Poseidon
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2012
- Location
- SW Ontario
So this drove me out of the hobby a couple of years ago.
In my time away i did a fair amount of research and planning before coming back in.
I have a QT system ready to go, that is going to house all my new fish for a minimum of 14 days (longer obviously if problems are identified).
I recently picked up a yellow tang and a small sailfin and plopped them in my tank. I figured, if they have ich, i will pull them out and QT seeing as they are the only inhabitants ATM.
I had thought, no way in hell my first two fish would have ich.
Well of course, both are happy, healthy and eating anndd the little sailfin has a few spots so QT is going up this week.
I am literally picking up right where I left off.
Now, i can pull these guys out QT with :
Copper, extremely hit and miss, and if successful, studies have been shown that the levels of copper required permanently damage a fish and shorten its potential life span significantly. not to mention new studies are showing copper resistance building in ich species.
OR
Hypo- Also hit and miss, the bacterial required for cycling cannot survive hypo and the ensuing problems make for a very hit and miss treatment. ( i lost the majority of my FOWLR to hypo/ich)
I hate both of these, i may as well throw both fish out and start over.
I'm trying to come up with a 3rd approach.
Live with ich.
here's my idea- please share your opinions on it.
Use my large water volume to my benefit and create as stable of a system as possible.
Keep stock relatively low. (see post below, stock plans)
My aquas-cape already provides plenty of hiding and 'safe' spaces for the fish to go to not feel stressed.
Use a UV sterilizer to kill some of the water born stages of ich (i know UV will not eradicate ICH, simply assist in keeping levels lower)
Basically trying to create as stress free of an environment as possible. In this way allowing the fish to fight off ich in the same way they would in the wild*
I will still quarantine new fish. For the purpose of not adding a deathly ill fish to my system, or another disease carrier (ie velvet).
Thoughts?
*fish in the wild have a much less level of ich to deal with, as well as a completely different level of stress to deal with as well compared to a normal reef aquarium.
In my time away i did a fair amount of research and planning before coming back in.
I have a QT system ready to go, that is going to house all my new fish for a minimum of 14 days (longer obviously if problems are identified).
I recently picked up a yellow tang and a small sailfin and plopped them in my tank. I figured, if they have ich, i will pull them out and QT seeing as they are the only inhabitants ATM.
I had thought, no way in hell my first two fish would have ich.
Well of course, both are happy, healthy and eating anndd the little sailfin has a few spots so QT is going up this week.
I am literally picking up right where I left off.
Now, i can pull these guys out QT with :
Copper, extremely hit and miss, and if successful, studies have been shown that the levels of copper required permanently damage a fish and shorten its potential life span significantly. not to mention new studies are showing copper resistance building in ich species.
OR
Hypo- Also hit and miss, the bacterial required for cycling cannot survive hypo and the ensuing problems make for a very hit and miss treatment. ( i lost the majority of my FOWLR to hypo/ich)
I hate both of these, i may as well throw both fish out and start over.
I'm trying to come up with a 3rd approach.
Live with ich.
here's my idea- please share your opinions on it.
Use my large water volume to my benefit and create as stable of a system as possible.
Keep stock relatively low. (see post below, stock plans)
My aquas-cape already provides plenty of hiding and 'safe' spaces for the fish to go to not feel stressed.
Use a UV sterilizer to kill some of the water born stages of ich (i know UV will not eradicate ICH, simply assist in keeping levels lower)
Basically trying to create as stress free of an environment as possible. In this way allowing the fish to fight off ich in the same way they would in the wild*
I will still quarantine new fish. For the purpose of not adding a deathly ill fish to my system, or another disease carrier (ie velvet).
Thoughts?
*fish in the wild have a much less level of ich to deal with, as well as a completely different level of stress to deal with as well compared to a normal reef aquarium.
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