Lee, Ick, i need your help please.

[sikpupy]

Hi, thanks for stopping in. I have read your articles and more on ick. I just don’t get it, can’t understand it, smashed my head in an accident and don’t remember it or just do not understand the English language. I know what is says to do about ick but there seems to be a little grey to my questions.

I was reading, and correct me if I am wrong because I can not find the quotes, that:

1) Hypo of 1.009 is 100% "effective"? Really? 100%? (I guess you would not have said it if it was not true)
2) Hypo does not kill but stresses the Ick (so, how is it 100% if it does not "kill"?)
3) There is "NO" Hypo resistant strain of saltwater Ick? (that we know of as of 8-24-09 - I know, just trying to make sure)
4) There is either, or, saltwater or fresh water Ick and neither can live in the others water?
5) Vulnerable Ick - When the ick is done feeding on the fish and drops to the bottm, they are considered free swimming? If they are, they are vulnerable twice to medication then?
6) QT tank to tank transfers - My two day tank transfers, is that too long of a tank changeout? Is it important to do it every day? I am sure every day is better, but....?

I also really need your thoughts on this setup for ick. I have a reef setup so to speak. I have a good 6" of sand in the bottom and a lot of man made concrete rock with oodles of pores. I took out all crabs snails and corals and dropped the tank to 1.009 . Ran my fishies for about 5 weeks and all seemed to be good. I got 6 new gobies and a chalk bass and did a separate (rubber maid container) 2 day tank to tank transfer on them. I did this for 12 days and dumped them into the 90 . Now my tang (yes I know, when you see my list don’t get started on that, its a long story) is showing signs of possible ick along with my lawnmower blenny and bluespot goby flashing, and my midas has some white crusty stuff on her dorsal fin. I think maybe the new gobies brought it in. Anyways, to make a long story short..... How effective would a 1.009 hypo be in a tank like mine?

Tank inhabitants:

1 chalk bass, Randall goby, wheeler watchman, YWG, bluespot, Powder blue tang 1.20”, Atlantic blue tang 1”, lawnmower blenny, midas blenny, upside down cave fish and a small O’ clown
&
2 yellow clown gobies + 2 green clown gobies

Tank: 90 semi coast to coast into a 40 gallon fuge with a 15g skimmer chamber, a 15gallon fuge chamber and 10g middle return chamber that has a noisy pondmaster 1800 return pump. I also have a MSX-200 skimmer and auto top off that keeps salinity in check very very well.

Thank you so much for your help as I am about to bomb everything with copper and really need a professional opinion while I take a deep breath. If I missed anything, please feel fee to ask.

[leebca]

Addressing your questions first:

1. I would say the effectiveness is over 99.99% when properly performed at a specific gravity of 1.008

2. Stress leads to death.

3. There are Marine Ich parasites that live in very low salinity, however our fishes comes from water with the 'higher' salinity. The MI in those waters are not resistant to hyposalinity.

4. Marine Ich and freshwater ich are different parasites and do not/cannot live in the other's water.

Treatment of Marine Ich in a display system can be tricky. You have removed those invertebrates you can catch, but was the rock Live Rock at some time. If so, it brought in a lot of other critters. If those critters aren't around, then the next problem is the deep sand bed.

The deep sand bed creates micro environments inside the bed. You may alter the water salinity over the bed, but the bottom of the bed could still have higher salinity pockets. These pockets may provide sanctuary for the Marine Ich parasite.

In addition you have a refugium which cann't surrvive the low salinity. Not good at all for those life forms.

You asked how effective would a hypo treatment be in your setup. My answer is, "Low effectiveness -- easy to allow the parasite to live through the threatement."

Hope this helps.

[sikpupy]

Hello, I thought I responded to your answers? Sorry, I guess i didnt, how rude?

Yes, your answers helped, thank you.

FYI 6" sand bed....... hypo did not work, I lost the war.