ich in the rocks

[jospear]

I am planning on buying some live rock from someone
and they say that the rock may have ich that stays in the
rock from fish that had ich is this possible and should I not buy as it may cause me grief down the road by giving my fish ich.

 

[twilliard]

quarantine it

I forget how many weeks but the life cycle will end.

 

[NC2WA]

I believe the Ich cycle run 30 days. So I would QT it at least 6 weeks to be sure.

Personally, I would not want the headache of owning LR that knownily had Ich, but this is your call.

Kirk

 

[Reefreak]

All live rock has been exposed to ich as it comes from the ocean. 6 weeks in quarantine "with out any fish" will take care it. If the person you are purchasing it from used copper in the tank with the live rock you should pass on it.

 

[jospear]

anyone else have advice

 

[Herefishyfishy]

What they say is true. Do you have fish in the tank you want it for? Have these fish been carrying ick too? Is the rock needed for filtration right now?

 

[jospear]

I have no fish in the tank it is a new setup I would like the rock for filtration I am in no rushthe rock can sit for some time before I add fish. Also should I put it in the main tank or in a rubbermaid tub.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Put rock in the tank and let it sit for 6 weeks with no fish. After a few weeks everything considered, can add some cleaner crew a couple at a time. Snails, shrimp, etc. No fish

 

[NC2WA]

If you want to increase the ich cycle, you can increase the temp in your tank above 85 degrees for 5-7 days, then drop the temp back to normal level. I would want to have at least a full week of steady temperature at a normal level. But I am a very conservative individual.

http://www.thekrib.com/Diseases/ich.html

Step 6 under the "How to Treat Ich" section.

NOTE: I would only advocate this in a tank where there is just live rock. If you have any form of life (ie, coral, fish,etc.); then do NOT attempt this step.

Kirk

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Until studies can show consistency, increased temp to accelerate Ich life cycle, should not to be trusted IMO.

 

[burning2nd]

Qt the new rock... make sure its good b4 you add it...

other wise boil it white and add it as clean dry base rock... let your tank deside what to do with it

 

[Reefreak]

Make sure as I said in my first post that the rock has not been exposed to any medication or copper. This can sometimes happen if people try to medicate a display tank because they don't want to hassle with quarantine.
You can buy fish now BUT they should go into a QUARANTINE TANK not your display with the live rock, so that when your main system has gone through its 6 weeks and is ready for fish your fish you had in quarantine will be ready for the display tank.
As HereFishyFishy stated you can add some snails, shrimp or crabs "no fish" to the display now as they cannot host the cryptocarion parasite aka: ich, and it will die out with out a fish host.

This will work fine and get you off to a good start.

 

[jospear]

I found some other rock so I did not buy the one with ich thanks everyone
for the input.