How to stop ich??

[snd637]

in my own experience w/ freshwater...one reason why some freshwater fishes develop ich is because of cold water...

i dont know if its similar w/ saltwater fishes...especially in a reef tank...setting the temp at 76 degrees might b really cold for the fishes...and could it be the cause of ich?

thanks...any expert advices???

[surfnvb7]

i wouldn't say that it is the sole reason, or one of the larger reasons IMO.

however, one way you treat ich, is to raise the temp (also in FW), because this speeds up the metabolic process of the fish, and will hopefully cause the fish to fight off the ich.

this method is also used when trying to get fish to spawn and lay eggs.

i think its more of a combination of fish being stressed out, kept in bad water conditions, too many other fish, a fish that came from a LFS store where there were other sick fish in the same tank....

JMO though...i'm no expert on fish diseases, just some thoughts from my experience

[njp14333]

the only sure way to truly get rid of ich is to quarenteen (i can never spell that) all the corals and fish (seperately), dose the shiznit out of the fish q-tank with copper, and wait a little more than three weeks before returning livestock. this is because ichs lifecycle is about 3 weeks long, and if the ich has nothing to host, it will die off after this period.

[h2joe]

couldnt you use a UV to kill off the spores that are in the water? if not then do u have to just let it die off in your tank over a three week period or longer. just looking for the fastest way to rid a system of ick.

[Cutiewitbooty]

I have heard that a UV can do wonders. Copper is the only true proven way though. The reason they saw to get your temp higher is because the higher temp increases the lifecycle speed of the ich parasite, which can help get rid of it faster. Just don't do coper in your main tank. I personatly think that some fish carry it and it reoccurs when they are stressed, espically in tangs.

[surfnvb7]

UV is a sketchy topic, I have experience with one in a freshwater planted tank, and it did WONDERS!!! I haven't used it in the reef though, but some people don't like them cuz they also kill off beneficial stuff in the water (maybe types of plankton??)

i agree with the quarentine (sp?) tank, and not putting any medicines into your coral tank b/c they contain copper and will kill them.

[vanmo92]

i woud get a uv sterilizer. i love mine. i had ich in the beggining (came in on a fish) then i got the uv and it was all gone in a week or so. althought i have never done it, i also recomend qwarenteen (cant spell)

[Gundo5000]

UV does not stop/cure ick, it only helps to prevent it. The fish is not being exposed to the UV light so how would it kill what is on him. It kills free floating organisms that may be potentially harmful to the fish.

I use a uv 24/7, and have never had ick problems, but im pretty sure that a uv is not the cure for ick. Its more of a preventative peice of equip.

Turn your lights of for 2 days. I almost guarentee the fish will not have ick if his immune system is healthy enough to fight it off. It has worked for me in the past when i had ick problems.

[h2joe]

how does keeping your lights off help to cure ick? i know if your fish is well fed it can fght it off but i dont understand how the lights not being on can help cure it. please explain.