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Tank meltdown!!!

GEEGOBAL

GEEGOBAL

I posted a few months back asking for ideas on how to catch a Hippo Tang getting too big for my tank (90G FOWLER). Shortly thereafter...during a routine water change, I decided to remove all the live rock and netted the tang and she has been relocated and is doing fine in a new 275G FOWLER. She developed ICK in that tank stressed from the move and is doing a lot better now after a 10 day treatment of Herbtana.

A few weeks ago I purchased a new smaller Hippo Tang and after a day or 2 she starting showing signs... so I hit my tank with a 10 day treatment of Herbtana that was completed this past Tuesday the 17th. Since the start of the 10 day treatment I lost the new Hippo Tang (day 5 of the treatment) which my Chocolate Chip Star feasted on. This morning , a Yellow Eyed Kole Tang (conveniently died under my Chocolate Chip Starfish), a Coral Beauty (was able to pluck him out with my net). And 4 more that did not show up this morning - 2 Retro Damsels, a Yellow Bellied and Yellow Tail Damsel.

Survivors that look good and show no signs of anything are 1 Yellow Tang, 2 Oscillaris Clown, 1 Blue Spotted Puffer, 1 Lemon Coris Wrasse, 1 x "3 Spotted" Wrasse and 1 Longnose Hawkfish

QUESTION...do I start another 10 treatment and is it OK to do this? Or sit tight and wait to see what happens?
 
Sobo's Reef

Sobo's Reef

I don't think your 10 day treatment is working. You should hospitalize the fish in another tank and let your tank run fallow anywhere from 6-10 weeks.

When I had ICH, I couldnt capture all of my fish, so instead I got all of my coral and most of my inverts into a separate tank. Treated my DT with Crypto Pro for 2-3 weeks with the lights out. By the 2nd week, all the parasites turned black and fell off my fish.

Since then I've had no signs of ICH and all of my fish are fat healthy and happy. Now I know my tank isn't rid of ICH bc I didn't let it run fallow but I don't care. Everything seems happy now.
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
Those reef safe ich treatments are garbage. Hypo salinity and copper are the best ways to treat ick, if it is ick.
 
GEEGOBAL

GEEGOBAL

Sobo's Reef said:
I don't think your 10 day treatment is working. You should hospitalize the fish in another tank and let your tank run fallow anywhere from 6-10 weeks.

When I had ICH, I couldnt capture all of my fish, so instead I got all of my coral and most of my inverts into a separate tank. Treated my DT with Crypto Pro for 2-3 weeks with the lights out. By the 2nd week, all the parasites turned black and fell off my fish.

Since then I've had no signs of ICH and all of my fish are fat healthy and happy. Now I know my tank isn't rid of ICH bc I didn't let it run fallow but I don't care. Everything seems happy now.
Click to expand...

Another tank is not an option. What does "FALLOW" mean?
 
GEEGOBAL

GEEGOBAL

mnat said:
Those reef safe ich treatments are garbage. Hypo salinity and copper are the best ways to treat ick, if it is ick.
Click to expand...

Hyposalinity...lowering salinity...this will kill my live rock and live sand (another option I do not have). Can I do Copper alone with positive results?
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

GEEGOBAL said:
I can deal with that...would Copper affect my live rock / live sand? I would rather deal with replacing some snails, and a Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp.
Click to expand...

Do you have corals? Hyposalinity will do less damage to your rock and sand than copper. You can always add some bacteria back in later after the process.
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
If you have no corals in your tank and very very very few inverts, go the hypo salinity route. Copper can be much harder to dose especially if it is getting absorbed into rock and sand.
 
NikkiT

NikkiT

Once you treat with copper you will likely be unable to keep inverts in the future. The copper will leave residue in your tank following the treatment, the rocks, the sand, and potentially the silicone can all absorb it and subsequently release it.
Hypo shouldn't "kill" your live rock or live sand. Years ago, I ran non-reef tanks with live rock and live sand at hypo for years as a preventive measure. I agree with James on adding additional bacteria (I like Dr. Tim's) down the line.
It may or may not be possible for you to gradually accustom your inverts to hypo. I had some success with it, but I typically took them down slowly, over the course of 1-2 weeks. Is it possible for you to remove your inverts to a 10g ish tank for a time? You can buy a small 10g at petco now (I believe) for about $10, and you don't need sophisticated equipment to keep them alive in there for a month or two with frequent water changes.
 
GEEGOBAL

GEEGOBAL

JRWOHLER said:
Do you have corals? Hyposalinity will do less damage to your rock and sand than copper. You can always add some bacteria back in later after the process.
Click to expand...

No Corals...FOWLER. I will try the HYPOSalinity route. Again, 90 Gallon FOWLER...is there a method/gauge for lowering the Salinity? 2 gallons at a time? Salt out / Fresh in? What is the right/wrong way to do it? I have a refractometer to check with.
 
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