ticks/parasites

[allan]

Ok, just to make sure I did the right thing.

My blue hippo started scratching itself on its left side. Closer examination I was able to see tiny white dots, about four of them although she seems to not want me to see her left side (probably due to current).

I purchased a cleaner shrimp and a cleaner wrass to clean the ticks and my wife tells me this morning that both are working on the hippo. I shied away from purchasing a bottle of 'all natural parasite and fungus killer' in favor of a more natural approach... ie no plastic bottle.

Should I take additional steps or let this play itself out? Not sure if any of the other fish have any and since the hippo was my last addition I assume I got it from the LFS with them already aboard.

[seatrueblue]

It sounds like you are talking about marine ich.
click on link-
http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49040
This will help you understand more about marine ich and how get rid of ich.

[msmith619]

Sounds like Marine ich. The link above is excellent. Tangs, especially Powder Blues and Blue Hippos seem to be the most succeptible. Once in your tank it might take months to clear. The good news (in my experience) is if you keep your tank parameters right, feed responsibly, and the fish are not too stressed, they do seem to eventually develope a resistance and get rid of the infection. Remember, it is probably always present in your tank and any new addition can stress the fish and trigger a new outbreak.
Mike

[allan]

Oh wow, I just finished reading the notes above. I will begin lowering my salinity over the next week or so.

Do I have to worry about zenthia or frog doing poorly in low saline? Aside from a few mushrooms that's all I have aside from the fish and a few shrimp. Not sure what I will do about them.

[seatrueblue]

You are suppose to do hypo salinity in a different aquarium. Do not lower the SG with inverts, corals, liverock or livesand in the tank. Hypo will kill them, this is why you must do this in a different aquarium. Use a 10 or 20 gallon for a quarantine tank. Use the water in your aquarium to fill up the quarantine tank.

List for quarantine tank.
filter
air stone
heater
pvc pipes or artificial aquascape (place for the fish to hide)

If you have any questions I will do my best to help you.:)

[Armywife]

I just set upm a tank in the last few months. I purchased a Sailfin tang that was covered with ich within 48 hours. It was not doing well the following morning. I purchased organic ich lquid it says you can double the amount so for 3 days I doubled the dose then brought it down to the recomended dose and also brought the temp in the tank to 80 The organtic meds are safe for crustations and such. I am glad to say that It is gone and was very succesful! about 7 days into treatment it got bad again but persistance was the key. Good luck
Armywife

[JimD]

I just set upm a tank in the last few months. I purchased a Sailfin tang that was covered with ich within 48 hours. It was not doing well the following morning. I purchased organic ich lquid it says you can double the amount so for 3 days I doubled the dose then brought it down to the recomended dose and also brought the temp in the tank to 80 The organtic meds are safe for crustations and such. I am glad to say that It is gone and was very succesful! about 7 days into treatment it got bad again but persistance was the key. Good luck
Armywife

Hmmm, if this is the stuff you used, http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752417&siteID=q5QZHUbCIj8-thzZX14voGJT8UVp0mrSiA, could be a blessing to fishkeepers everywhere? Its supposedly brand new, I like that its an organic product, says reef/live rock safe, reckon time will tell... Also, where did you get the idea to change the temp? What was it before you changed it?

[seatrueblue]

No reefsafe product works, if it did it would be on that well written article. Lee says the article will be updated, if a new miracle product comes out. I have tried an organic reefsafe product on my ich infested fish. My fish got worse and then stopped eating. They wouldn't even touch the garlic soaked food. I thought I was going to lose them. What I have read is, reefsafe products are not completely "reefsafe". I have heard of people losing their anemones and sensitive expensive corals to these products. Is this a risk you are willing to take? So, the best action is to put your fish in hospital tank. Then you don't have to worry about losing your sensitive inverts.

I know there is a lot to read in that article, but trust me it will be well worth your time.

[allan]

Seatrueblue,

Thanks for the artical. I've read it and now understand the process, and shudder to think that I may have to set up an additional tank for four to six weeks.

I don't have a tank at the moment (although they are pretty easy to come by so that isn't really a problem) and in the interim I am going to try the organic stuff since I have very little to lose. This weekend I will head up to the flea market on 35 and pick up the largest aquarium they have there. I need to set up some kind of quarantine tank anyway.

Question. Do I take out all of my fish into the other tank even if they show no signs (I suspect that I do since this involves gills where I can't see the parasite)? Currently the visible signs are limited to my cow and tang.

Here's what I don't understand. Take fish out, put them in tank to the side. Six weeks later with no hosts the parasite in the display wither and die. Meanwhile in the other tank the fish have had the opportunity to wheather a cycle or two of the bugs as they fall off, incubate and return to infest. Here's the part that I don't understand. I then take these fish and place them back into the display, and with them the bugs that I had 'cultivated' in the quarantine tank.

Is it the lack of sand in the other tank that prevents the bugs from reaching maturity? Or producing their progeny? I didn't see whether the q tank has sand or not.

Ok, got to get ready for work. Thanks again for the advice and posting the ich post. I now understand the difference between the salt and freshy ich. I had thought that there was only one and that was limited to the fresh water tanks.

[seatrueblue]

Yes, all fish must be removed from display. If there is nothing for the ich to eat, they will starve and die. It is 8 weeks not 6 to let your display go fishless.
While they are in the quarantine tank they will be treated and cleared of the ich. You will treat the fish with hyposalinity or copper in the quarantine tank.

Quarantine tank must not have the following:
inverts
live rock
sand

It can have a filter but not if you decide to use the copper treatment.

Instructions for hyposalinity is:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...t-process.html (http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...t-process.html)

If you chose to use copper please read this:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-problems.html (http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-problems.html)

Without the liverock or sand to keep your parameters stable. Depending on the size of your quarantine tank, you have to check your tank parameters daily or ever other day.