sadly no doubt Ich has hit my Flame Angel, (update 1)

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by Swisswiss, Sep 27, 2011.

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  1. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    hello all,

    **UPDATE 1**

    Going to go for the option of removing my fish and placing them in a tank/box for about 8 weeks, the time the Ich dies off in my DT and i treat the infected fish using hypo.

    ****NEW QUESTION****

    I have to leave for the army from mid November to the start of December and will only be home on weekends... hopefully. if not then not even then. this makes Hypo treatment hard to follow.

    you think i have enough time to use this method before i leave or should i just tackle the whole issue when i come back in december? wont it be 2 late?

    (no one can replace me at home)

    considering my live stock im afraid of 2 things mainly,

    a) what will my 6 liner eat (he spend his days plucking my rocks and there wont be any in the HT)

    b) should i seperate my yellow tale blue damsels, they are the most "agressive" fish i have and am affraid that in a smaller place than what they were use 2 they would go mental.

    ************************************************************************************************

    bad news for me, seen my angel yesterday and he is covered with ich (there is no doubt about this i will post a pic soon.)

    symptoms of my fish

    covered in white sugar/salt like spots
    my angel "shakes" his body as though something is constantly biting him

    so far he still has a huge appetite so thats good, been feeding him a little more to keep his strengths.

    im going to have to bite the bullet and treat my tank (probably use copper). my question is this, seeing as i dont have an adequate Hospital tank for all my fish (see live stock below) i was wondering if instead i could just transfer my corals, snails, shrimp and live rock to another tank and treat my fish directly in the DT? (with copper, my sand bed will remain however)
    what i fear is that treating my fish in the DT will not eliminate Ich from my tank as a whole. also iv read the post on this forum (as well as many other really good articles) that talk about fish living in "balance" with Ich in your aquarium, i would LOVE to believe this but seeing how my angel is acting hurts my heart.

    please help me out on this and let me know of your experiences.

    Water params on my 47 g

    no2-0
    no3-0
    nh4-0
    salinity- 35ppt
    Ph. about 8.0

    Live stock

    1 6liner
    2 percula
    1 flame angel
    1 diamond goby
    2 yellow tale blue damsels
    2 skunk shrimps (seen the flame angel visit them twice in 2 weeks)
    3 peppermint shrimps
    about 8 snails
    2 BTA
    1 torch
    3 baby toadstools
    several mushrooms including 4 ricordea
    some pulsing xenia

    about 15 kg of live rock
    5 cm thick sand bed

    thank you

    -jeff-

    P.S for those who dont take perfect spelling post seriously, try to be a little more indulgent this time as animal lives are at stake......thank you again.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2011
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  3. lmr2o

    lmr2o Millepora

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    I'm not sure how to treat this but Im pretty sure you don't want to use copper in your DT. Im sure someone with more knowledge will chime in and help you out
     
  4. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    hope so, also noticed the white spots seem have gone this morning (only had a quick look before i had to run to wrok though) but i know this does not mean the danger is over, infact if anything there are more of theme free swimming now.

    lmr20 from what iv read if i can treat my fish directly in my DT copper would not be the best solution as it would be absorbed by my live rock and not have a full effect on the fish.
     
  5. BioFreak

    BioFreak Feather Duster

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    +1, Copper has been known to kill off corals.
     
  6. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    thats why i would move all my corals to another tank together with my shrimps (as opposed to moving the fish) since corals dont need as much space and i dont have that many of them.
     
  7. BioFreak

    BioFreak Feather Duster

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    It would still be easier to remove the fish, as the coral would not be able to go back into the original tank until after it was consistintly testing at 0 for copper levels. Where as if you move the fish they could be treated in copper than just thrown back into the original tan once cured.
     
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  9. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    alright but like i said if i do try and treat my fish in the DT with my live rock i will probably use the hyposalinity method (as it should be more effective).

    my real question is can i treat my fish the the DT and will the Ich be removed entierly from my DT if i use this method. or will it survive in my sand bed or else where?
     
  10. BioFreak

    BioFreak Feather Duster

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    Sorry someone else will have to help on that question then. I personally have never heard of this hyposalinity method you are speaking of, only the crappy medications and copper. And most of the medications contain copper of some degree.
     
  11. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    thx for your help anyweay Bio, any input is welcome. one lesson i leared from this for sure though is a QT is a must
     
  12. marks270galreef

    marks270galreef Flamingo Tongue

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    just a word of advice i would use copper with live rock either.. ive heard it will leach out later on... ive read of nightmare with other hobbyist that were never able to keep inverts because of this