Ich problems please help

[av209]

Is it safe to transfer live rock from an infected tank to an uninfected tank? I've been using Kick Ich with hopes of eliminating the outbreak and preserving the infected tank for inverts and corals. I'm losing the battle and have had good results with copper power. Don't really want to do this but I have fish in this tank that I do not want to lose! I want to move snails, shrimps, polyps, live rock , and frogspawn to the uninfected fish tank. Please help! Thanks!

[leebca]

WELCOME TO REEFLAND!

I'm afraid your approach is wrong. Sorry.

You need to move all fish out into a quarantine tank where they can be treated. The display system is just left fishless and the parasite will die out in 8 weeks (without fish present). You then treat the fish in one of the three known ways to cure fish of this disease: Copper (use Cupramine), hyposalinity, or transfer method.

You need to quickly learn about this parasite and I suggest you read up on it and the treatment options-procedures as fast as you can. Fortunately what you need to know is all given in the links I've provided below:
Marine Ich - Myths and Facts
Copper - Treatment, Use, Problems
and
Hyposalinity Treatment

Live rock treated with copper will become base rock -- almost worthless. Same goes for substrate. Once a main tank is treated with copper, it will not support the life of many sensitive invertebrates. By this I mean the tank will be poisoned permanently until emptied and extensively cleaned out. This is one very important reason one doesn't add copper to the display system.

If you've added copper to the display system already, the display system is poisoned and the way forward now is to remove fish for treatment and tear down the display system to clean out the copper (otherwise the display system will not be safe for invertebrates and some fishes).

Removing copper is not easy. It is more than just rinsing. Read here how to clean something once it's been used with copper: Marine System Clean Up Recommendations

Good luck! If you need answers to more questions, please read the above links first, then post your questions here.

[av209]

Thank you Lee for your prompt response. The infected tank is a tank I was hoping to use for a reef tank which is 50 gallons. I also have a 150 gallon which I have for fish only. Due to limited space I can not set up a 3rd tank which I do have as a hospital. I figured I would give up on my reef project and convert it into my QT since I have not been able to cure it of Ich. I read the post about Ich before asking my question but was still confused wether it was risky to transfer my live rock to my fish only tank. I had an outbreak in the past and destroyed alot of live rock using copper power. So I would like to save the rock inside the reef if possible.

[leebca]

If the live rock is currently in a tank that has Marine Ich, then the live rock has to be considered as 'infected.' It is very easy to transfer the parasite -- all it takes is one -- into another tank.

If the live rock is in a tank where there is no disease, no parasite, then it can go anywhere -- even to an infected tank.

[av209]

Got it Thanks! Is there any way to store live rock without hurting it and allowing the Ich to complete its cycle and die off?

[leebca]

Yes. You should allow at least 8 weeks.

Put the rock into a clean container that doesn't interact/react to saltwater (plastic food-grade tub is okay). Cover with tank water. Drop in one airstone for every 50 pounds of rock and let it aerate slowly (not vigorously -- sort of medium). Give it light. Either natural sunlight or artificial lighting. Feed it regularly. Bits of shrimp, clam, scallop, fish food, etc. is good, every week.

[TimH07]

already stated sorry

[av209]

I removed all the live rock from my tank and stored it like you said. I was wondering though... what about all the essential bacteria I need in my tank to help eliminate waste? Isn't alot of that bacteria on my live rock? Is the bacteria in the substrate sufficient? What about when the small inverts start dying off?

[leebca]

IF there is the proper amount of live rock for the life forms and if the substrate is 'active' then there should be no concern about the biological filter being enough. However, it will be 'interrupted' and as such may take a couple of weeks to resume its full capacity at handling wastes.

When starting up again, the rock goes back into the tank (with substrate). Circulation is begun and allowed to run a couple of days. Testing water constantly for ammonia and nitrites. Then fish are added slowly, still checking on ammonia and nitrites to be sure the bacteria are gearing back up.

If not enough rock was used to begin with, then some additional biological filtration or surface area has to be created or available for the needed bacteria.

Die off will create wastes that will actually help keep the bacteria alive and fully functional. If the water turns cloudy in the tub, then there is too much die off or the die off is sudden. Make a large water change.