Ich on my fishes, pls help ..

[tineng]

hehehe...glad its resolve.....but think you have to stop buying until your parameters are ok....at least get a amonia test kit and No2 test kit to monitor the water - no point having a QT if your main tank going to have problem .....

[White Pointer]

I had talk to henry yesterday regarding the mxyazin medication. It is very costly due to tank size. But can mxyazin destroy all the ich,egg and the cycle? sori thiamkee for stealing your tread, I too faces this problem.

cheers

[thiamkee]

Ya, it wont add anything for the next few months liao. I really never thought it can be so out of control. But it is a good experience learnt then just reading.

Hi White pointer, it is ok, every bro here are just to share their experiences and advise based on the experience and understanding.

Now i learnt to be more observant to the fishes' behaviour and take note of any abnormal living organism inside the tank.

Bro tineng, if u free, you may want to come and take a look at the rocks and tank for me, because I have this live rock, it is so red like it is painted with red paint, I am not sure this is normal or not, because basically my other tank is not like this tank which is giving me problem.

[tineng]

Bro tineng, if u free, you may want to come and take a look at the rocks and tank for me, because I have this live rock, it is so red like it is painted with red paint, I am not sure this is normal or not, because basically my other tank is not like this tank which is giving me problem.

red rock is normally coraline alage lah....a lot of bro will pay good $$$ for a well encrysted 'red' rock, these are normally very mature rocks...... just leave it....if you don't dose calcium or kalk, it will slowly die off one la....

BUT if the red on the rock can be wipe off.....well you got a problem.....

[thiamkee]

Hi bros, today time 0600hrs, I take a look at the fishes, I saw several new white spots on the body and head of the butterfly fishes about 20-40 spots, does it mean that these are new ichs attacks, or could be due to the previous ichs that has burrow into the fishes' skin? The picaso fish still rubs on the gravel once a while.

One of the bigger butterfly fish's fins seem to peel off, I am not sure if the situation is fine as long as I dont stress the fishes.

I think I better move my fishes to your quarantine tank to one of the bros' place.

I have 2 butterflies, 1 picaso and 1 starfish. Should I move all of them over or just the fishes, any bros can advise? Or just leave the starfish in the main tank.

[yiling]

just bring the LS over. no need tank.

[thiamkee]

Ok, thanks bro. I will inform you once the condition got worse.

[yiling]

ok..in meantime ..lets hope for the best

[thiamkee]

Hi bros, my fishes seems stable for the time being, however the gills ,tail fins and buttom fins seems to tear apart, as if it is slowly eaten away, is this normal?

The fishes is seen swimming to and fro the tank and sometimes rest behind the pump, now I kind of worried that something is eating away the fins. Is it cause by the ich or medication?

The tank water is now with the anti ich solution, the instruction after treatment, I should put some active carbon to remove the anti ich solution? Now I dont know when is it consider after treatment.

Any bros using medication method to remove ich can share your experience? Thanks..

[weileong]

Yup.... most mediciation are crap and useless. You end up kill your fish instead of the ich and at times people treat too late.

The proven methods are hyposalinity or copper.

[thiamkee]

Thanks Bro, this morning, I finally decided to use the hyposalinity method, I have

got the filter system ready and transfered the fishes over. This time round can feel that they dont resist too much as the first time I tried to catch them, they have weaken.

Last nite, I saw that their fins are tearing more, and they are starting to breath difficultly though the water condition is good. I guess the medication doesnt take effort on the ich as I started to see some more tiny white spots appearing. This seems like the articles I read that they(ich) disappear and come again in stronger force. I decided not the take the risk to trust the medication as up to now, the ich doesnt really disappear completely. I havent even reached the stage where the anti ich instruction said stop medication until the last white spot disappear. I only see the big ones disappear, more smaller ones appears.

Another thing that I observed when I used the anti ich solution, is when I mixed and poured it into the water, the water became bluish in blue, that I think should be the way, however the next monring, the water become clear again, i have added in at least 7 capful again, the water is still clear, but when I mixed on the quarantine tank, it remain bluish water. Could this be the reason why the anti ich medication is not effective, something in the tank is neutralising the effect as a result the ich never dies, still enjoying themselves feeding my fishes?

I also read about the approach to remove the anti ich medication, I came across an article posted by a reefer, who says never follow the instructions because it wont completely clear the ich as they are doing business and hope u come back to buy more livestock and medication. So they advise double dose the medication to really see the effect. Is that true?

My butterflies fishes' fins are badly torned now, hopefully by shifting them to the

quarantee tank allow them to heal faster, and breath normally. The quarantine tank's water now is clearly up as I move the filter system over.

Currently my main tank is left with the Starfish and remaining iches I guess. My next question is my star fish is still in the tank, will the ich attacks the star fish? If i leave the main tank with only the star fish and the ich for 6 weeks, will the ich be completely destroyed, or will it feed on the starfish and still multiply uncontrolably?

Any bro can share your experiences with fishes, starfish and iches similar as mine?

Will greatly appreciate as I wanna be sure that the ich are completely destroyed in the main tank because 6 weeks is really long,

Thanks.

[mantis]

Agreed w bro Wei....on going for hypo and forget abt med.

I m a personal fan of Hypo as it has proven to work in my encounter with ICK.

Hypo and patience to wait out the cycle of the ICK parasites is the way to go to deal with ICK.

Regarding the fins condition, to repair them I use 'All Natural Pimafix' selling at abt $16 for a 473ml bottle. It treats fungal infections as well as internal and external bac infections. Whenever my new fishes hv fins tears, I used this and it's repaired in a few days. However, the solution activates skimmer vigorously, so u hv to off your skimmer or reduce the bubble for at least a day. Otherwise, skimmate/water will overflow.

[yiling]

honestly, if your LS dont resist much, its not a good sign.

Go into hypo and and hope for the better ...

[thiamkee]

Yup i know its not a good sign...good thing is it is easy to catch them...

Now can still see the smaller butterfly breathing very fast. but one good news is the small white spots disappear on the fishes altogether...very surprisely that hyposalinity is so effectively...My first try is not a success due to lack of a filter system...Hope now everything can sustain for 6 weeks...

Now just let it repair its fins and tails by itself, and get well...

Any bros can advise if I have one star fish and remaining iches in the main tank, will the ich feed on the starfish and remain active, if that is so, then there is still no way to destroy the ich completely in my main tank...any advise? Because I dont wish to even think about after 6 weeks, I put back the fishes, the whole cycle repeats itself again...

[weileong]

Any bros can advise if I have one star fish and remaining iches in the main tank, will the ich feed on the starfish and remain active, if that is so, then there is still no way to destroy the ich completely in my main tank...any advise? Because I dont wish to even think about after 6 weeks, I put back the fishes, the whole cycle repeats itself again...

The star fish will be safe, just leave your main tank fishless for 6-8weeks, I prefer 8 weeks actually and the ich would be gone by then.

[thiamkee]

Ok, will leave it fishless for 6 - 8 weeks.

As I have moved the filter system to the quarantine tank, can I just

go with just the protein skimmer turn on to provide oxygen?

Will there be enough oxygen to sustain the starfish and the micro organisms? Or should I quickly get any pump as I just realised my backup pump ran for 5 mins then make lots of noise and suddenly no water pump up anymore.... hai... troubles comes after troubles.

[yiling]

yeap leave it on and ...dun give up...

only through a rocky route before u will reap what u sowed

[White Pointer]

There are a few questions on my mind.

1) If white spot appear on the fish, we have to remove all fishes to the QT so that all fishes will be treated.

2) The main tank will be without fishes for 3 weeks or even a month to disrupt the parasite cycle.

3) In order to be on safe side, we had to treat all fishes in the QT.

After 1 month then re introduced all fishes into main tank. When we buy new fish, QT them for 2 weeks before put them into main tank.

The questions is the new fish might be a host....it did not appear in the QT does not mean that the fish is free of white spot. What happen after 2 weeks, the new fish due to stress eg..chase by bigger fishes, new environment,...etc. The white spot may appear and we have to repeat the above process? I had read article on www.fishvet.com, that the white spot and the fish co-exist and did not show any symptoms until stress, than it manifest. They had done some test on healthy tangs free of problems for 6 months. Then they scrap some skin and discovered the idle white spot. When they introduce new fish, the main habitants show white spot within a day and not the new fish.

I think we have to accept the facts that we can't eradict all parasites in our tank, just like bacterias and viruses in the air. No matter how clean the environment, we do fall sick just like fishes.

So we have to built up the fishes immune system and give them good nutrition food and keep the water clean, they will recovered. Those who tried hyposalinty or uses copper base medication and found great success, should continue.

I tried this product from fishvet...Ecolibrium on sat and will try to complete the full course in 13 days. So far the BT and PT show improvement, will keep you guys informed. I used the medication so to provide relieve for the fish and kill off those parasite in the water. I will bear in mind that no way I can eradicate all but continue to keep the water clean and built their immune system.

just my 2 cents

Cheers

[thiamkee]

Hi Mantis bro, where can i get the 'All Natural Pimafix' medication for fins?

My fishes seems more stable, as the banner fish is eating off the white spots on their body, but the fins also got teared quite badly, like strands of hairs now, is it because of other infection?

[mantis]

Hi Mantis bro, where can i get the 'All Natural Pimafix' medication for fins?

My fishes seems more stable, as the banner fish is eating off the white spots on their body, but the fins also got teared quite badly, like strands of hairs now, is it because of other infection?

Hi,

U can get the Pimafix at most LFS. Go to the LFS list/info under the Weekly Stock Report Forum for more details on these LFS and perhaps call them to check before u go down. Also make sure that u buy the right one and do not overdose n remember to off the skimmer or it will overflow.

Regarding the torn fins, I can't tell without pictures if your fishes hv succumbed to other diseases. But tis is possible becos their body immune system has gone down and they hv lost their protective slime. Once that happens, they are vulnerable to other bacteria and fungus diseases.

Observe your fishes carefully to assess their overall state of health. Besides the torn fins, are the fishes eating well? Are the colours returning or do they still appear 'white-washed' and off-coloured, any cloudy eyes, are they still rubbing against sand or rocks and swimming in areas of high current? Do they hyperventilate and appear to be breathing very quickly.

I hv attached a hyperlink containing information on some comon fish diseases and treatment, for your reference.

FishDiseases

[seamonkee]

6 weeks is too little a period... if you ask me honestly. Please note that if you are leaving your tank fallow... It will have to be for a MINIMUM of 8 weeks for the ich to be completely eradicated.

Patience is the essence of curing ich.

Even for myself, I have decided to extend the fallow period of my tank for another month. So my main tank is fallow for a good 3 months. Fish release period will be on 12 July instead.

Remember, all it takes is one virulent ich to spoil your earlier efforts. If you are planning to go fallow. Dun undercut on the duration...

[thiamkee]

Hi bros, after 4 days in the quarantine tank, at first they looks alright, but on second day, suddenly the 2 butterflies fish's tail fin rot, one is 30%, another is 70% gone, I dont know if the picaso bite them off, so I isolated it with a container.

I noticed the butterfly body like a coat of slime, does any one know if it is an infection? Now the butterfly fishes looks listless, maybe it hasnt been eating. And it is moving to the surface to breath, seems like going soon.

Only left the picaso looking alright, eating away...

I applied the MELAFIX to heal the rot fin yesterday, still didnt see any signs of

recovery yet. Can any bro advise?

[thiamkee]

And also for the main tank, I dont know why there is so many white dots on the glass and in the water swimming, I dont have this problem with my other tank.

I look upwards and see the surface of the water also see lots of white dots floating on the water and like a bit oily. It is new water but why it seems so dirty even when there is left with the starfish inside.

Is it because the sand or rocks got some problem? is this normal for live sand and rock? My other tank I think is dead sand and cured rocks if I am correct because there is no micro organisms only very little algae growing. But the main tank , algae grows quite quickly..

Can any having the same experience? I think it is not normal le.

[thiamkee]

One thing to add, my other good tank, when I stirred the sand, not so much dust and dirts, but the problem tank when stirred, like so much powder inside, not sure is this normal too, could it be cause by the white dots?

When I put in the sands, I did wash it very clean and remove the dirt.

Shoud I empty the tank and dried the rock and sand? Because I dont want after 2 month quarantine , throw in the fishes, they die. Recently so many casualty, almost lost interest liao. Next time most likely wont keep butterfly fishes liao, because they are sick, they stop eating.

[White Pointer]

Try putting the power head near the surface as to circulate the water near the top.

I had use the medication Ecolibrium on my main tank. I had dose it on the 1st day, 4th day and now the 7th day. Will continue to dose on the 10th and 13 day.

Observed that my purple tang fully recovered, blue tang great improvement, and other fishes that got ich on fin and tail all gone. Off the skimmer since day 1 and no carbon.

Did you use carbon for your QT, maybe due to ammonia spike. Since I had not tried hyposalinty method, may not be able to advise.