Woke up to ich!

Discussion in 'Diseases' started by Jason04r, Feb 20, 2012.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Renee@LionfishLair

    Renee@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    May 16, 2010
    Messages:
    2,895
    Location:
    Coastal So. cal
    Not all fish develop immunity. Some fish species are more resistant than others. If the Ich rolls around in 3 days, there won't be enough time to develop a natural immunity.
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    eeeexactly! though i did not know the immunity had an expiration date!!!!! does speeding up the cycle make sense then? what i dont get is this though. a common treatment when a tank has been hit by ich is to let it run 8 weeks with no animals in it (shrimp wont get infested but will carry the parasite) so if a fish wont get "reinfected" with ich for 6 months wont the parasite die from not finding a host?
     
  4. NanoMano

    NanoMano Gigas Clam

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2011
    Messages:
    864
    ich lives in the sand as well so even if you had ich in the past and beat it, you can get it again with out adding fish
     
  5. coylee_17

    coylee_17 Fire Goby

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2008
    Messages:
    1,337
    Location:
    Peterborough, Ontario, Can
    No speeding up the cycle isn't advised unless you are using a QT and treatment that will break the life cycle of the ich. The problem with raising the temp to speed up the cycle is; 1. it lets the ich reproduce faster which obviously isn't good, and 2. the raise in temp will cause stress to the fish, making them more susceptible to ich, then you go back to one, you have made your fish more susceptible to ich AND you have increased the rate ich reproduces in your tank.

    Recipe for disaster....
     
  6. Renee@LionfishLair

    Renee@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    May 16, 2010
    Messages:
    2,895
    Location:
    Coastal So. cal
    It's never advantageous in my mind. Such closed systems can overwhelm a fish pretty quick. Decreased oxygen causes more stress... increased temps stress them out. How can one win?

    They can also have just a partial immunity.

    Posting the same time... or I'm really slow.
     
  7. Renee@LionfishLair

    Renee@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    May 16, 2010
    Messages:
    2,895
    Location:
    Coastal So. cal
    Ya, it took me 3 mintues longer to say even less.... LOL.
     
    1 person likes this.
  8. Click Here!

  9. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    well guess i got lucky then, last outbreak i had was a good 5-6 months ago and in between this time i moved my fish to another tank so a little stress factor there but with no consequence.
     
  10. coylee_17

    coylee_17 Fire Goby

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2008
    Messages:
    1,337
    Location:
    Peterborough, Ontario, Can
    LOL, usually I'm the slow typer....
     
  11. Renee@LionfishLair

    Renee@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    May 16, 2010
    Messages:
    2,895
    Location:
    Coastal So. cal
    I moved a fish 4 different times and he never got Ich. This is exactly why a QT isn't an cure for introducing Ich to your tank.... it's just your best bet without prophylactic treatments. If the fish has partial immunity, full immunity or a sub-lethal infestation, you may never see it before the fish goes into the tank.

    This is what happens when you introduce a new fish and everyone ELSE gets Ich. The new fish have an immunity and are a "silent carrier".... Typhoid Mary, if you will.
     
  12. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    Messages:
    6,166
    Location:
    southeast ohio O-H....
    Its my understanding inverts don't carry Ich! but I think even though you see no signws of ich, some are still continuing the life cycle and in your fish! Its just not a "bloom" thats causing health issues!