just lost the ich battle?

Question

Well, My 2nd damsel died today with the dreaded ich. I guess, i did not learn about the qt tank quick enough to help him survive. Now i have a newly(got my first good readings 3 days before i noticed the ich) cycled 90 gallon tank with nothing, but live rock, and the dreaded ich. This is almost depressing enough to make me give up, but i will not. Now, i have read that i cant put any fish in my tank for like 8 weeks(this is longer than it took me to cycle) due to the ich possibly living on my rock and substrate. Can i add anything like a cleaner crew, snails, anything? also, how do i know its gone, and where did it come from? all the liverock, damsels, live sand, everything i have came from the same lfs. did i get it there? again this is a new cycled tank

also, do I still feed the tank? again the only thing in it is live rock and live sand

how do i treat the tank?

Answer 1

I would NOT try to treat the tank at all, that will only damage the cycle at best and kill all of your inverts and live rock at worse. There is no reason to tear the tank down either. Unless you kill everything in it you won't kill the ich completely.

Yes, letting the tank sit fallow for about 8 weeks in the best answer in your situation. You can go ahead and add inverts all you like, they can't carry or harbor ich at all and will not be affected by it in the least.

once the tank has sat fallow for the full time, there should be either no ich, or ich at a low enough level to allow you to add new healthy fish to the tank with little concern.... once they are quarantine of course!

If all of your material came from the same source, then that was also the source of the ich. It's practically impossible to avoid the parasites completely. No doubt they like most LFS keep the live rock etc.... in the same system as fish, so the ich could have come in at any time. But don't over blame the LFS, it's easy to pass that stuff around without even knowing it.

MM

Answer 2

I am sorry for your loss. Ich is very common. The only possible thing for you to do is to microclean the tank and scrub everything out so that you are almost sure that the ich is gone. Set your tank up normally and go to a pet store and ask for ich treatment and water conditioner. Follow the instructions to the treatment and conditioner and add one fish at a time. Start with small goldfish, as their immune systems are still weak, and if they develop ich, then do the same thing once again. Clean the tank and treat the water. Sooner or later, the ich would go away. However, if this does not improve after about three to four cleanings, go to a pet store and ask a fish expert there. As for the origin, I have no idea. You could go onto the internet and research it there. Good luck!

Answer 3

Dose it with Kosher salt 3 teaspoons per gallon, raise the temp way on up to mid to high 80's. Let everything run for 2 weeks. Then I'd drain the tank completely and wash the filter out and refurbish with fresh media. Refill and remember to reset the temp to what you want it. Ick will not survive this but if you are very careful when you clean every thing you can retain the good bacteria that's established. The ick came in on the fish. Many fish carry it around and it doesn't become a problem until the fish gets stressed. That's why it happens to fish right after you bring them home. They get stressed from the move.
If you buy fish that are salt tolerant, dip them in a salt solution of 5 teaspoons per gallon for 3 to 5 minutes before putting them into the main tank. If they belly up before 3 minutes remove them from the salt dip. Or if you really want to do it right get a quarintine tank for all new fish and watch them closely for at least 2 weeks (make sure you have an established filter running in it though).
To help get the tank to cycle faster, add fish slowly one or two at time once a month. Change half of the water when ammonia or nitrate get to 1 ppm. Don't let it get any higher than that. Do not clean out the filter, only replace the carbon. I'd wait about 2 months before I cleaned the filter the first time. Your water may need to be changed daily at first, don't worry you won't have to keep up that schedule forever. You do it right the tank will cycle in 3 weeks.

Answer 4

ich is a parasite meaning it needs a host to live off of saltwater fish are very sensitive if you may have noticed none of your local stores will give you a guarantee and on line shipping will only guarantee LIVE DELIVERY you should treat your tank with ruby reef a copper free medication which will not destroy your live rock next invest in a UV sterilizer which will protect you from a mass extinction next buy a dripper to acclimate your fish when you bring them home start using buffers and enzymes to keep your good bacteria thriving check your levels daily for awhile next time you buy a fish special order it so this way it only hits 2 waters instead of 3