Ick cycling in low hypo QT, what gives?

[baxterdawg]

I just acquired two blue tangs and a flame one week ago and are in hypo QT. I dropped the SG to 1.009 two days ago and as of today, per my wife's phone call, both Blue Tangs have about 8-10 white spots on them. They all are eating well and active, but with some period rubbing. As of yesterday, I thought I saw one spot on each of the tangs, but wasn't sure. I am using a new refractometer, so I know the readings are right. Could the refract. need to be calibrated?

What is going on here? Could these still be manifestations of prior infections that have not fallen off, but have just continued to grow to a point now of being visible? This is the first time I have run QT and hypo, so, if my understanding is correct, when these parasites drop to reproduce, the larvae should die and not be present to reattach. But why would things be getting worse with hypo and not better?

Just trying to know what to expect with these sick fish and when an improvement should be observed.

[conchead]

soak there food in garlic juice, poof there cured. It builds there imunity.

[andrewsmart]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9654210#post9654210 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by baxterdawg
I just acquired two blue tangs and a flame one week ago and are in hypo QT. I dropped the SG to 1.009 two days ago and as of today, per my wife's phone call, both Blue Tangs have about 8-10 white spots on them. They all are eating well and active, but with some period rubbing. As of yesterday, I thought I saw one spot on each of the tangs, but wasn't sure. I am using a new refractometer, so I know the readings are right. Could the refract. need to be calibrated?

What is going on here? Could these still be manifestations of prior infections that have not fallen off, but have just continued to grow to a point now of being visible? This is the first time I have run QT and hypo, so, if my understanding is correct, when these parasites drop to reproduce, the larvae should die and not be present to reattach. But why would things be getting worse with hypo and not better?

Just trying to know what to expect with these sick fish and when an improvement should be observed.

your understanding is correct and this could easily be parasites alrady attached that are growing to a visable size.

www.marineaquariumadvice.com

the library has some great articles oon ich, hypo and the life cycle of ich.

[baxterdawg]

Thanks for the response, it is greatly appreciated. I will be reading the articles you suggest.

[andrewsmart]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9655725#post9655725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by baxterdawg
Thanks for the response, it is greatly appreciated. I will be reading the articles you suggest.

they are good articles and there is a wealth of other information in there.

[Freed]

GARLIC DOES NOT CURE ICH. CONCHEAD PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE NATURAL LIFE CYCLE OF ICH CAUSES THE ICH TO DROP OFF AND GO INTO THE SAND AFTER A FEW DAYS. The ich then live in the sand for a while then find another fish host later on. The garlic does not do anything except keeps vampires away.

As for the poster you may want to calibrate the refracto with proper salinity solution or with RO/DI water. Hypo will kill the ich but it may take a week or two or more for the ich to die and then disappear thereafter. Continue with the hypo for at least 4-6 weeks after the last spot of ich is noticed on any of the fish. Good job with making the effort to QT.

[baxterdawg]

Freed and Andrewsmart,

Thanks for the additional input. I have calibrated my refract with RO/DI water, so I am fairly confident that the SG reading are at 1.009. However, both tangs are continuing to eat well, but are becoming more agitated by the attached parasites, as they are more aggressively rubbing. At what point should I be concerned with the status of the fish? Do I just let the fish work through the infection or do I try to intervene with some additional medication? I am feeding 2 - 3 times a day with various food, including smashed fresh garlic and/or zoecon once a day. I did this to get some weight on the fish and not cause undernourishment to be an issue or a compromised immune system.