# ich ??? confused..



## potterjon (Sep 22, 2007)

I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank that has been established for several years and I recently decided I would try some coral, with the thought that I might upgrade to a larger tank sometime in October. I recently went out of town and came home to find my regal tang showing some serious signs of ich. After doing alot of reading I am a little confused by all the different treatment methods. I have some Ich Attack and it claims to be reef safe but I hear different opinions about that. I do not have a QT but I will set one up if need be. It is my understanding that the parasite has made its way into the fishs skin and is encased in it and chemicals wouldn't do much at this state so should I wait until they fall off and the fish starts to lose some spots? Then they would be free floating in the water looking for another host fish and that would be the time to treat? If I use a QT and treat the fish in there and some of the parasites have already dropped off the fish then won't there still be ich in the show tank looking for a host fish for about 6 days until it dies or finds a host? or does the host have be be already be malnourished and stressed to become a host in the first place? I was always under the understanding that ich was always present and healthy fish were just not succeptible to it. If that's the case then why is it that new fish always introduce ich into a tank? 
If I go the natural route, and just feed him heavily and maybe raise the temp and lower the salinity how will that affect my corals and inverts? After all this reading it sounds to me that the best route is with a freshwater bath and back into the show tank with him with the fingers (fins) crossed and a little luck. But I know luck is not the answer. Sorry for all the questions but I am a little confused.... any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I have posted some pics of my tank the hopefully you can see some of the symptoms I am talking about on the regal tang. All my other fish seem fine and all my water parameters are good but I have had a few casualties in the last few months with some additions of this and that to my tanks. Some corals and some fish. I lost a rock anenome that just never got settled and a clam and a singapore angel. They were all fairly recent additions in the last few months or so. I dont particularly think it was my water or my tank. Just the journey and general stress. I think my condylactus might have actually gotten the angelfish. He was pretty small and my condy isnt. I have been reading o here awhile and all the information has been very helpful. Thanks in advance for any input. I will try to post some pics of the ick fish and some others of my tank in general.


----------



## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

Tangs for whatever reason, appear to be ich prone. I'm wondering if some of the coral you brought in may have had some parasites living on it from wherever you got it and when they hatched they latched onto your fish. A QT is always the easiest way to clearing it up as I personally wouldn't add any ich treatments to a tank full of corals. To end a cycle plan more on 4-6 weeks.


----------

