Page 1 of 1
I think my SW porc. puff has ICH..but shows no symptoms?
Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:44 am
by lasvegasgal
My puffy has had ich spots all over her fins for about 5 days now.. BUT she doesnt seem to be itching. She is eating a lot and acting 'normal'
I am treating with nosickfish.com ich meds and garlic extreme. Small snacks 3 times a day.
Could she be fighting off the ich or does the itching come later on?
Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:35 am
by PetPirate
No symptoms? The ich on the body is good enough! She's not showing
one of the symptoms.
I would recommend moving the fish to quarantine and treating with hyposalinity. nosickfish.com has a questionable reputation IME, and garlic is - at the very best - completely unproven.
Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:34 am
by Puffer Queen
The parasite will live in the tank and be a continual source of stress. Without proper treatment - the parasites will continue to live in the display tank and can/will cause reinfection.
Treatment includes copper OR hyposalinity in a separate tank of ALL fish. The display tank needs to be fallow (NO fish) for at least 4-6 weeks so the parasite will die off. The parasite needs a fish host to continue its life cycle. Check out the sticky in the hospital forum on saltwater ich.
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:58 am
by lasvegasgal
I went fallow for a month about a month ago and I got the ich again. I am looking into hypo on the main tank with all of the fish still in the tank. I don't have a QT.
What do u think?
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:40 am
by Puffer Queen
Treating with hyposalinity in the display tank is not advised as it will kill off the microfauna of live rock and substrate/sand. It will kill inverts and corals.
Hyposalinity must be maintained at 1.009 - swings from water changes or evaporation will affect the outcome.
The tank has to be free from ALL fish for the entire time period.
The fish that are removed need to be treated for the parasites in a separate tank - just removing the fish and placing in a separate tank, allows the parasite to live on the fish and when reintroduced to the display tank, the parasite is reintroduced.
Using nets or equipment from other tanks can spread or recontaminate as does splashes from nearby tank or water under fingernails.
Best of luck.
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:11 am
by PetPirate
^^ What she said.
Definitely no hypo on the main tank. It would be a practical guarantee of ongoing disaster.