Fsih dying, help please (emergency)

im using a hydrometer, in the process of getting a refractometer. Im mixing the salt with a powerhead

 

For the record, I have made countless mistakes as well. Everything I have said comes from knowledge gained by learning from these mistakes.

Nobody want's you to feel bad, we just want your fish to live.

 

Question, if I were to set up my 90 DT now with the life rock from the 55 DT (not the sand) will it make any difference. I know that the Ich is in the rock but I will still let the tank sit for the six weeks without the fish. Just wanted to set it up now that the fish are not in it..... any thoughts???

 

I actually had an ich outbreak in my tank as well, treated it with melafix for a week and it cleared up everything. The trick is you have to out wait the ich's cycle. Which is why you treat the tank for so long. Turning up the heat is "supposedly" suppose to speed up the ich's cycle. Hope this helps.

 

that is actually a good question? Honestly I would not transfer the rock into the 90g as to not introduce the disease to the new tank, but if you keep it empty for 6-8 weeks (I personally would go more for 8 weeks) I guess it would be ok. I would assume that it would starve out in the new tank just the same as the old tank!

Velvet and ich is actually a very different infection. Ich-not so bad. Velvet horrible. I am actually thinking if the majority of the fish are still alive then you probably have ich and not velvet (i hope) Regardless of which disease it is I would treat it the same..........dont put anything in there for 6-8 weeks

definatly get a refractometer! Much better than hydrometer

 

So I will do the transfer tomorrow, meaning setting up the new tank. I also bought new sand(crush coral) in a coarser grade because the one I have in the 55g right now besides being infected is was to fine and it it floats all over the place, lol.

on the refractometer, I think Ill be getting a sybon one, I heard they are pretty good.

Question on the new 90g, is there anything besides raising the temp on the tank and keeping good water quality that might help with the ridding of Ich? on a faster basis than waiting the 8 weeks?

 

Just for the record, I wont put the fish in the 90g DT until the 6-8 has passed....

 

that would be all i would do just keep it empty and then QT all your fish prior to putting them in. And remember to go slow!

 

I will. Another question, when I buy new fish how long should I qt him for? should I treat him with copper for 2-3 weeks to kill any parasite that might come with him?

 

i would QT them for 6 weeks at least. 2 weeks really isnt long enough due to the life cycle of the parasite

Here is a good demonstration of the ich cycle
Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon) Life Cycle - The Life Cucle of Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon)

plus the extra 1-2 weeks will allow you to monitor for any other illnesses.

As you know, I am not a fan of copper so I will not recommend dosing with copper.

Also as you know, ich doesnt worry me very much. Majority of the time the fish can fight the infection of just like we some of our illnesses. When there is extra stress in the tank, the fish not eating, or water problems, it makes it just that much harder to treat.

Puffers however are one fish that I do worry when they have ich. Their slime layer and scales are different then many of the other fish and whne they have it i worry. I bought my mother a golden puffer for her birthday about 4 weeks ago. WELL............was down there last night and bandit is covered with ich. She just stopped eating, etc. I do not think she is going to make it. (and my mom is devistated for various reasons that this fish might die) Unfortanetly there is no way to treat a puffer with ich. They can not use copper, and they can not have hyposalinity. So I did a large water change yesterday and got her some better supplements for the food, hoping it gets better.

But it was close to4- 5 weeks since I got it for her. So that shows the importance of QT fish for the full 6-8 weeks.