new tang develops white spot

[Ninong]

Originally posted by cdbias2
I didn't read where ich only lives on fish.

It's an obligate parasite and it lives only on fish. It's the trophont stage that is attached to the fish. However, the tomont (cyst) stage (which is usually viable for about one week but can be viable up to four weeks) could have settled onto virtually anything, including corals or live rock or sand.

Is it possible for it to live on/in microstars and micro organisms in your sand bed? I think it can.

No, it can't "live" on anything other than fish. It requires a fish host to complete its life cycle. The reproductive stage tomonts (cysts) may have settled onto corals or live rock and they remain viable for a period up to four weeks but they don't attach to anything, they simply settle out after the trophonts fall off the fish and drop to the bottom.

Better yet, I'll give this another go around----
Should you QT live sand that is out of another tank?

That's an interesting question. Perhaps you should only use sand from someone you trust? Surely the other person knows whether he has an ich problem or not.

[cdbias2]

Hey guys, aren't you agreeing with me that you CAN get an ich outbreak from live sand. I know you can but I just couldn't believe I hadn't read about it anywhere.
If you think this discussion is a little rough, you should have heard the guys from our local reef club going around about it.

This question, for some reason, always stumps the techies, but the guys from the hard knocks school know all about it.

[Ninong]

Originally posted by cdbias2
Hey guys, aren't you agreeing with me that you CAN get an ich outbreak from live sand.

If you remove wet live sand from a tank that has viable Cryptocaryon irritans tomonts on the sand bed's surface, then they could excyst in your aquarium and infect your fish.

Remember that the tomont stage can be viable up to four weeks. Most tomonts excyst in less than 10 days but it's possible for a few to remain viable longer.

[dclaghorn]

Back to the QT issue then... We are now way beyond sticking an airstone in a 5-gal bucket and keeping Nemo in there for 4-5 days. So, if I am having to re-stock from scratch, save my corals and other inverts, IN Y'ALL'S OPINIONS, I should probably set up a 20-29 gal in relative proximity to the display tank and keep the salinity low (at 1.009 - I know) and then only add new items to my DS in 4-6 week intervals? Will corals, clams, anemones, etc., handle a month in hypo, or can/should I just FW dip them for 10 mins and add to DS?

I am guessing now, based on the last few posts, hypo is better than keeping copper in tank due to stress and the hassle factor. I know that my LFS usually keeps their newly acquired fish in a slightly hyposaline environment and they keep copper in their water to minimize infection. Obviously, in my case, that wasn't enough to just blindly trust them.

Thanks so much for all of y'all's input. It is IMMENSELY appreciated,
Dave the Noobie

[Freed]

Re: my interests about my QT tank setup. You CANNOT use hypo on inverts, corals. They will die

[Freed]

All you have to do with inverts, clams, corals is keep them in QT at normal salinity(1.025) for the 4-6 weeks in which time the ich will die off on its own.

[Freed]

Do not FW dip and add to main tank unless you want to risk infecting the tank all over again with ich. FW dip will hurt the coral more than it will the ich.

[Ninong]

Originally posted by dclaghorn
Will corals, clams, anemones, etc., handle a month in hypo?

No, not at all. Inverts will die in hyposaline conditions.

I am guessing now, based on the last few posts, hypo is better than keeping copper in tank due to stress and the hassle factor.

I assume you're talking about a quarantine tank because copper at extremely low concentrations (low ppb range) will harm or kill inverts.

I know that my LFS usually keeps their newly acquired fish in a slightly hyposaline environment and they keep copper in their water to minimize infection.

They keep fish in low salinity holding tanks because they're too cheap to spend the money on the salt to maintain proper salinity. Some LFS do run copper in their fish-holding tanks. I don't do business with those LFS.

I wouldn't recommend lowering the specific gravity in your quarantine tank UNLESS you have reason to do so, such as to eliminate a problem with C. irritans. Then you have to drop it all the way down to 1.009 because 1.017 won't do any good in spite of what some people have written.

[cmejaf30]

Very true...I made the mistake of QT'ing and doing a hypo treatment on my fish after an ich outbreak. I dropped the salinity down to 1.012 thinking that that would be low enough. Low and behold, about two weeks later, I had another small outbreak (not near as big as it was) on my flame angel. After more research, you MUST get your salinity down to 1.009 as stubborn parasites can still survive at SG of 1.011. As you stated dclaghorn (I think it was you), you want to do a hypo on MOST fish. Do research on your species. Most rays and sharks won't handle that type of SG drop and will perish (although if you're into sharks and rays right now you might be in too deep andover your head already-no pun intended). Make sure that when you do a hypo treatment to bring the SG down gradually over a couple days..not all at once. Too much of a shock for fish. Take even more time to bring the SG back up (a good week would be ideal). Follow this plan and everything should work out great.

PS this has turned into a really good thread!!

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by cdbias2
Hey guys, aren't you agreeing with me that you CAN get an ich outbreak from live sand. I know you can but I just couldn't believe I hadn't read about it anywhere.
If you think this discussion is a little rough, you should have heard the guys from our local reef club going around about it.

This question, for some reason, always stumps the techies, but the guys from the hard knocks school know all about it.

again why would you use live sand from a tank that knowlingly had ich in the last 4-6 weeks.
Assuming you are seeding your sand bed--you need only one cup of live sand from another tank----one without visible ich for 4-6 weeks.

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by dclaghorn
Back to the QT issue then... We are now way beyond sticking an airstone in a 5-gal bucket and keeping Nemo in there for 4-5 days.
Dave the Noobie

I guess you might say that--------

[cdbias2]

"KNOWINGLY HAD ICH" You've got to be kidding.
This sand came from out west from the guys who specialize in bullet proof tanks. G**F
I'm not trying to bad mouth anybody because even they realized what happened and tried to correct the situation with a new order.
That's were the twice came from!

[Ninong]

Originally posted by cdbias2

That's were the twice came from!

Twice? Once wasn't enough?

[cdbias2]

Well, when you get the majority of people that tell you it couldn't have been the sand. I was a real newbie then.
The majority still are.

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by Ninong
Twice? Once wasn't enought?

nasty Ninong--really nasty but so true

[cdbias2]

Ok Capn, I'd like to send you a cup of sand.

[cdbias2]

Come on, it's only a cup of sand.
The high is about 40 degrees today. I'll sit it out side for UPS pick-up!

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by cdbias2
Come on, it's only a cup of sand.
The high is about 40 degrees today. I'll sit it out side for UPS pick-up!

LOL---I send a Clarkie from hell to return the favour-----its only 4 degrees outside today---I'll let it sit outside until the ups delivers the sand

[ryan scott]

The tank was doing very well in the qt tank but now has taken a turn for the worse!
what filtration do you guys use in your qt tanks. my qt is 80 litres

i dont think the tang is going to make it

the good news is all other fish are doing really well

do you leave your qt set up all of the time i would like to but i just dont have the room in my house to have another tank set up & i am also guessing that as this thread suggests that you qt all claims etc you would need halide lights?

[Freed]

20 gallon Q U A R A N T I N E(220 watts of VHO light)
Interests: 20 gallon QT tank($10), VHO lighting for QT tank($80), Skimmer and canister filter for QT tank($300), A N D No ich in main tanks(Priceless)