How do YOU prevent Ich?

T

Titus

As a newbie, I have been doing tons of research every step of the way. I find it extremely frustrating that there is nothing close to a consensus in the hobby on QT process and Ich Prevention/eradication. I thought I would take a poll to see if there is any sort of consensus locally. I figure it might be good to follow the local heard on this being that you are the guys I will be going to if something goes wrong!
 
What I should have done is quarantine everything before it goes into my tanks. In reality, I fell off that bus and just tried to get fish from folks I know in the club which worked well for the most part. I have, however, run into ich twice in the year I've been doing this and went through 6 weeks of hyposalinity treatment each time. Fortunately, those fish were not bound for my main tank and I vowed to not get a new fish until I got a permanent QT going after the most recent experience. I've been doing well on that so far and haven't made any new fish purchases. For corals, they get a Coral RX dip and then rinsed off with salt water before going in.
 
@MBSL55 wrote:
What I should have done is quarantine everything before it goes into my tanks. In reality said:
+1 I have a 20g QT setup and no fish will touch my system till it has sat in there for 30 days min. There is a great presentation from Matt stickied somewhere that explains all this I will find it when I get home and not on my phone if someone doesn't beat me to it

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I used to quarantine but I would still get it. I think it was in the rock that were attached to corals from various LFS. With the exception of a few fish, they mostly all survive. Would love a powder blue but I don't think I'll eve have one that does not die of ich.
 
Thanks for the responses so far. I wish more of the people viewing the thread would respond to the poll. [smilie=worried.gif]
 
I have really liked doing the hypo salinity method. I also do an isolation method with other non-fish critters. To make sure I don't get Ich from rocks, etc.

Back when I didn't do QT, I had exceptional luck with Garlic + Cleaner Shrimp + Ozone. Would soak my Nori in garlic extract as well as drip it in the tank. Ich seem to hate the stuff. Can't recall ever losing a fish to it.

Then again, I always had a big enough tank with plenty of swimming space and hiding places, keeping the stress down.

Keep in mind the overwhelming misconception about Ich. All tanks that didn't go through a QT-cure process from the start will always have Ich present. Just because you don't 'see' the Ich doesn't mean it isn't there. A healthy tank will have healthy fish that have healthy immune systems to 'manage' the Ich from breaking out. That said, I am surprised that a method above that should be listed that isn't, is "not stressing my fish out to begin with!" :)
 
My guess is that less than 5% QT, and probably only 20% of those do a copper or hypo method... making the overall percentage that QT for Ich purposes a really small number. Those numbers are merely guesses though based on browsing this and RC forums over the years.

Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that I have a nice tucked away room behind my in-wall tank that acts as a dedicated fish room, I wouldn't bother with having a QT at all. Merely a nice convenience for me that I am doing it. With my old non-QT setup I did have several severe Ich breakouts but was able to manage them all back to health without fish dieing. With a larger tank with a total $ of fish more in it now, I have just chosen to play it slightly safer.
 
There's no answer for me on the poll.
6+ years & 4 tanks & I've never had ich & have never QT'd.
No idea why.
 
IMO Ich can easily be handled by the fish pending good water quality and a stress free internment (obviously there is a point of no return). With that said... Would I drop a sick fish into my tank to test my theory...? Probably not, but I wouldn't buy a sick looking fish :) Ich is the least of your worries when not using QT methods; especially for those with coral. In most cases a QT tank is a sub par tank in comparison to your main.

Mitch
 
I soak the frozen food, which they get 2 or 3 times per week, in Reef Plus. And they get a lot of spirulina flakes, which is supposed to be good for them. I add Prime to all the water that I make which is supposed to add to their protective slime coat. I have seen ich go away and never come back just doing these simple things.

David
 
I soak the frozen food, which they get 2 or 3 times per week, in Reef Plus. And they get a lot of spirulina flakes, which is supposed to be good for them. I add Prime to all the water that I make which is supposed to add to their protective slime coat. I have seen ich go away and never come back just doing these simple things.

David
 
@SushiGirl wrote:
There's no answer for me on the poll. 6+ years & 4 tanks & I've never had ich & have never QT'd. No idea why. said:
I agree with this, I really do not buy into the idea you can make your tank ich free with QT. Stress is the major factor on why fish get ich. Pick wise tank mates and you will be successful.
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QT isn't only good to prevent disease or parasites but it helps the fish recover from the stress of being collected and stuffed into a bag and transported to it's new home. It's much easier to get a fish to eat or trained to eat new foods in QT rather than in a reef full of other competing fish. It's a good resting spot so the fish can build up strength before adding to the display.
 
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