Require help with ich.

[aceww]

Try chloroquine based medications instead of copper-based. Chloroquine based medications are more forgiving to errors on our part.

Can chloroquine be used together with corals?

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[pcw]

2 minutes ago, aceww said:

Can chloroquine be used together with corals?

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Nope. Like copper, it isn't reef safe. But you can try feeding food that has chloroquine put into it. NLS ich shield, or Dr G's medicated caviar. As long as the food doesn't get eaten by the corals, it should be fine in moderation.

[alons]

ICH is a survival machine!

There is no effective way to treat ich in a reef, medication sold which are "reef safe" is BS, save your money. The parasite will die if he cannot find a host within 24hours, so the only effective option in an infested reef is to take out the fish to a secondary tank, and leave the main tank empty (corals etc OK) for 6-8 weeks (yes, yes). Increasing the temp will accelerate the parasite life cycle. Even after all this, there is no 100% guarantee the parasite is gone, it may be in a "sleep" mode deep in the sand for months and re-surface again, infecting fish which are stressed, and the cycle start again.

In a FOWLR tank it's a different story, a Chloroquine based medications as food are effective, but typically sick fish will not eat. If you can get your hands on Chloroquine phospate (CP), comes as a powder, not easy to get in SG, it's a very effective treatment, different than copper, but you will need to change 80-90% of the water at the end of the treatment, did this twice on a 500l tank, it's no fun, read more (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/fish)

Copper is effective, you have to follow dosage, monitor levels on a daily basis, get a reliable test kit!, i recommend 2 cycles of 3 weeks each, with 1-2 weeks break in between, monitor fish behaviour carefully as it burns. 

ICH is very very very hard to get rid off once it's in, best strategy is avoidance, quarantine new fish for 3-4 weeks before moving to main tank, keep the parasite away, that's the best approach, all the other staff is reactive. Unfortunately most of the stores in SG/farms are infested with this crap.

Lots of articles out there, read and read more

[lis9090]

ICH is a survival machine!
There is no effective way to treat ich in a reef, medication sold which are "reef safe" is BS, save your money. The parasite will die if he cannot find a host within 24hours, so the only effective option in an infested reef is to take out the fish to a secondary tank, and leave the main tank empty (corals etc OK) for 6-8 weeks (yes, yes). Increasing the temp will accelerate the parasite life cycle. Even after all this, there is no 100% guarantee the parasite is gone, it may be in a "sleep" mode deep in the sand for months and re-surface again, infecting fish which are stressed, and the cycle start again.
In a FOWLR tank it's a different story, a Chloroquine based medications as food are effective, but typically sick fish will not eat. If you can get your hands on Chloroquine phospate (CP), comes as a powder, not easy to get in SG, it's a very effective treatment, different than copper, but you will need to change 80-90% of the water at the end of the treatment, did this twice on a 500l tank, it's no fun, read more (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/fish)
Copper is effective, you have to follow dosage, monitor levels on a daily basis, get a reliable test kit!, i recommend 2 cycles of 3 weeks each, with 1-2 weeks break in between, monitor fish behaviour carefully as it burns. 
ICH is very very very hard to get rid off once it's in, best strategy is avoidance, quarantine new fish for 3-4 weeks before moving to main tank, keep the parasite away, that's the best approach, all the other staff is reactive. Unfortunately most of the stores in SG/farms are infested with this crap.
Lots of articles out there, read and read more

Hi unfortunately my tank gotten ich, had moved my fishes to their hospital tank yesterday. Dosed 2ml for a 80l tank. So u recommend to leave them in the copper treatment for 3 weeks? And rest for 1 or 2 weeks and dose copper for 3 weeks again? How bout water change? Do i do it every 2 days ?

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[lis9090]

I had a painful experience with Cupramine. Not sure what I did wrong but do stand by the Cuprisorb and Cu Test kit ready and monitor carefully.
 
Waiting for 10 June now before I can start getting fishes now! Its been almost 2 months hopefully the ich is really gone.

Currently using cupramine too.. how long did u treat ur fish for? And how often u do wc for them?

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[alons]

6 minutes ago, lis9090 said:

Hi unfortunately my tank gotten ich, had moved my fishes to their hospital tank yesterday. Dosed 2ml for a 80l tank. So u recommend to leave them in the copper treatment for 3 weeks? And rest for 1 or 2 weeks and dose copper for 3 weeks again? How bout water change? Do i do it every 2 days ?

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Sorry to hear that, but no worries, you have taken a first important step moving you fish to a hospital tank, keep monitoring Amonia and Nitrite levels in your hospital tank.

Regarding Cupramine, follow the instructions for dosing, raise Cupramine level up to 0.5mg/l gradually (over a week+), observe the fish and see if you are active and eating, very important, If you use Seachem, get the Seachem test kit and check Cupramine level twice a day while dosing. Be careful after water changes as you will need to top-up Cupramin, always measure before you top up and calculate how much needs to be added.

Recommend a 3 week cycle with 2 weeks break in between, second round you can dose a lower level of 0.3 mg/l and observe if any ich is visible.

good luck man.

 

[lis9090]

Sorry to hear that, but no worries, you have taken a first important step moving you fish to a hospital tank, keep monitoring Amonia and Nitrite levels in your hospital tank.
Regarding Cupramine, follow the instructions for dosing, raise Cupramine level up to 0.5mg/l gradually (over a week+), observe the fish and see if you are active and eating, very important, If you use Seachem, get the Seachem test kit and check Cupramine level twice a day while dosing. Be careful after water changes as you will need to top-up Cupramin, always measure before you top up and calculate how much needs to be added.
Recommend a 3 week cycle with 2 weeks break in between, second round you can dose a lower level of 0.3 mg/l and observe if any ich is visible.
good luck man.
 

Thanks! Does api or sera copper test kit works the same? As the LFS near me doesnt seem to carry seachem brand copper test kit. Yeah.. very heart breaking to see my fish suffer due to the stupid parasite (( i have a bicolour blenny in the qt tank too. Hope he survvies this ordeal as he looks really stressed out T.T

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[alons]

If u use seachem, use their test kit, I only had (not good) experience with API, the colors are hard to read. Give a call to fresh N marine, I got my kit for them.
As I wrote, ich is survival machine, don't make any shortcuts as it will come back again. I fought this parasite for 2 long years in a 3-4 months cycle

[shahboy]

1 hour ago, lis9090 said:

Currently using cupramine too.. how long did u treat ur fish for? And how often u do wc for them?

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Sorry lis9090 to hear on the Ich invasion. I can't remember how long it took me as I got a new tank in between. Hope all works out well. I was using the API test kit, got it from Petsmart at Serangoon North. Agree with Alons, the colour chart is hard to gauge. 

[lis9090]

Sorry lis9090 to hear on the Ich invasion. I can't remember how long it took me as I got a new tank in between. Hope all works out well. I was using the API test kit, got it from Petsmart at Serangoon North. Agree with Alons, the colour chart is hard to gauge. 

Hi thanks for ur reply.. yeah its a stressful period knowing my beloved pet fishes are suffering . Very heart breaking.. hope they get thru this ordeal and there will be a nice new tank waiting for them when they are well again

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[chrispsr]

what the price like for seachem kit?

 

[alons]

BTW: Just to relate to previous messages on this post:

UV does not prevent nor eliminate ich, a good UV may slow down a breakout, but you just buy some time, if not treated your fish will not survive.

 

[lis9090]

BTW: Just to relate to previous messages on this post:
UV does not prevent nor eliminate ich, a good UV may slow down a breakout, but you just buy some time, if not treated your fish will not survive.
 

Ppl say to just feed the fish well with garlic and vitamin and maintain good water quality and their fishes survived the ich?

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[alons]

3 hours ago, lis9090 said:

Ppl say to just feed the fish well with garlic and vitamin and maintain good water quality and their fishes survived the ich?

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Good luck with this strategy..

[lis9090]

Good luck with this strategy..

Haha I don't really trust the strategy too. Cos there will still be ich in the system still

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[Ref00]

2 minutes ago, lis9090 said:

Haha I don't really trust the strategy too. Cos there will still be ich in the system still

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Yup. Esp if e ich is full bloom already.

[lis9090]

Hey guys.. If my copper reading is about this colour using salifert copper test kit. I use seachem cupramine. Is the colour OK or too much? Quite hard to compare on the colour chart

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