Terrible anniversary 4-13-09 Lost more to ICK

C

cervezamoney

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Well my tank was doing great for a few months even though the wife and I rushed in a little fast on stocking livestock. All my parameters are still great, but we bought 3 Lyrtail Anthias last weekend at the big sale. Got them home, acclimated them, got them swimming, all was great. Two days later (Tuesday)one of them showed spots. We bumped the chiller up to 81deg, and kept feeding . Wednesday 3 of them had spots, bumped it up to 82deg and started dropping the salinity. By Friday the first one with spots was pale/cloudy. We decided they had to come out before the other fish were affected. The weakest never made it out of the tank. One of the two that did make it to the 10 gallon quarantine tank was dead by Saturday morning, the last one looked better. Saturday late we noticed our Blond Naso was slow, hanging out high in the tank at the overflow with a large white spot on the right side and white(?) from the gills. Got the tang out with no fight. Took him to the quarantine tank, and died in the bag before we got him acclimated. Monday, oh Monday, Happy Anniversary! Made it home from work to a bad heater in the sick tank. Still climbing at 86.4deg and the last sick fish belly up. The wife's personal favorite I might add. Now our Tomini Tang has spots, but is still eating. We are at the point now to where we have decided to remove all the fish to quarantine for 8 weeks. Please chime in, we need the input. The store we bought the fish from is not to blame, we are. We don't have a quarantine tank, and bought fish during a big sale. So we knew they were stressed. I'm not pointing blame, just want all the info on the table. I was using "Clout" in the quarantine tank. The fish we intend to quarantine are: 1 MS Clown, 1 Tomini Tang, 1 Orange spot Golby, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 2 Firefish Golbys, and 1 Fox Face. I know they can't fit in my 10 gallon, I bought a 50 gallon Lobster tank to use as a quarantine setup. Need help with treatment. Thanks in advance, Matt & Amy
 
some times its better to leave them alone and hope for the best. moving them into quarantine when they are already sick usually just kills them.
 
you can do hypo treatment if you donot want to put copper in that tank
 
id personally just keep them well fed, mix food with garlic, and stay on top of water parameters
 
The Tang is actually looks better this morning. spots seem to be gone and he has been eating well the whole time, unlike the others. I read up on ICK the other night, so I know that it drops off into the sand bed untill the life cycle starts over again. Do the fish look healthy again during this time?
 
Well everyone is still eating, but the tang is still showing spots and now the fox face has developed black spots. I'm told this is black ick, and Is near impossible to treat without medication. I hate to do it, but the wife and I have decided to fire up the quarantine tank. I pray the stress from the move doesn't kill any of them. Thanks everyone for your input. I know the general consciences was to ride it out, but it continues to get worse.

I do have another question. Will my 2 anemone's be OK without a clown? I feed them with a turkey baster, as my clown is a pig and fends for herself.

I have also had a couple interest in the lobster tank. So if any one wants to check it out drop me a line and come see it first hand. It's nothing spectacular, but I will admit. I'm kind of impressed by the "all-in-one" kind of set up.

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=59294
 
How about a UV filter? I found one I can afford. Its a JEBO 36 watt uv sterilizer rated at 150 gallons. Or is that like filters and I need one rated twice as big as my tank? LOL. Does it kill the good bacteria off as well? Is this a "cure"?
 
I have never had a UV sterilizer. I have had many types of tangs over the years and never lost a fish to ick. I have had a few who developed ick following acclimation or later due to conflicts.
A couple of things I did over the years, feed tiny bits of garlic or nori rubbed with garlic, 3 minute freshwater dip (fish must be healthy enough to undergo treatment), and have slowly reduced the specific gravity from 1.025 to 1.019 or even less(hyposalinity).

I know its tempting to buy fish during sales and have done so on many occasions. If its such a good deal, it will be there tomorrow. Another suggestion, order the fish you want through your local LFS. When the fish order comes in, plan to be there and take the fish directly home. Thereby reducing the stress of introduction in an LFS tank.

Hope this helps,

Bubba
 
I agree it is best to just leave them alone and take a wait and watch attitude. You may lose several but the ones that live will be stronger. You can never get rid of the ICK anyway but just do not purchase any new fish for at least 8 weeks maybe longer. Do daily water changes to get the free swimming stages out and running a UV would not hurt and I also have a diatom filter I would use as it gets out tiny particles and hopefully some of the ICK. Generally when the fish looks better it is just that the ICK has fallen off and is in the second stage of development, many people think they are cured and off they go to buy new livestock. In the meantime take the time to get a quaranteen up and running and use it the next time.

Blamm
 
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