Ich Issue need some help.

Good advice, but....... have tried most of it so far. I do realize that the ich will always be there ( which sucks)

Tank1970, I do not think it is a huge change in the Bio load ( I know these fish can get big, but he is just a baby, about 3 in or less, ) in 125 and a 60 gal of filter. But I will keep that in mind, I have been testing water every day for flux in ammonia or NO2, NO3

Trapstar991, I actually killed 4 damsels , 3 domino and 1 blue, This was prior to the UV install, So med breakdown I do not think would be the case, I have ran a full spectrum of test. Salinity, PH, NO2 NO3 ammonia, KH, mag , you name it. Sorry, I did not attach my signature last time ( my bad ) that gives much of my tank specs . Please see the bottom. Current live stock as follows
Hermits ~ 20 – 40 ( lost count )
2 peppermint shrimp
1 skunk shrimp
1 banded coral shrimp
1 bristle star
Fire fish goby and Diamond goby
Mixed corals ( flower pots, star polyps , LTA, red sea xenias)
Short spine urchin
Turbo snails (3)
Fighting conchs (2)

Destinationluna
That is one of the mysteries, All my fish are eating very well. I offer them am mix a reef flakes ,mysis and brine shrimp. Blood worms and veggie delight(frozen) and seaweed strips ( dry, can not remember the name but good stuff ) . All food is soaked in Garlic extreme for at least 4 hr and enriched with a few drops of vitamins. The UV is rated for 225 gph but I have the flow mush slower then that, about 80 or so . It has worked wonders for algae control- so its working- just not on the ich. Have a skunk cleaner, I have not noticed that the cleaner is paying any “extra attention “ to the fish ( but the unicorn was only in the tank for about 48 hrs and the fire fish and D goby don’t have much to offer ) Was thinking about a cleaner wrasse ????to help

Coraliline
Thank you I will keep in mind ,

Anybody have any other ideas ???
I Will post some pice later tonight, I am positive it is Ich but would not mind having that confirmed

 

what you need to do is remove all fish from the tank and run the sterilizer for 2 months everything is commonly blamed on ich i think you have 2 fish immune to velvet and velvet in your system based on the ammount of time it toke to kill those fish theres no if's and's and but's about it
cleaner shrimp and fish do not remove parasites they remove decaying flesh to aid the healing process

 

When you say the amount of time, I just wanted to clarify..... I have been losing fish for several months now and all at different times ( I have never had more then 5 or 6 fish in the tank @ one time... I did not lose all the fish at on massive die off ) just wanted to clarify that.

You think it is velvet huh ??

 

This link has images of both ich and velvet. Ich looks much more like grains of salt IMO.

Marine Fish Diseases and Parasites

 

what i think is you had velvet and two fish devolped a immunity to the disease allowing them to survive but all new tankmates almost instant death(48 hours) like i said to rid yourself off all parasites remove all fish for 8 weeks just to play it competly safe and let the system run as usual after that add a damsel and see what happens
i never reccomend running a 8 week fallow period because i think its completly unneeded but in this circumstance i think its best for your wallet

 

Yea really I try to post on what helped me more than what to do. But like I said above I have tried about everything and you just need to figure out what works for you!

 

some thoughts from me

tank has been set up 9 months, but was fishless for 1st x 6 months

which means you have only started stocking for 3 months
in that time
we have stockings of
4 damsels
fox face
gobies x 2 species
copperband
unicorn rabbit fish

all except initial gobies have died in this 3 month period

to me, that says gobies may not show signs of whatever parasite is killing your fish
but they are hosting said parasite and new introductions are becoming victims of it

Hypo salinity - your SG 1.018 - 1.019 - Corailline will confirm is not actually considered Hypo salinity- the target for that is 1.009 - 1.010 - which inverts including pods will not survive - so its best done in a hospiital tank whilst as other have pointed out, the DT is left fishless for at least 6 weeks you need to remove the healthy fish also, otherwise they will continue hosting without becoming victim (possibly) and then healthy fish re introduced will possibly become victims yet again

alternatively - remove all fish into hospital tank and treat with copper based medications
which IME is more effective than hypo treatment ( my reason for saying that is you need to gradually acclimatise a fish to hypo and I have lost fish, whilst slowly bringing down the SG - so in urgent situations copper would be my prefference especially if I was treating in a seperate container)

dont lose hope - the situation is beatable

plenty of very good advice and experience on this thread
all the answers are there

I just put most of them in my own words really

Steve

 

lol this seems like alot of advise IMO but Ill bumb it in the support of freeing the tank of whatever diease that is killing your fishy friends.

 

THanks everyone for the advise, and steve for taking a look at the thread, I will let you know how it goes

Jonathan

 

I am also somewhat new to this great hobby and have been dealing with "marine parasites" for awhile (I hear ICH in my nightmares!!). You are definitely in the right place because the only success I have had with it has come from information I got from 3Reefers.
IMO, this marine parasite issue is as diverse and complex as the marine environment itself. One 3R'r helped me to better understand it when he said that these parasites are like the common cold virus. It's always around us and the best way to fight it is to beef up the immune system. I have done this by keeping my water quality as high as possible (monitoring, skimming and as many water changes as possible) and have had success with "Garlic-infused foods". I also use "Garlic Xtreme" from Kent.
I am coming to learn that the STRESS issue seems to be the key. It seems that the fish go through hell just getting from the ocean or breeder to our tanks. So I don't know if moving them around more (QT tanks, FW dips, etc.) is such a good idea. I believe alot of aquariasts don't even use QT's.
In regard to additives, my friends and I have had success with "HERBTANA Micro-lift" which is allegedly reef-safe and can also be used when introducing new fish.
I've only touched on a few things and there are alot of people with more experience than I'll ever have out there, but I hope it helps. I'm also learning that a good attribute in this hobby is PATIENCE! Good luck and hang in there.