Will a UV sterilizer help?

[allenspidey]

I have a 28 gal tank and have had continuous problems with ich. I upgraded from a 10 gal around Christmas. I had ich in that tank too. It seems like its gone for a few weeks but always comes back. Several people have suggested a UV sterilizer to keep the ich under control. Good or bad? Also my water params are as follows:

 

Ammonia = 0

Nitrites = 0

Nitrates = 5

PH = 8.3

SG = 1.024

Temp = 78

[lgreen]

Perhaps, but there has to be a cheaper way. Ich is a parasite w/ cyclic life cycle so if you let your tank sit w/ no fish for like 2-4 weeks it should die off on its own. The other possibility is that it could be where you are getting your fish from. Maybe their fish just suck. Any other symptoms and how long are the fish in your tank before getting ich?

[allenspidey]

I have one occ clown and a neon goby thats it. Yeah my lfs does suck and I haven't bought fish for 6 weeks or so. Its the same damn fish getting it over and over. I have a cleaner shrimp that is worthless. I don't have a qt so thats out.

[lgreen]

What fish is it that keeps getting ich?

[allenspidey]

Mainly the stupid clown but both have had it before. Usually I will dip the clown if it is really bad but normally its not. It is sometimes just a few on the fins but I refuse to buy another fish until this is resolved.

[lgreen]

Are you sure it is ich? Brooklynella has been a pretty big issue with clownfish ever since the dumb finding nemo movie came out. Lit seems to indicated brooklynella is somewhat induced by crappy water quality which could be possible if the store you're getting them from is crappy.

 

Any other fish stores you can try? Might even be worth an hour drive to get quality.

[allenspidey]

Yeah there is a new store not to far but I don't want to introduce anything new until this cycle is broken. I know that the old store had brook for a long time but it would have killed these fish a long time ago right? Lets say it is brooklynella, will the UV help with that?

[RaSooch]

I had a bad problem with Ich and I purchased a inexpensive UV from Nanotuners that cleared up the porblem. I too went without firsh for over a month and did all the other remedies but nothing seemed to work. The UV worked great but I don't use it anymore I just keep it for emegency use only now.

 

http://www.nanotuners.com/index.php?cPath=...07b571aca91549f

 

Hope this helps.

[Uploadead]

IMO brookynella is pretty hard to cure if it gets 'strong'. It's known as anemone fish disease. Is the fish respiring heavily? And on the bottom of the tank? If not, and its got some symptoms of minor case, use one. If its like what I said, get the coffin out. A UV unit is good in a hospital tank, but in the main display it will also remove plankton, so it removes good AND bad.

[allenspidey]

I really don't think its brooklynella. It eats ok and acts fine just has white spots on its fins. They come and go all the time. I think I will look for a UV sterilizer and see if it helps. Any suggestions on how big.

[allenspidey]

Last night I went to look at Sterilizers and the LFS guy said it wouldn't help control disease at all, especially Brooklynella. Now I'm starting to think that it might be brook because those white spots look more like white patches. Did a formalin dip and hoping it will help. But even if it is brook and it dies. Would a UV help clear the tank sooner than just letting it go empty?

[Withers]

There seems to be a new surge of people who just don't care if their tank has ich. It comes and goes, but as long as the fish don't suffer from it long-term, they leave it be.

 

A UV sterilizer will definitely help, but they're not cheap, especially when you have to replace the bulb every 6 months if used continuously.

[Uploadead]

does it look like fungus or velvet? What's that disease that tangs tend to get that looks like white honeycombs? It sounds a bit like that.

[allenspidey]

It looks like hazy white patches. There is about 3 of them on its back. There is also still the little white tiny ball looking things on the fins. Maybe 10 of them. Maybe it has multiple diseases.

[Drez]

Doubt its Brook. Brook is pretty fatal.

[Carinya]

Am I crazy or doesn't lowering your salinity help with ich? That's stuck in my head from years ago I think & could be wrong.

[allenspidey]

I have heard it helps but I have also heard that having it really low can damage inverts. Not sure.

[jeffdroy]

what ever u do don't buy a tang!!!!

[DRoy1124]

agreed

[jamesnmandy]

try using different water source?

[allenspidey]

White hazy spots really starting to clear up now. Could this have been some kind of infection? Fish seems to be eating ok and looking good. How long should I wait before adding another fish? He's been alone for a long time.