White spots on Clowns and no emergency tank

OK, so I believe what I have noticed to be none other then Ick!..

I saw many posts that were very informative such as...

http://www.3reef.com/forums/asap/white-dots-blue-hippo-tang-96523.html

but here is my question: I dont have a back up tank...I know there are 2 methods to cure ick: 1-Hyposalintiy and 2- Copper

I wanted to go for option 1 but found out that it will kill all my snails and more importantly my live rock... Really dont want to kill my live rock so I am thinking about going to option 2

now, can I add copper in my tank, which is FOWLR and it be ok? This is my main (display) tank and the only one I have... so need your opinions on what should be done.

 

Personally I would never add copper to a display tank.

Very important never add copper to a tank being treated with hyposalinity.

Since the display is probably already exposed to either ich or brookynella, you should probably go with hyposalinity.

Hyposalinity is not going to kill the live rock either, it will definitely affect the LR ability to filter for awhile but not kill it.

Three PROVEN treatements, foramalin is also effective but toxic and not recommended for fish with open wounds.

Hope that helps somewhat. Keep up posted please.



JM2C

 

A lot of people on here don't try to treat ich. We just accept it as part of the tank and let the fish fight it off. Most of the time, with good diet and clean water, the fish are able to shake off the ich and build up enough "immunity" to it that it won't affect them again, even though it remains in the tank.

 

Ok correct me if I'm wrong but you guys are basically saying to go w/the Hyop treatment in my display tank as the safest / best approach.

Any chances on the cuc crew making it out alive?

 

Yes the hyposalinity will kill the inverts. Try to see if the local fish store can hold them or an local reef club. Hyposalinity seems to be the appropriate treatment at this time, but the choice is up to you.

Fish do not develop immunity to ich, they can get it repeatedly. While you can not see it, it is still causing some degree of stress to the fish that can not be measured.

 

I read a scholarly article on it that said fish do develop a type of immunity to ich. And once all the fish develop the immunity, and no new livestock is introduced into the tank, the ich will die off after 11-12 months with no hosts.

 

Also I will need to buy a refractometer to have a precisely accurate reading on the salinity: any suggestions on to which one I should purchase or all they all relatively effective?

 

Here's a helpful article and it's a quick read Ich: An Old Cure for an Old Disease by Terry Ranson

 

That I do not know, but just have it calibrated at the local fish store and compare values against their refractometer.

Good luck.

 

Just don't go with a super cheap one. Make sure it looks like pretty good quality. You can have the LFS check it to make sure it's reading correctly.