How long hypo for ich?

[bwoolfrey]

Right now I have my fish in hypo almost down to 1.009. I am doing this because my hippo tang developed white spots a couple days after introducing him. By feeding garlic soaked food I have kept the spots down to 3 or 4 for the past few weeks. I am moving my fish into a 75 gallon tank and was wondering how long the fish needed to be in hypo to be sure all the parasite is gone if I leave the sand and rock behind. Thanks for any helpful advice.

 

[Fitzy]

3 weeks. and raise your sg back up slowly, about 1 week. after you do your hypo, you can move all the rock and sand to your new tank. it takes 4 weeks for the ich parasite to die off, and it needs fish to live off of.

 

[bwoolfrey]

thanks. I was hoping by taking the fish to a new tank I could move them sooner, but from what I read I figured 3 weeks would be the minimum.

 

[JohnK]

FWIW there are different opinions on this question.

IME 6 weeks hypo for the fish with 8 weeks fishless on the display worked well with no losses. Many people have treated sucessfully in shorter time periods but a lot have also been unsuccessful with shorter times.

I can't say for sure what's right but I know what worked for me.

Also, be sure you use an accurate refractometer and check SG daily on the hypo treatment. Make the transitions from NSW SG to Hypo SG slowly, over at least a weak (the transition back to NSW SG is actually more stressful on the fish so make this change especially slowly).

check out this thread, super long but a lot of experiences (including mine) are described/reported.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=774229&goto=newpost

jk

 

[bwoolfrey]

Thanks, that link is very helpful!

 

[MarkO]

I've done it in a month. The ich in the display tank is the time factor. Bump up the tank temp too. That'll speed up the life cycle of the ich. I ran my tank at 83 deg.

 

[bwoolfrey]

After two days my tang has more spots on him then before. It seemed once I stopped feeding garlic he looked worse. Is there anything else that would cause small white spots that look like air bubbles stuck to his skin other than ich?

 

[bwoolfrey]

Now my tangs eye has swollen and he looks horrible. I am giving up on the hypo and bringing up the salinity slowly. I'll try and fend off any disease with nutrition. Any other suggestions? And what may be causing the eye to swell.

 

[Denise Goodheart]

Is the eye swelling "Pop-eye"... I had a Talbot damsel that had it for a bit, she cleared up in a week or so, no thanks to me, I let her be, just made sure she could eat, she seemed to hide away for that period of time............ I currently have a CBB that has some ich that I am treating in hypo and warmer temp... seems to be hanging in there... feed her a few times a day, and have done a couple of FW dips....Good luck

Denise

Now my tangs eye has swollen and he looks horrible. I am giving up on the hypo and bringing up the salinity slowly. I'll try and fend off any disease with nutrition. Any other suggestions? And what may be causing the eye to swell.

 

[Denise Goodheart]

BTW anyone here hear of or try beta glucan for imunity enhancement?????

denise

 

[bwoolfrey]

I increased salt and his eye looks much better. It was swelled. I am treating with garlic soaked foods and he is looking much better. thanks.