First time dealing with marine ich on a new clown. What am I in for?!

[stellarsjay]

Okay, from everything I've gathered I think I'm going to do thw tank transfer method. I already have a jump start from setting up the QT/first transfer and will continue with buckets and then clean out the QT for observation! I like the idea of meds and the quicker fix but don't want to stress this little fella with the effects of copper! Hopefully he can handle TTM as well as he's handled everything thus far. Hypo was the original plan but TTM seems, in all honesty, to be easier; albeit, more work.

 

The plan will be to help this little one and then tackle my other fish and run the tank fallow for the 2 months and hopefully we have no more ich.

 

What a pain.

I'm treating a flame angel and a talbots damsel for ich right now using the tank transfer method. It seems to be working, and the fish don't seem terribly stressed out. I also dosed prazipro in their tank/bucket for the first 3 transfers in case they had other stuff. They only have one transfer to go before they go into observation, and they have no visible ich left, they haven't for a few days. I'd definitely recommend it, I've tried hypo and fail before. I couldn't find any chloroquine phosphate (I'm in canada too). Hope your little guy does ok

 

This is the link someone gave me for TTM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428

Thanks so much for your input!! Happy to hear it's working for you and your fishies. I've seen lots of good breakdowns of ich cures on reefcentral... thanks for the link!

[stellarsjay]

If you have Ich there's only two options as noted above: remove all the fish from your tank and let it run fallow for 72 days, or do nothing. From everything I've read all the snake oil in the world is useless for the reef tank, the fish must be treated outside of it or the whole thing is pointless. Foods, ich shields, ich removal, it's all placebo at best. Once ich is in your tank it's only a matter of time for the combination of factors to line up and an outbreak takes hold.

 

The simplest way for your small bioload will be get two 5 gallon buckets, an air pump, airline, some 3-4" pvc elbows and some prime/amquel. Tank transfer method the fish for 12 days to break the ich productive cycle and 'cure' your fish. Throw out the air line between transfers, always use fresh. Dose prime on day 2 to counter any building ammonia. Then grab something like a 10 gallon petco special to act as a QT for the next ~8 weeks, and something like a small aqueon hob filter. You'll have to keep an eye on ammonia and keep with frequent water changes, but it should work out.

 

Prazi won't do anything for the ich, only TTM, CP, copper or hypo will.

 

If it's any consolation, I haven't visibly gotten ich yet but I know the LFS is warning about it due to west coast distributors getting hit more heavily than usual right now. I'm actually in the middle of TTM right now for my new 65 gallon. It's easy, and would be easier if I just did it in 5 gallon buckets rather than 10 gallon glass tanks (pain to clean).

This is great, thanks for the run through. You helped sell me on this method. I hope he makes it through okay! I'll go ahead with the buckets and clean out the QT for observation while the DT runs fishless.

 

I did find your last point super interesting... he came from BC, Canada. One of the most reliable reef suppliers in Canada but I'm bummed about the shape this guy was in when I got him. In all fairness, I'm on the east coast and he had a long flight over -- so he's a trooper. I've emailed the company with an update but no response in over a day (unusual). I'd like to get some sort of feedback from them. Hopefully my next update for them is a good one!

[Cencalfishguy56]

You can get a prescription for CP from a local vet. Just bring along some of the literature of it being used for marine parasite treatment and you should have no problem. Any compounding pharmacy can get you the powder no problem.

 

It is work, but from all accounts the least stressful method of ich removal / dt prevention for most fish, and doesn't take a month with daily specific level monitoring required (copper/hypo). Granted I did lose a flasher wrasse this morning, but I attribute that to my relatively new exposure to TTM and the fact they're an easy to panic species. The anthias that were with him are eating like pigs and very active.

im telling you, CP is the easiest and one of the less stressful ways lol even tangs do well

[Tamberav]

tank transfer sounds like too much work

 

 

The most work is making/mixing new water. If easier when you have small fish or less of them because you can do the transfer in 5g of water. I really like it for new fish in QT that haven't even hit the DT yet because mixing 5g is easy and buckets are cheap.

 

It also works great for fish sensitive to copper or possibly even CP like mandarins, sea horses, jawfish, some angels, some wrasse, ect.

 

Hypo might be a safer idea with skiddish fish like flasher wrasses as there are reports of them being sensitive to copper and CP, they also don't do well being transferred a lot either.

 

I pretty much pick my method based on what type of fish I am dealing with.

[Cencalfishguy56]

 

 

The most work is making/mixing new water. If easier when you have small fish or less of them because you can do the transfer in 5g of water. I really like it for new fish in QT that haven't even hit the DT yet because mixing 5g is easy and buckets are cheap.

 

It also works great for fish sensitive to copper or possibly even CP like mandarins, sea horses, jawfish, some angels, some wrasse, ect.

 

Hypo might be a safer idea with skiddish fish like flasher wrasses as there are reports of them being sensitive to copper and CP, they also don't do well being transferred a lot either.

 

I pretty much pick my method based on what type of fish I am dealing with.

sold! Makes sense now lol thanks tam

[Tamberav]

sold! Makes sense now lol thanks tam

 

CP is great stuff though. It's my first choice for any fish that can tolerate meds well.

[fishfreak0114]

You can get a prescription for CP from a local vet. Just bring along some of the literature of it being used for marine parasite treatment and you should have no problem. Any compounding pharmacy can get you the powder no problem.

Yah, I figured the only place to get it was the vet. My mom thought it would cost way to much (they charge $75 just to see the vet, and their prescriptions ain't cheap) and being that she pays for meds, it was out

[stellarsjay]

Update time!

 

So... it actually looks like he has Lymphocystis. That spot on his dorsal fin has grown just enough to be obviously "enlarged" and not just a scuff. He also has some whitish (kind of translucent) "fluffy" spots on his pec fins.

 

This poor guy!!!

 

Anyone experience this? I tell ya, this little guy is certainly providing me with quite a learning experience. He seems to be doing very well! Eats lots and swims around seemingly happily. No other spots now but the aforementioned.

 

I'm a littlw apprehensive about which direction to go for treatment, now. He seems to fit the bill perfectly for Lymphocystis. Interestingly, a friend of mine ordered fish from the same supplier and his clowns has the same combo of ich-looking spots AND Lympho. He watched them for a month and they cleared totally of any visible illness/lesion. ?!?

 

No treatment for Lympho but maintaining water quality and waiting it out for ~1 month.

 

I wonder if I go ahead with TTM and close observation. He def had the white ich spots all over his fin and body for about 20 hours and those left. Now a few days later just has these whitish fuzzy lesions restricted to fins only.

 

Do I treat for fungal infection to be safe? What do you recommend?!

 

Thanks guys