# Curing for Ich



## eglavasa240 (Jan 22, 2008)

Hello, 
So i purchased a new black clown fish after my female died a week ago. I brought home the fish, acclimated it and let it go. A few hours later I noticed right away that it was getting ich, and it was fine at the store. So i got this product called Rid-Ich 10 min b4 the pet store closed thank god! The product says it can harm inverts so i took my starfish out cuz he's the only thing i was concerned with and put him in a little quarantine tank by himself. I have crabs, and snails and they did fine . So everyones alive and the ich does seem to be swimming freely in the water because my fish seems to have less and is swimming alot more then it was last night. So the product does some to work. My question now is, if the medicine seems completely dissolved is it ok to put my starfish back in the tank for the day and then take him out at night when i do the treatment or should he stay out through the entire treament process. The product says its every 24 hour treatment. Any opinion would be great. Thanks! 

My tank: 
29 gallon, nitrites between 20-40, ph 8.3, temp now is at 80-82 to help gid rid of ich, normally i keep at at 78, live rock probably about 10 lbs. 3 emerald crabs one unid'd crab that doesn't bother anyone so i call him the hitchhiker, 3 cniarid snails, 1 green chromi, 2 black clowns, power filter without the biowheels and carbon filters out for treatment, nitrates 0, salinity 1.023-.024, ammonia at 0, i think thats it.


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## seba (Dec 17, 2007)

You should have put the fish in the quarantine tank and treat it there, I am not sure what product you are using but if it is not safe for inverts then most likely it contains copper. You are going to have a very hard time removing the copper from your tank now it will acually disolved in the silicone, and it will slowly release it (any invert you put in the tank now it will slowly kill it) 
Best way to solve this issue is buying a new tank.
If you have a lot of time you can empty the tank completely wash it inside with bleach or vinager let it dry out for about 24 hours fill it up and add bleach to the water, test it for copper regularly it has to be at zero, continue doing water changes and give it about 3-4 months if copper reads zero then you can empty the tank give it one good clean inside let it dry and start from scratch.
I am supprised that your LFS did not tell you this when you bought the ich treatment. 
Hope this helps and maybe some more experienced guys can give you more advise.

Good luck


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## eglavasa240 (Jan 22, 2008)

*Figured out*

actually i bought the product at Petco, and it has no copper in it. Its fermalduhide and merchite (sp?) green. And i actually figured it out, i just have to leave the starfish out for a twice as long as the treatment. But thanks for the advice.


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## Shetakaey (Apr 14, 2008)

*Cold water*

Ich is often triggered by the shock of a lower water temperature than the fish was ready for. How long did you acclimate the fish before releasing it? Remember to add a little water every thirty minutes or so to a floating bag etc to reduce the shock of new water conditions via gradual acclimation, and make sure your thermometer and heater are working properly and that your tank is warm enough.


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