantastic-I'm new to the hobby and devastated to have lost fish

Also, LFS advised me AGAINST quarantine of all new fish... but I'm 150% positive it would have prevented this problem. As mentioned I have a quarantine tank-it's just a bare bottom 10 gallon with a 20 gallon filter-I placed the sponge into my DT to gather beneficial bacteria. Is there anything else I should know about QT? QT for at least 3 weeks...correct? And do I use DT water or new water to set it up?

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I would QT the remaining fish and I would use fresh RO. The reason I would do this is to give them a somewhat sterile environment. Also, there is not much beneficial bacteria in the water column. The beneficial bacteria resides in the porous surfaces in our tanks. I would make sure the salinity matches the DT and use a sponge that has been in the DT for 24 hours to help seed the tank with beneficial bacteria. You could add a small piece of live rock from the DT to help cycle it as well, but I would remove if you need to treat the tank with medicine. I would do the QT for at least 6 weeks and treat the inhabitants at the first sign of ich or any illness. If you have to treat for ich, I would start the QT clock at the beginning of treatment and keep them in QT for 6-8 weeks. Keep a close eye on all water parameters while they are in QT.

 

[kkgaskin90]

Also, looking at pictures the clowns appeared to have brookynella-the angel I'm not sure about. It had small white dots that were almost impossible to see. Can brookynella and ich appear simultaneously? All fish ate up until death. The angel I found halfway eaten in the anemone-so it *could* be a predator/prey situation. If brookynella will hypo still work? I'm very confused! I had not added fish in several weeks.

 

[Genesis Corals]

Always, always quarantine. It is a hassle, but it will save you the headache and grief later. I put all my fish in a QT, but not all my corals and ich still managed to get in my tank. For now on everything gets put through a QT program. I would pull the other fish out, maybe sell them so you don't have to worry about a QT for 8 to 10 weeks. I personally am a big fan of the tank transfer method, quick and effective. You do need 2 sets of equipment, but it is worth it in my opinion. If you keep the fish for the 8 to 10 weeks then you need to watch the params, aka ammonia, in your QT. Good luck, there are some great threads on QT here that will help you.

 

[kkgaskin90]

If you Quarantine corals as well, how do you deal with lighting? and do you stress about calc, alk, phos, etc?

 

[Mole]

Don't need to QT the corals... leave them in the display... ich is a fish only disease and it will die off in the DT if it is kept fish free for 6-8 weeks.

 

[kkgaskin90]

Dont QT new corals coming in either?

 

[kkgaskin90]

Quick thought-since my Melanurus enjoys his sand sleeping, will he be ok in a bare bottomed QT? I've read about putting a tupperware in with sand, but I dont have extra sand laying around. If I were to get sand from LFS (for the wrasse) should I get live sand or...? I'd obviously have to treat with hypo. Thoughts?

I called LFS and explained the situation... they said "just leave them in DT and let nature take it's course..." erm... no. My fish are in a glass box controlled by me. Nature... though we strive for as close to natural as possible...its not possible

 

[nelson.jdautobody]

qt the fish for sure