ICH-ATTACK...how good is it???

[Batmanjay28]

I have a 55G reef and some of my fish just cam down with ich. I was told if I didn't want to do a hospital tank that I could use the Ich-Attack organic med.

What do people think about using this product? And what should I do? Fish look good and are eating great it's just the white spots have came up. Thanks

[Grins]

Some trust it, some don't. I don't.

[NewtoSalt]

I have used it. I just have a few corals but after going by the directions on the bottle it did work. Also my corals came through with no side effects. Just remember if you are using carbon to take it out. It does turn your water a brown color but goes away in a hour or so.

[Batmanjay28]

i do have old carbon in my filter. its like 7 months old, should i still take it out?
how long did it take before your ich went away?

[sharkmatt]

I'd take that carbon out anyway. Carbon shouldn't be in the filter for longer than 4 weeks. It can only absorb so much, then it starts leeching all the chemicals it's absorbed back into the water in high concentrations. I wouldn't trust the Ich Attack. The only effective way to get rid of Ich is to remove all the fish to a hospital tank and treat them there with a proper medication while leaving the display tank fallow (no fish hosts) for 6-8 weeks. A lot of people think they've beaten Ich when the trophonts (the white spots) disappear. They're wrong. This is just part of the life cycle and Ich will still be infesting you're system even when the spots are gone. Read http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichart2mar.htm for a very good explanation of the Ich parasite and how to beat it.

Good Luck.

[Kodiak]

i guess its different with FW, or i just had luck. When my fish broke out with ich i just medicated the tank, it has some plants, java fern and some sword tails. It all cleared up within days, and the medication had no effect on the eco system of the tank.

[sharkmatt]

The problem is that the most effective treatments for Ich tend to be Copper based. This is poisonous to all corals and inverts in a marine tank and in concentrations high enough to kill off Ich, it will also kill off the nitrifying bacteria so you tend to get a new cycle aswell even in a hospital tank. Marine Ich (Cryptocaryons irritans) is a lot more lethal than freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifilius).

[Kodiak]

is a test kit for metals expensive? i need to get one to test my tap water, i dont think im going to be using RO water unless my tap is terrible. i love in an urban area so idk

[Warmart]

In my experience, this product does not work. I've found there are two methods that work. Hypo and copper. Both generally require removing your fish to a hospital tank while leaving your display fallow for 6 weeks.

[sharkmatt]

Test kits for metals are usually a little more expensive than standard ones but not astronomical. If you want a rough idea what the water quality is like in your area, got to your local water authority website and they should have a report of the average levels in your local water supply.

[jojo22]

I use it, I love it and I keep a bottle on hand at all times!

[Grins]

The problem is that the most effective treatments for Ich tend to be Copper based. This is poisonous to all corals and inverts in a marine tank and in concentrations high enough to kill off Ich, it will also kill off the nitrifying bacteria so you tend to get a new cycle aswell even in a hospital tank. Marine Ich (Cryptocaryons irritans) is a lot more lethal than freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifilius).


Although I used Coppersafe for my treatment of ich, I'd disagree a little that it is the most effective treatment. Properly done hyposalinity will also work and is safer. I'd have used it had I owned a refractometer at the time.