Ich and Reef Tanks

Cryptocaryon irritans ... aka ... White Spot .. aka marine "Ich". True, it is not the Ichthyophthirius multifiliis parasite found in freshwater fish. Still, it is commonly, if mistakingly, refered to as "ich" and everyone understands what it means.
 
yep...

I wasnt necessarily correcting him and telling him he is wrong

I just like to give correct info when i can-- and it prevents people that are new to the hobby running around telling people "ich can too be in saltwater"
 
I left the fish in the bucket for the day and temp got above 82 degrees... no noticeable spots on him at the present time... maybe one the tail. Could increasing the temp rid him of the parasites? I am torn here. Either I take the fish back to certain death... and go fishless or I try to save him with some ich medication and keeping him in the bucket for a couple more days and hope that there aren't eggs in my sand. hmmmm.
 
7itanium said:
yep...

I wasnt necessarily correcting him and telling him he is wrong

I just like to give correct info when i can-- and it prevents people that are new to the hobby running around telling people "ich can too be in saltwater"
Click to expand...

You did, but if Ace didn't explain, your help offered no real information. Good intentions, but you should have supported your fact with more information. Thanks Ace, I had no clue it's entirely different from the freshwater Ich.


I've seen a couple display tanks where one fish is covered in Ich, even in a tank with Tangs, and none of the Tangs ever developed Ich...and I've read and heard a lot now that Tangs are parasite Kings. Hopefully the fish you brought in, came with Ich that wasn't in the stage of dropping eggs and you removed him from the tank quick enough. Maybe you could pick up an inexpensive fish as a 'test' fish and see if it develops anything. I would do a light gravel vacuuming and give it a shot with a inexpensive fish that you can treat in quarantine at a later date.

Have you considered a UV sterilizer? Many people in my LFS swear by UV's. I would hope if you have enough flow, especially in a small enough tank that the Eggs would stay suspended long enough to make their way into your UV and be killed.
 
7itanium, no worries. I can see the need for correct information when discussing diseases that effect reaf tanks, especially when treatments for various ailments can be problematic. Didn't realize that the Marine Ick was not actually ick... but, that being said, "ick" is a helluva lot easier to type than the proper name. lol.

I haven't considered a UV. I am treating the clown in a makeshift QT and will see how he does. If the parasite is cleared from him and he is reintroduced and develops its again... then i will have no option but to buy a 10 gallon tank and house him there for 8 weeks. Shouldn't be a problem with a powerhead and natural sunlight. That will give my tank the time it needs to rid itself of the issue.

Don't want to introduce a cheap fish to test the proverbial, and literal waters, for fear of killing another fish (even if it is a damsel)... plus, in the event that it should be uneffected by ich than I am stuck with a damsel again... (that, perhaps, was the only bright side to my catastrophy (just kiddin' don't send PETA my way).
 
LOL, I hear they are real hard to catch and are good at hiding in LR, even if you remove it from the tank. It is an option, but if it's too much work, I def wouldn't do it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom