Does an established tank have ich?

[Rhodes19]

Hi All,

How can you tell if an established tank as ich or not? I just got a 125 FOWLR on 2 days noticed (home foreclosure on a friend's parent's home) and want to make sure it doesn't have ich before I add some fish. The fish were in sad shape and looks like they hadn't eaten in a while. The Maroon clown looked ok, the yellow tang and blue tang looked thin with pinched bellies, the 3 convict damsels were a little thin and the yellow tail damsel was anorexic. Its spine and ribs were showing. To say the least, they were pretty stressed out. I've been watching them now for a week and haven't seen any signs of ich on any of them yet or any stress behavior.

I know a fish in QT for 6+ weeks is free of ich if it never shows up. I also know a tank laying fallow for 8 weeks is considered safe. But, can the same be said for fish in the DT? If no ich shows up in 8 weeks does that mean there is no ich? Thanks for any information and advice.

Chris

 

[Skimmy]

well, for the sake of argument, i would assume that every disease is in your system, and that the only parameters that change that causes illness is the immunal defense of the individual fish. that way it becomes an issue of maintaining the health of each fish via proper nutrification/dosing of vitamins and amino acids, as well as not stressing out the fish with temp, salinity, and ph changes, or territorial stress from overcrowding.

 

[Rhodes19]

That's a thought.

 

[leebca]

There are a few ways at evaluating the system with regards to your question.

If the system has been running for more than 10 months without any addition of marine live stock or any addition of outside (foreign) sea water (like coming in with plants, decorations, rock, etc.) then most likely the Marine Ich parasite is too weak to infect or has died off.

Another perspective is that if the fish are stressed and weak as you've indicated, then almost any obligate parasite (like MI) would show itself fairly easily.

However, there is no guarantee. You should be reasonably prepared for the worst, which would be the isolation and curing of all these fish, outside of the system setup.

 

[Krish]

There are a few ways at evaluating the system with regards to your question.

If the system has been running for more than 10 months without any addition of marine live stock or any addition of outside (foreign) sea water (like coming in with plants, decorations, rock, etc.) then most likely the Marine Ich parasite is too weak to infect or has died off.

Another perspective is that if the fish are stressed and weak as you've indicated, then almost any obligate parasite (like MI) would show itself fairly easily.

However, there is no guarantee. You should be reasonably prepared for the worst, which would be the isolation and curing of all these fish, outside of the system setup.

Really good suggestions Lee!

On a side note, kinda off of the subject, but I was curious of something...Do you have a tank of your own?? I don't think I've ever seen mention here of you having a tank and so I said I'd ask.

 

[akunochi]

He lives in the Ocean...how else do you think he learned so much...duh!

 

[leebca]

Few people check out my bio, but there is a link to my systems in that post:
Lee’s Bio
which is here: Reef Frontiers - A Reefkeeping Community - May 2007 MOTM

Just because I have scales and webbed feet is no reason to jump to the conclusion I live in the ocean. :becky:

 

[Krish]

Few people check out my bio, but there is a link to my systems in that post:
Lee’s Bio
which is here: Reef Frontiers - A Reefkeeping Community - May 2007 MOTM

Just because I have scales and webbed feet is no reason to jump to the conclusion I live in the ocean. :becky:

Haha! I will have to check out the link when I get to a computer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rhodes19]

There are a few ways at evaluating the system with regards to your question.

If the system has been running for more than 10 months without any addition of marine live stock or any addition of outside (foreign) sea water (like coming in with plants, decorations, rock, etc.) then most likely the Marine Ich parasite is too weak to infect or has died off.

Another perspective is that if the fish are stressed and weak as you've indicated, then almost any obligate parasite (like MI) would show itself fairly easily.

However, there is no guarantee. You should be reasonably prepared for the worst, which would be the isolation and curing of all these fish, outside of the system setup.

Hi Lee,

Thanks. I was told the tank was established 2 years ago but I have no idea how long it has been since something was added. I do have some smaller tanks I can use for hospital tanks and some filters with bacteria already on them so if I need to treat them I can. I'll observe them for the next 8 weeks and see if any ich shows up? If it does then I'll put them in hospital tanks and treat accordingly. Lee, as far as observation goes, is ich more likely to present itself in the QT or in the DT or will it matter? Thanks again.

 

[Rhodes19]

Just because I have scales and webbed feet is no reason to jump to the conclusion I live in the ocean. :becky:

LMAO!!!

 

[leebca]

A properly sized QT will encourage the parasite to present itself. Usually, the larger the aquarium the greater the possibility the parasite can get by our visual detection.

 

[returnofsid]

I think, one of the ideas behind a QT, is to intentionally cause at least enough stress, that the parasite shows up. The pristine conditions, along with bare "furnishing," of just a couple PVC fittings, or a flower pot, should do it.

 

[Rhodes19]

A properly sized QT will encourage the parasite to present itself. Usually, the larger the aquarium the greater the possibility the parasite can get by our visual detection.

Cool beans. Got it. Thanks again Lee, I appreciate it.

 

[Rhodes19]

I think, one of the ideas behind a QT, is to intentionally cause at least enough stress, that the parasite shows up. The pristine conditions, along with bare "furnishing," of just a couple PVC fittings, or a flower pot, should do it.

That's how I have my 29g get set up. A sponge filter and some pvc fittings. I did put a small tray of sand in the tank for a Diamond sifter when he went through qt and did the same thing for a new Christmas wrasse as well. I dumped the sand afterward.

 

[Frankie]

Hey Chris!

I had a chance to scrutinize these fish up close that day helping you get the system setup. I saw no indication of MI.

Considering the condition the fish were in, (fins missing parts, ammonia burns and apparent signs of under feeding and poor diet) I would say it safe to say these fish are MI free. If the parasite was in that system these fish would have been covered in it.

I would put most of my concentration on nutrition and water quality at this point. Making their environment as stress free as possible. Dim lighting, weekly water changes and good daily feeding of your mush mix along with grazing algae provided for the tangs at all times should turn these fish around in a year easy.

Frank

 

[Rhodes19]

Thanks Frank,

Already on it. I've been feeding them either mush, marine cuisine, or mysis shrimp soaked in vita chem every day. Green and purple algae have been going in and I've fed them live black worms a couple of times. All of them except the yellow tang like the worms. He definitely likes the algae. They are going to be pissed at me again when I give them mysis soaked in prazipro tonight.

 

[Rhodes19]

Hi Frank,

Thanks again for your help with moving them and getting the tank set up. It made my life easier. I have them on a daily feeding schedule of either mush, mysis shrimp soaked in vita chem, or marine cuisine. I've also given them some live black worms to eat. All but the yellow tang like the worms. I'm also putting in either green or purple algae daily for the tangs. They seem to favor the purple algae.

 

[Holygral]

Wow Lee you were born and raised in my back yard, I'm in Conneaut Ohio...small world

 

[Frankie]

Thanks Chris, I had a good time

Not to sure what was better, the moment we were washing the tank out and you decided to tip it to drain it, dumping an overflow full of gunk and crushed coral onto my head

Or the moment the tank was completely filled and the bulk head on the overflow cracked off in my hand dumping an overflow full of water all over the floor and stand in the house while your wife watched on in horror

(actually, I think Jill handled that better then we did LOL! )

 

[returnofsid]

Thanks Chris, I had a good time

Not to sure what was better, the moment we were washing the tank out and you decided to tip it to drain it, dumping an overflow full of gunk and crushed coral onto my head

Or the moment the tank was completely filled and the bulk head on the overflow cracked off in my hand dumping an overflow full of water all over the floor and stand in the house while your wife watched on in horror

(actually, I think Jill handled that better then we did LOL! )

It's obvious which was better. One dumped water on the floor, the other, and MUCH BETTER, dumped a mix of nastiness on YOUR HEAD!! Any pics??!!