Maroon clown fish with ick? help please

[rye22]

Hey what techniques have worked for you guys on curing ick, i removed the clown from the tank and put him in his own tank for now.

he is just sitting at the bottom breathing really fast



please let me know asap what i should do

 

[Lyn]

Here is a thread that might help you. http://www.bareefers.org/discussion/index.php?topic=5195.msg64087#msg64087

You can search Ich and pull up different threads on the subject with different advice. Some use Hyposalinity 1.010-1.013, some use medications; copper is the most common, and there are other theories and methods.

I am battling ich for the second time, and I am using both hypo and copper. I have used quinine in the past too.

Good luck!

 

[SoulFish]

I'd freshwater dip him, easy to do and quite effective, see imediate results

 

[SoulFish]

use freshwater that is the same temp & PH. Dip for 4 minutes. During that time they will lay on their side that normal. But just make sure the PH and temp is the same as the tank he's coming out of so he doesnt go into shock.

 

[rye22]

actually now hes pooping out white stringy stuff

 

[Lyn]

That doesn't sound good.

I agree with Soulfish, a good FW dip does wonders. Watch him carefully though, if he is already weakened, he might not tolerate a long dip.

 

[Lyn]

Aerate the dip water too. If his feces are white, he could be O2 deprived, as evidenced by rapid gilling

 

[reefermadness]

+1 freshwater. i do it for 5-10 min (based on health of the fish) with lots of airation

 

[pslee]

I am going to go against the grain and say +1 for the hyposalinity treatment. Freshwater dips can yield immediate "results", but I do not believe that it is a cure. Once the animal is returned to the tank, it will become reinfected unless you transfer the individual to a new tank after every dip. Also it appears that hyposalinity is less stressful which is great esp. for fish that is already in a weakened state.

If you do go with hyposalinity... do watch your pH! A dash or two of baking soda will buffer against a significant drop. Daily testing of ammonia is recommended as well. A piece of live rock or two can help keep things outta the green. Good luck!

Chk out this article - http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/marineich.html

 

[reefermadness]

freshwater will fix the immediate problem, hypo will fix it long term.

 

[Lyn]

Yes, I agree...FW dip is a short term relief for the fish, but you must treat for the long term, and also know that the Ich is still in your tank. I think the suggested is 6-8 weeks w/o fish to rid the tank of Ich. I go fishless for 2 months minimum, and more if I can.

Wishing you and your fish well, and good luck

 

[Ocean Treasures Aquarium]

Ich can always come back even with the whole wait period. The best thing to do is to have a stable system and see why they got in the first place. Fluctuations in Temp can cause it if its going from say 75 at night to 82 during the day. Feeding the right foods will help, takign care of the water quality. Just some few examples. If the fish has a strong immune system it is less likely to develop. Just like people if we are healthy and eat right we do not get sick as easily also do to our surroundings. If the fish is in good surroundings and eating well then he will be healthy!

 

[reefermadness]

Another way to treat ich is to gradually reduce the salinity of the aquarium by about 2 ppt (parts per thousand) per day until the salinity reaches 18 ppt (about half the normal salinity of seawater). Maintaining the salinity at this reduced level for a month or so will kill off any free-living parasites.

Again, this is normally only an option in tanks containing bony fish. Corals, living rock, macroalgae, and most cartilaginous fish and invertebrates will not adapt to reduced salinities.

Monitoring and controlling water chemistry is very important. Use chemical buffers to ensure pH and alkalinity remain constant, despite the reduced salinity. Also note that temperature affects specific gravity, not just salinity. So, while a salinity of 18 ppt corresponds to a specific gravity of 1.012 at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the specific gravity will be closer to 1.010 at 86 degrees.

Some strains of Cryptocaryon irritans are more tolerant of low salinities than others, in which case reducing the salinity further and/or extending the period of hyposalinity may be required.

 

[pslee]

It is possible to introduce bony fish directly into a hyposaline environment, without having to gradually lower the salinity. You can also adjust the pH and temp in the QT to similar values in your display to ease the transfer.