so I'm not sure if this was just a coincidence or if it inadvertently did kill off the ich in my system. Since I started my reed tank, (roughly a 1 1/2 years ago) my tank was plagued by ich, I couldn't get a fish too survice for longer than 4 months (excluding wrasses and gobies). I would continuously by fish probably spent well over 500$ on fish within the first 6 months. After this I started getting into corals; figured I'd focus on something ich couldn't kill. I started doing alk and calc; as well as the other supplements. About a month into the dosing I started adding fish again and surprise surprise; same issues as before my tank was plagued by ich. After giving up on fish in general I focused on the corals and that's when my pump went crazy and completely overdosed my tank with alk; I lost my corals, my hermits as well as my snails and every other invert. Since then it's been roughly 5-7 months and I've been adding fish. Since the alk issue I've had not one single sign of any ich in my system. I'm not sure if the alk efficiently killed it as well or what happened, but I haven't lost a single fish since then. And you might be quick to reply saying "well your tank is established now or that something in my system was stressing the fish out" I can assure you this is not the issue. I recently started neglecting my tank due to school and work it had been roughly a month since I did a water top off/ change before yesterday, it was covered with algae and everything else you could imagine the water level was down almost 5" and still no signs of ich or any negative effects on the fish. Did the overdosed alk efficiently kill off the ich along with all my inverts?
How to kill ich
Empress
Valuable Member
Sorry I read your story wrong. Thought you gave up on the fish and had only corals left.
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Me too!!
Fish will develop a limited immunity to the parasite over time if the fish continue to be otherwise healthy.
Marine Ich will still be harbored in the substrate and gills of the fish. The fish may not show or become symptomatic until another outbreak is triggered by a stressful event that affects the fish within the tank, or another strain of Cryptocaryons irritan is introduced to the system.
One can only assume the parasite is eradicated but without a through microscopic examine of multiple mediums within the system one an not say the parasite is absent.
To obtain more insight you might consider having this thread moved to the disease forum for @Humblefish and @melypr1985.
I am not saying your theory is incorrect but not the likely explanation.
Marine Ich will still be harbored in the substrate and gills of the fish. The fish may not show or become symptomatic until another outbreak is triggered by a stressful event that affects the fish within the tank, or another strain of Cryptocaryons irritan is introduced to the system.
One can only assume the parasite is eradicated but without a through microscopic examine of multiple mediums within the system one an not say the parasite is absent.
To obtain more insight you might consider having this thread moved to the disease forum for @Humblefish and @melypr1985.
I am not saying your theory is incorrect but not the likely explanation.
immafishguy
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Actually, ich is classified as a protozoan, not an invert. inverts are multicellular and protozoan are unicellular.
Based on the frequency of deaths described, this sounds more like a case of Marine Velvet Disease to me: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/
What fish do you currently have? List them out.
What fish do you currently have? List them out.
Well it's no longer affecting my tank I just find it to be a hard coincidence that as soon as the alk spike occurred the nearly year long struggle of the deaths ended. Currently I have a maroon clown, melonarus wrasse, goby, yellow tang, and a dwarf angle
melypr1985
totally addicted
I agree that it sounds like velvet. I doubt you killed the velvet with your alk issues. If you did, it was probably enough of a portion to give your fish a break. They are capable of developing a temporary immunity, or resistance to ick and even velvet. I don't think it will take long before your fish start giving you problems again. I'm sorry hun. I am interested in how much the Alk spike might have effected the parasite, though.. who knows? I might get to learn something new here. 
chicago
Valuable Member
i highly doubt you killed ick or velvet with alk. Then again what was your ph readings..
Over the past thirty plus year I have noticed that when I did not do a water change for a while or I did not stir up my gravel my tank had not issues with ick. if I started stirring up the gravel or did water changes some ick would appear and then go away shortly after. as noted above some fish build up a resistance to ick.. others are not even effected by it.. while others.. blue tangs - hippo. powder blues.. seem to be magnets for it.
kicking in that much alk.. what was your ph readings when this happened. you need to qt your fish before throwing them in the tank.. if you add a coral with water.. chance of ick also.. qt your corals... this hobby teaches use to take our time. I have wiped out my tank on more than one occasion. learn from others mistakes..
Over the past thirty plus year I have noticed that when I did not do a water change for a while or I did not stir up my gravel my tank had not issues with ick. if I started stirring up the gravel or did water changes some ick would appear and then go away shortly after. as noted above some fish build up a resistance to ick.. others are not even effected by it.. while others.. blue tangs - hippo. powder blues.. seem to be magnets for it.
kicking in that much alk.. what was your ph readings when this happened. you need to qt your fish before throwing them in the tank.. if you add a coral with water.. chance of ick also.. qt your corals... this hobby teaches use to take our time. I have wiped out my tank on more than one occasion. learn from others mistakes..
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
I agree what you witnessed was a natural resistance, not likely a cure.
2 of the fish in the tank as of right now weren't in the tank during the alk issue. And those 2 are the yellow tang and clown both of which instantly would have ich if introduced to my tank beforehand so I don't know
chicago
Valuable Member
right now your tank water ect may be good. your fish are happy. When they get stressed ick may come out. I would love to say that your stumbled on something. My guess is that the tank still has some ick. my tank great for years with little outbreaks of ick that would come an go. Then one day.. one major thing.. change out the sand .. pulled out couple of buckets of sand.. and boom next week had ick. Hoping your right.. keep us posted.
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