125g with Ich, trying to prevent deaths.

Well about a week ago I noticed my blue hippo had the sure sign of ich.....white specks on his fins and sides....so I moved him to my 10 gallon QT and my LFS recommended I treat with kick-ich. Well as most of you might have guessed, the kick-ich doesn't seem to be working too well though the hippo is still eating well. While treating the blue hippo I kept a close eye on my 125g display tank and have noticed the clowns look like they're covered in dust and today have white specks just like the blue hippo did. The yellow tang has looked silky smooth each day but I have noticed him trying to scratch his sides on a rock every now and then. My 2" harlequin sweetlips shows no signs of ich, but his tailfin is deteriorating/disappearing. I thought this might be a sign of aggression from other tank mates but he's an older tank addition and is showing no differences in behavior. My flame angel, coral beauty, royal gramma, and yellow watchman goby show no signs of ich as of right now.

My tank parameters have tested good... Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate < 5, PH = 8.1, Temp 77- 78. SG 1.025.

My question to you all is how should I go about treating at this point? Obviously I can't fit all of these fish into my 10g QT, so should I just put the blue hippo back in the display tank and treat it all? I'm giving up on the kick-ich and by the end of the week my package should arrive that contains a UV sterilizer and Tropical Science Marine Max. As of right now the only coral in my tank is some pulsing xenia. I have been feeding just a bit more than usual and the fish have been loving it. I plan on lowering my SG down closer to 1.020 and I have not used garlic but will probably buy some soon. I have read the facts and myths about ich and wish I had a QT big enough to treat with copper but unfortunately I do not and am hoping for help from the more experienced

Thank you in advance!

 

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

How big is the tang?

Thank you for providing the parameters.

Yes try garlic and marine algae as well as Selcon.

 

Both the blue hippo and yellow tang are about 4" long.

Is the marine algae you mentioned just regular algae sheets? I have some Julian Sprung sheets that I've been feeding about every other day and the yellow tang absolutely loves them.

Do you think I should leave the blue hippo in the QT or should I bring him back to the DT?

Thanks for the link and suggestions!

 

Yes that algae works.

That is a hard one, but I agree a 10 gallon is too small for a 4 inch tang.

The parasite is already in your system, completing it's life cycle. As soon as you re-introduce the tang, he will again be susceptible to the parasite. Honestly I think you are probably in this case causing more stress to the tang by keeping it in the 10 gallon QT. You are not really making a dent in the disease process, since once the fish is re-introduced it may become symptomatic again.

It's hard call, not one I would want to make.

Good Luck

 

Wow.....that's never good to hear from someone with experience! lol

Well since my DT still has ich, and the kick-ich hasn't worked 100% in the QT.....I think I'll move the hippo back.

I'm in the middle of fixing supper so I'm only about halfway through the link you posted, but I have to ask.... do you think with the right diet, parameters, equipment, and (copper free) medication that my tank can pull through this without getting any worse?

 

I tend to agree with this... the only time I would possibly think about QTing is if the fish was sick enough that it wasnt eating. If the fish are eating, the best thing to do is let them fight it off, making sure to keep the stress level of the tank at the bare minimum. Put off any invasive maintenance, feed well to prevent competition, etc.

Good luck!

 

I think that most copper free medications that say reef safe are ineffective but they usually do no harm as well so no loss, but research them carefully.

Bulking up the diet is the best idea.

If this was a cycled QT and the DT did not contain the parasite I would probably say differently. I have seen what some consider large fish in small QT, but they were running QT and those doing the QT are well versed in doing so, there for reducing the stress level of the fish.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Hopefully someone else will chime in with a different approach.

 

I like to hear this, but I've seen several people just recently say that the stress endured moving a fish to the QT could be enough to push it over the edge if it isn't eating already. As always everyone's experiences are different.

Thanks for your input though, it was good advice to hear.

 

Agree, but what other option is there? Kind of a Catch 22, damned if you do, damned if you dont...

Really, really good book, by the way.

 

Very true.

Anyway, I moved the blue hippo back to the display tank today and he looks great, although I know the ich is still there. Everyone gave him a warm welcome except for the yellow tang, which is usually a bully to any new additions. Hopefully the yellow tang will calm down within a day or two and life will slowly get back to normal. All fish are eating well and my UV sterilizer will be here on friday to help with any free-floating parasites.