Do/Can healthy fish fight off ick on their own?

[Chuck H.]

I've had two tangs for a month now, doing fine, eating well and seem to behave normally. Last weekend, before I left for an out of town trip, I notice the characteristic white spots on both of their bodies and fins, maybe 6-8 on each side of both fish. I couldn't do anything about it so I asked my wife to keep an eye on them. That was last Thursday. When I talked to her the following Friday evening, she said she didn't see any spots whatsoever! I was happy. Well, two days ago I notice the "ick-like" spots again. Showed them to my wife just so she didn't think I was seeing things. Today, nothing! Are my fish fighting off some parasite on their own? Thoughts, opinions, recommendations and suggestions are welcome. The two fish are a small Powder Brown and small Sailfin (none of the other fish, GSM, Bicolor Blenny and Sailfin Blenny have had the spots).

[Jerry W]

The life cycle of the parasite is such that it can appear to have gone away on it's own. During this stage, the cysts have simply fallen off the fish and are reproducing, only to appear again. Given the fish in question and the recurrent visible symptoms, I would treat the fish in a separate quarantine tank. All fish have benn exposed, regardless of wether or not they have shown the spots. All should be treated.

[xinumaster]

Get some cleaner shrimps to keep ich in check.

[GSMguy]

i have cleaner shrimps they are wonderfull i take home a new fish with spots drop them in my tank and i never see the spots again

[Jerry W]

I personally would not rely on biological cleaners to keep an infestation of crypto at bay. Cleaner shrimp could possibly be of some help with a single fish and a mild case but, bear in mind that some shrimp won't clean fish even if the fish is interested. There are more reliable methods for treating fish that have parasite problems.

[bubbaOPPD]

Thats why I have 6 cleaners and a Neon goby pair in my tank and no spots on any of my fish, it kind of funny watching 2 cleaners go for a ride on my big Sohal. I think fish if fed properly will fight off ich. I had a Pacific Blue get ich when it was introduced to the tank but he just kept eating and eating with garlic and selcon and about a week later no ich and he has been healthy for about 2.5years now.

[evolust]

I have had fish fight it off many times. Just make sure water quality is perfect, temp is not swinging much and feed a lot. Works for me.

[acrylic_300]

Yes, they can fight it off on their own...and become resistant to it. The tank has to be established though.

Ich in a healthy tank is usually caused by temp. changes....for instance when a fish is transported and the temp. falls.

If something is out of whack with water parameters the fish will not overcome it.

[zemuron114]

yes they can. Most fish can and will

[Serioussnaps]

agreed

[Steven Pro]

Fish have various levels of natural, acquired immunity which can help them fight off this parasite. Their level of protection is related to how many times they have been exposed to the parasite at a non-lethal level.

Cleaner wrasses and gobies have been shown to eat almost exclusively gnathid isopods, not marine ich/Cryptocaryon irritans, in the wild. Approximately 3/4 of their diet is these isopods with the remaining 1/4 being fish scales and mucus that comes off with the parasites.

[Chuck H.]

Thank you for all of the replies. I will keep the algae clip full and begin supplementing with garlic and selcon. I don't know about cleaner shrimps though because my "reef safe" Blue Throat trigger might make a snack of them. I hope they can fight it off on their own. I know the importance of quarantine and hospital tanks, and if I have to set one up I will, but I have serious space and budgetary considerations that make this a less than favorable option. If a healthy diet doesn't seem to work, are any of the "reef safe" medications on the market any good at all?