Ick Question

[Mortigan]

One of my fish in my display tank has developed ick. If I take all the fish out, quarantine, and treat them, can I put them back into the display tank? or do I need to treat the display tank itself?

 

[Chris A.]

You need to wait 67 or 76 days without fish in the tank for any cysts of ich left behind to hatch and die. If you treat the hole tank you might kill off inverts and macro and micro fauna which might lead to a nutrient spike. Not sure if it’s going to affect your biological filter as well

 

[Brady]

This is very controversial, but I’ve had luck in several tanks using a UV sterilizer. The tank won’t ever be 100% free of ich, but low enough levels where the immune system will able to resist. Also, soaking food in selcon and garlic also helped. You have to have the correct wattage and flow for the UV sterilizer to be effective. This is my personal experience.

 

[Curren007K]

This is very controversial, but I’ve had luck in several tanks using a UV sterilizer. The tank won’t ever be 100% free of ich, but low enough levels where the immune system will able to resist. Also, soaking food in selcon and garlic also helped. You have to have the correct wattage and flow for the UV sterilizer to be effective. This is my personal experience.

+1 I've had luck as well using a sterilizer and enhancing a variety of food with Vitachem to boost immune systems.

Since only one of your fish is showing signs of ick, they have a weaker immune system than the rest at the moment.
Maybe they're new or getting picked on or not getting enough food. These things can be addressed without further stressing your fish or all of your fish with quarantine.

But if you do opt for copper treatment it is best in a quarantine tank, like Chris said they'll be out of the main display for a while.

 

[jah-hoeva]

The only way to get it out of your system is through a fallow period, as chris said.

 

[mnavick]

Also, the fallow period reported by some should be increased to 90-120 days.
I had Ich and did 90.
Reef Central has a very informative sticky thread, great read.