Question on treatment.

[akunochi]

Hi Lee,

Let me try and write this again.

Kole tang shows spots ( Marine Ich 98%)
Unable to catch tang

Caught all other fish besides the Kole tang and Melanarus wrasse

Kole tang dies today after like 4 weeks.

Wrasse has no spots and hasn't had any spots.

All other fish in copper treatment just in case (none showed symptoms)

So how long should I wait to start adding my fish back into the tank now that the tang has died. I know ideally I would want to go fallow 6-8 weeks, but I honestly cannot catch that wrasse (peninsula tank too many crossover caves etc)

In QT I have my Picasso clowns, Purple tang, and longnose hawkfish. They have all been in there for about 4 weeks except for the purple tang (just got him yesterday)

 

[NC2WA]

So the only fish in the tank is the wrasse??

I'm sure Lee will correct me if I'm wrong, but until you remove the wrasse the Ich will have a host to feed on..

You are correct in 6-8 wks with no fish in tank..I finished this myself about 5 months ago. I had two carpenters wrasse and a goby that were very fast, but I'm stubborn and wasn't going to let a fish win . I had to remove 50% of my LR to catch them, in the end it was the right thing to do as I knew I didnt want to repeat massive dying of fish I had in Dec 2010, see http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f14/dear-saltwater-hobby-59254/.

personally, I would not put any fish your are treating in the tank until the wrasse is caught and the tank goes the 6-8 wks w/o any fish.

 

[akunochi]

Yaking rock out to catch him is just impractical at this point. I would break too many corals. So if the ich is hosfing the wrasse then why has it no displayed any symptoms?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Move most of rock out of one small end of tank. Cut some scrap acrylic pieces full height, and long enough that they overlap forming a tank divider. Use clips to keep them tight to each other. Feed the fish in the mostly open end. When the remaining fish is in the trap end, close the doors, remove the last bit of rock and easily net out the fish.

 

[TJL]

+1 on trapping fish, by any means neccessary. Alot of fish in excellent condition with high imunities may have/host parasites with no real harm to them. Stressors may cause an outbreak of parasites but, not neccessarily even to the hosting fish ie; when introducing QT'd fish back into display certain fish may have a lowered imunity that will allow those remaining parasites to re-infect in a big way. So even though it is a major PITA its the only way to ensure that you won't just repeat the event.

Todd

 

[akunochi]

I was worried you guys were going to say that...

 

[leebca]

NC2WA is right. It's unfortunate to have to go after such an elusive fish in a setup such as yours. There is a post in the sticky section which is about how to capture fishes and the many different ways of doing it.

As difficult as it may be, it is the right thing to do. The fish may not be displaying just when it is in your view; or it could be harboring some parasites in its gills where they are not seen. In the confines of a small QT such fish will display if they have it. However, there just isn't any way to tell and the best thing to do is assume it is infected and needs treatment.

Thanks for the additional information. It's more clear now.

 

[akunochi]

Thanks Lee....except my QT is a 75 gallon tank LOL

I'll get to catching him eventually...or he can just sit there until I move everything to a new tank in a month LOL.

 

[Aquanaut]

Fish traps may be in order. I rented one from Barrier Reef and it was the best $10 ever spent. I never knew a wrasse that wasn't greedy when hungry. Also if he sleeps in the sand like my Melenarius you could watch where he beds down and suprise him in about an hour. They're very groggy at night.