Damn Ich!!!!!!!!!

[Aqua Pro Builder]

I have two 5G buckets at 92nd street and FDR, you may use them for holding the rocks if you need to break down the tank to catch the fish. You may also use them as your QT if your own QT is two small for all your fish. However, once you use medication with them, don't use them fo anything else except as a hospital. Btter yet throw them away.

 

[aaron23]

If you do decide to QT in a separate tank removing the inverts would be wise. Lowering your salinity to levels near and close to 1.010 over at least 5 days very slowly.

THIS IS A MUST READ ARTICLE from reefkeeping.com

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

gl.

 

[cali_reef]

All you have to do is take the fish out for the life cycle of the ick (4-6 weeks) and treat the fish in the hospital tank with copper. That way there's no medication in the main tank and without any host fish the ick will all die.
you should read the QT / Ick treatment articles on Wet Web Media
www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm
Dont Nuke your main tank with copper, Ick is an easily treat-able condition.

From the article you linked:

About "Crypt Free" Systems:

There are such things, but unless the aquarist is diligent in altogether excluding these parasites through quarantine, treatment outside their main displays, most aquariums will instead host latent infestations... with discernible populations of Cryptocaryon coming to be through environmental challenge/s to their fishes. In actual fact cysts of Cryptocaryon can stay viable for a few to several months, hence ultraviolet sterilization, use of biological cleaners, allowing systems to go fallow... only decreases the number and virulence of these parasites. Once in a system, the system itself is infested and the only practical means of control becomes providing an optimized and stable environment.

 

[aaron]

you shouldn't lower the temp as this slows down the life cycle of the ick, leading to the chance of dormant cysts not hatching until fish are returned and temperature is returned to normal.

Cali, while the quote you listed is true, I have found that after letting the system go fallow for six weeks I have never had a re occurence of ick. So for all practical purposes I would say that taking the fish out for 6 weeks will control the ick to a point where it is no longer a threat to livestock

 

[aaron23]

i think good husbandry of your aquarium, weekly water changes, feeding well and keeping the fish healthy is the best way to go for them to fight off the disease or parasite.