What should I use for ICK!!

[tava716]

Have a Black and White Butterflyfish with very small white spots all over his body. Noticed it today. Think it may be ICK. He got stuck in my overlow a couple of days ago. I shut down the flow and gave him a "helping hand". Thnik this may have stressed him out. I am setting up a Q-tank in the morning using a power finter (with sponges from my display tank sump). Would like to medicate and do a freshwater dip. If it is not ICK, is there a sort of "cure all" out there that I should get? Is the freshwater dip a good idea?

Thanks for any info yu all can provide!.

James

 

[Krish]

What in he world is going on??? Is ich going around like the flu? (LOL) James, you are the second person today with the same problem...Ich. Here is the other thread incase you didn't get to read it. Last I looked I was the only one who replied to you can read it here
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10107

About the freshwater dip, I've heard some talk about it, but never really tried it. I'm not too sure about it because if the fish is stressed as it is, then you trying to catch him to dip him, may stress him out even more IMO. You might want to ask someone who actually tried it though because I really have no idea...Sorry. I know that the LFS uses either blue holdex or methylin blue (if that is how it is spell) to help cure ich and other diseases and stress coat is supposed to help a bit too. I never really had ich, just that one time, so fortunately for me, I never had to deal with it. Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[tava716]

Thanks Krish. I will pull the fish out and Q him tomorrow. Will go to LFS on my lunch hour for meds.

James

 

[DonW]

Fish get stressed which lowers their ammune system. Moving him to a q tank and sloooowly reducing the salinity to that closer to the fishes internal salinity will calm him. It lowers their metabolism and just slows things down enough for them to recover. Freshwater dips are just plain cruel but will get the ich to relase from the fishes body. I would not do this since the fish is already stressed, your just making things worse.

Don

 

[tava716]

What should I Slowly lower the salinity to? Right now my display tank is at 1.020-1.021. Should I ure Quick cure or SeaCure? Or something else?

 

[Krish]

Wow...Your salinity is already on the low side (that is to me). I keep mine around 1.023 - 1.024 to compliment both imported and local fish. Our ocean water here in the Bahamas has check out at about 1.027. About the Quick cure and SeaCure, I never had any experience with either so honestly, I don't know what to say other than maybe p.m Steve (Wrightme 43) and get his opinion. He has his own business taking care of peoples tanks etc and is a really nice and helpful guy who has quite a bit of experience. I'm sure he'd be able to help.

 

[DonW]

What should I Slowly lower the salinity to? Right now my display tank is at 1.020-1.021. Should I ure Quick cure or SeaCure? Or something else?

mix your q tank to match your display. Over the course of a few days do water changes with just rodi water until sg is 1.010. Leave the fish in for around 4 or 5 weeks.

Don

 

[steve-s]

Be sure to keep an eye on the pH/alk several times a day. With the reduced salinity, the chemistry becomes reduced as well so it's quite common to need a powdered buffer. As for the salinity, target 14 ppt using a refractometer.

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html

Cheers
Steve

 

[tava716]

Thanks all! Very helpfull stuff.

i will try it.