Fish has beginning stages of ICH. But that fish and all other fish seem fine. NEED ADVICE

[elchopo]

I have a blue damsel that is starting to show signs of ICH. Been monitoring it for a few days and the spots seem to move and over the last week have increased from his tailfins to the top part of his top fins. However, it seems perfectly fine. Not sluggish eats like crazy blah blah. I have a hospital tank going now that I can add copper to. However, I just have a hard time warranting putting fish that are perfectly fine in it and using copper on them.

Should I just try to put just him in that tank? Should I maybe set up another tank with no copper until they start showing signs? I know the lifecycle of ICH and I know healthy fish can survive ICH with no problems. But I am just not sure what the best approach would be.

This is a reef tank and all parameters are within an acceptable range. I do have the ability to do as many water changes as needed if that would help?

I can do whatever I need to do. I just want the safest and most effective way and I need advice on what they may be.

I can provide as many details as possible if it helps. I can't provide pictures though as I am not home.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Best thing you can do is move all fish into qt and treat them. Eventually they won’t be able to tolerate the ich.

 

[Lauren11]

I’m dealing with a similar problem & I have been to the bottom of the Internet on this. Two ways to go - manage or eradicate. Check out humble.fish for details on each type of plan. While you’re deciding - start feeding a very nutrient dense food. I was given this recipe, which I’m going to use:

piscine mysis, thaw drain..
full bottle of selcom,
half bottle of brightwell garlic, and a full blister pack of calanus, then refreeze and feed daily roughly two weeks and bam

Healthy fish can beat it and fish like blue tangs do it frequently

 

[Lauren11]

Also take measures to reduce stress - lots of rock/caves for hiding. I’m turning my light off for the day

 

[beehive124]

There are stories of fish fighting off ich all by themselves, but since there's other fish in the tank I personally think it's not worth the risk. I'd do the hospital tank you set up. Or just give the fish a dip in a formalin treatment or freshwater dip.

 

[Sharkbait19]

After treating the tank will have to go fallow for at least 45 days, 76-90 being better.
Anything you do to treat it in the display tank will be largely ineffective and there will always be the risk of infection rising to dangerous levels. Not worth the risk.

 

[elchopo]

There are stories of fish fighting off ich all by themselves, but since there's other fish in the tank I personally think it's not worth the risk. I'd do the hospital tank you set up. Or just give the fish a dip in a formalin treatment or freshwater dip.

I agree I just find it hard to warrant treating fish that are not showing signs of any issues. I have a pretty expensive kole tang that is in perfect shape that I don't want to potentially lose by dosing copper incorrectly when he didn't even need it, to begin with.

 

[elchopo]

After treating the tank will have to go fallow for at least 45 days, 76-90 being better.
Anything you do to treat it in the display tank will be largely ineffective and there will always be the risk of infection rising to dangerous levels. Not worth the risk.

Treating the DT is not an option as I have invertebrates. I have no problem going fallow in the DT for that length of time. My thing is just the copper treatment. I just feel like it would be like giving chemo to someone that doesn't have cancer.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Once one fish has ich, you can pretty safely assume they all do. It’s very contagious.
Best to treat everyone early and preemptively than wait until they are already very ill.

 

[Tamberav]

Either you can wait and feed well and keep stress low and maybe they will beat ich and all will be well.

or you can pull them all and QT.

They are all infected if one is showing ich.


We can't see the future... maybe some fish will die if you don't treat or maybe the stress of QT will kill some fish. This is why there are those for and against QT.... because the outcome is so variable.


Is the damsel fighting with anyone?

 

[elchopo]

Once one fish has ich, you can pretty safely assume they all do. It’s very contagious.
Best to treat everyone early and preemptively than wait until they are already very ill.

Yeah, that's what I am trying to convince myself. I am just nervous about treatment because I know it can be hard on them.

I am going to research further but isn't the advice 30 days treatment and 30 days in QT before putting back in fallow DT?

 

[elchopo]

Either you can wait and feed well and keep stress low and maybe they will beat ich and all will be well.

or you can pull them all and QT.

They are all infected if one is showing ich.


We can't see the future... maybe some fish will die if you don't treat or maybe the stress of QT will kill some fish. This is why there are those for and against QT.... because the outcome is so variable.


Is the damsel fighting with anyone?

Yeah, that's exactly my problem. I dont want to get to the point where they get too sick and cant survive the stress of the transfer and treatment. But I don't want them to be infested with ICH if I have the ability to help. I also don't want to do all this work (would have to remove all my live rock to get them) and get them in the tank and by me doing that kills one or more of them.

I am at a crossroads and I don't know what to do.

Damsel is acting the same as it always has. No fighting. Eating exactly the same.

No other fish has shown any different signs themselves.

 

[elchopo]

Either you can wait and feed well and keep stress low and maybe they will beat ich and all will be well.

or you can pull them all and QT.

They are all infected if one is showing ich.


We can't see the future... maybe some fish will die if you don't treat or maybe the stress of QT will kill some fish. This is why there are those for and against QT.... because the outcome is so variable.


Is the damsel fighting with anyone?

If they beat ICH would that safely assume ICH will no longer be an issue? Or could ICH always be a potential issue if I don't QT the fish?

 

[Uncle99]

Me, I’d do just the fish that’s sick, but keep a careful watch on all others.
Sometimes, in the right conditions, ick does not seem to bother some fish.

 

[Sharkbait19]

If they beat ICH would that safely assume ICH will no longer be an issue? Or could ICH always be a potential issue if I don't QT the fish?

Fish can get pretty resistant, but the parasite will always be there.

 

[Tamberav]

If they beat ICH would that safely assume ICH will no longer be an issue? Or could ICH always be a potential issue if I don't QT the fish?

always a potential issue.... usually rears its ugly head during times of stress or if new fish added.

If you don't plan to QT future additions... you could add ich right back though. Anything wet can bring it in.

 

[rmorris_14]

Yeah, that's exactly my problem. I dont want to get to the point where they get too sick and cant survive the stress of the transfer and treatment. But I don't want them to be infested with ICH if I have the ability to help. I also don't want to do all this work (would have to remove all my live rock to get them) and get them in the tank and by me doing that kills one or more of them.

I am at a crossroads and I don't know what to do.

Damsel is acting the same as it always has. No fighting. Eating exactly the same.

No other fish has shown any different signs themselves.

If you are wary about using copper you could move thr fish to the QT and do hyposalinty instead.

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity (Osmotic Shock Therapy) What It Treats – Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) and Flukes (Monogeneans). How To Treat – Place the fish you wish to treat in a quarantine tank with SG & temperature matching the tank they came from. Over a period of 48 hours, gradually lower the SG...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Lavey29]

Is the damsel a new fish added to the tank recently? Did he get QT prior? Typically see first signs of ich in a tank on the big tangs not a damsel fish. Do you have pics of the suspected ich on the fish?

 

[elchopo]

Is the damsel a new fish added to the tank recently? Did he get QT prior? Typically see first signs of ich in a tank on the big tangs not a damsel fish. Do you have pics of the suspected ich on the fish?

hi. No, he isn't new. I had a butterflyfish a few months ago that I bought with a lot of problems. After a freshwater dip on him, it appeared he had ich. But not confirmed as he also seemed to have internal parasites. He didn't make it.

I do not have pics but I have been monitoring him for over a week. The spotting has changed and it has gotten worse and has spread.

All other fish are not showing any signs.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Did the butterfly go into the tank?