chend2
Achilles Reef Nugget
Man I am so paranoid. Even live rock can pass ich right?
My purple tang is in trouble
- Thread starter Octupus
- Start date
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Herefishyfishy
Smart Bass
chend2,
Any aquarium decoration, rock, substrate, etc. can transmit parasites. When the parasite is in its 'off-the-fish' stages, the parasite can cling to rock (living or dead), plastic decorations, plants, underwater pumps, substrate, etc.
If those items are moved from an infected tank to a non-infected tank, there is a good probability that the parasite will tag along.
It gets worse, I'm afraid. The transfer doesn't even have to be a solid object. Just transferring infected water is enough to bring the parasite along. When the parasite is in its free-swimming stage, it can infect water such that a teaspoon (or less!) of infected water being put into an uninfected system, will infect it.
Any aquarium decoration, rock, substrate, etc. can transmit parasites. When the parasite is in its 'off-the-fish' stages, the parasite can cling to rock (living or dead), plastic decorations, plants, underwater pumps, substrate, etc.
If those items are moved from an infected tank to a non-infected tank, there is a good probability that the parasite will tag along.
It gets worse, I'm afraid. The transfer doesn't even have to be a solid object. Just transferring infected water is enough to bring the parasite along. When the parasite is in its free-swimming stage, it can infect water such that a teaspoon (or less!) of infected water being put into an uninfected system, will infect it.
Sorry i have been away. Work and the uncertainity of layoffs 
... some good news for a change, my Purple tang is doing much better. He is eating and swiming all over the tank... the ick is still there but he is in a much better shape. I did two serious water changes in the past 10 days and took the risk to put the ick attack medication. I don't know if it made any difference but all corals and invertebraes are doing well and the fish are doing much better. I lost few fish unfortunately. I lost one clown fish (the other one was infected but he is now fully recovered), an emrpor angel (that was tough to lose!) and a small cowfish (which i am assuming is the culpri as i bought him from QT and i should have not introduced him to the tank.... could it be he released the poision that caused all of this?). The current fish in the tank are:
- Clown fish (no sign of any ick even though he was infected)
- Flame angel (no sign of any ick)
- watchman goby (no sign of any ick)
- Purple tang (signs of ick but much better than he was.. he is no longer swiming close to the powerhead and eating with a huge appetite)
I learnt an expensive lesson... need to get a hospital tank setup; never buy fish from some stores.
For those who wrote back to me with support, thank you so much!!!
... some good news for a change, my Purple tang is doing much better. He is eating and swiming all over the tank... the ick is still there but he is in a much better shape. I did two serious water changes in the past 10 days and took the risk to put the ick attack medication. I don't know if it made any difference but all corals and invertebraes are doing well and the fish are doing much better. I lost few fish unfortunately. I lost one clown fish (the other one was infected but he is now fully recovered), an emrpor angel (that was tough to lose!) and a small cowfish (which i am assuming is the culpri as i bought him from QT and i should have not introduced him to the tank.... could it be he released the poision that caused all of this?). The current fish in the tank are:- Clown fish (no sign of any ick even though he was infected)
- Flame angel (no sign of any ick)
- watchman goby (no sign of any ick)
- Purple tang (signs of ick but much better than he was.. he is no longer swiming close to the powerhead and eating with a huge appetite)
I learnt an expensive lesson... need to get a hospital tank setup; never buy fish from some stores.
For those who wrote back to me with support, thank you so much!!!
Sorry i just realized i did not update everyone on the status. The purple tang is 100% fully cured and so is my perc clown! I did two water changes and i used the ick kick and the fish are now happy. I dont know if it is the medication that did it or the water change. My thoughts are that cow fish i bought and it died may had something to do wiht it (releasing poison - not sure). For few days i really thought i would wake up to see the tang gone... he is a survior!
Thank you all for your support!
Thank you all for your support!
balogh03
Well-known member
This fish may be fine now, but don't expect any new fish to acclimate well into this environment. The ich will always be in there.
Good luck,
-augustus
