I have always heard about the pigmy angels ( well angels in general ) Are really prone to ich.

Q1. Hows come they are?

Q2. Is there a good way to prevent them from getting it?

Q3. Will a UV Stairalizer help?

I really want one sooo bad and i will do anything i need to before hand to get one. I have a QT set up. If was to put the pigmy angel in it for a while and get him/her good in healthy and completely ich free before i was to put him/her in my show tank.

Is that a reasonable thing to do???

I have not had any particular trouble with pygmy angels getting ich. IMO tanks are much more susceptible to ich then the angels that I have had. The UV stairalizer will help with ich that is suspended in the water. Ich can and does live in and on the sand and rock of your tank. If you have not had a problem with ich already then you are lucky. The QT tank is probibly the best way to help prevent ich. Anther good way to prevent ich is to by from a reputable LFS, the store I buy from is very particular where they buy from and get top shelf fish in.

Is there something I can treat my 29 reef?? I have had some fish die of ich before. (I'm scared now I know that it can live on rock and sand it may still be in my tank)
All I have in it right now is a baby snowflake, and a hawk fish. Both of then are completely fine.

Any suggestions on that??

Hi Jenn,

When did you last have ich in your tank? Was there ever a time after the last outbreak that you didn't have any fish in the tank? If so for how long? Enough already with the questions! Seriously here is an article Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php) that talks about the lifecycle and ways to cure it.

I believe that QT is the best way to prevent ich! Or any other disease/parasite in your DT for that matter. Here is an article Reefreaders - Quarantine Now! (http://www.reefreaders.com/content/view/22/1/) that will help you with establishing a QT setup that meets your needs.

well its been about a month since we lost our last fish from ich. I think I got the ich from feeder fish i bought at a LFS for my eel. I have a baby snowflake and a hawk fish in there, and has been in there through the ich outbreak, and both of them are fine and always has been. I will read that article.

I have a QT tank now, and i'm planning on using it from now on when I buy a fish. I was just worried that it is still in my tank and no matter if i Q my new fish. will they get it once i put them in my show tank?

I would set up a tank for your feeders. I would treat the feeders with a full course of ich meds in order to try to remove ich from the feeders and help to prevent ich in the DT.

I have stop feeding him alive feeder fish because of that. He lives frozen silversides and frozen krill (unthawed of course) :)

CarmieJo--Thanks for the article!!! It was very helpful!!

I haven't had any trouble with Pygmy Angels and Ich. My Atlantic Pygmy, shown here...

http://www.theculturedreef.com/PygmyAngel-9-18-06-1.jpg

was a great addition to my reef. I've had several over the years without incidence.

Now that you have a quarantine system you shouldn't have any trouble with them.
Have you read my article - "Nine Simple Rules". Buying Healthy Fish and Keeping Them Healthy (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/general-marine-discussions/6139-we-ve-all-done-we-ve-all-regretted.html)

Following the rules will help anyone keep healthier fish, coral and invertebrates.

Dick

I was reading the article that CarmieJo recommended and it was very helpful. But I am unsure of one thing.

I didn't quite understand. How long should I wait until I can determin that there is no ich (of any stages) in my sand and live rock. It has been about a month since my Ich outbreak. I haven't even gotten new fish yet, but when i do, they will be in my QT for about 1 month.

Is that long enough to "assume" that it has gone through all stages and has died off??

Is that long enough to "assume" that it has gone through all stages and has died off??
You're going to hate me for this. Yes and no. Generally yes 2 months is long enough to assume the Ich has passed through it's life cycle and is no longer present. The no is, if you have any host fish in the tank, they may have carried the parasite unnoticed to you and there is a lingering presence of the bugger. Personally, I would begin looking for your Pygmy Angel and follow the rules in purchasing it. Get it into quarantine under "Spa" conditions. If you have any suspicions of Ich in the DT, delay transferring the Angel for awhile. That's one of the benefits of having the extra tank.

Dick

I understand! The only 2 fish in there now is a baby snowflake and a hawk fish, I think we are getting ready to take them out and put them in our QT for a bit just to see, then transfer them to our 65L tank. Then I will start all over with new Q fish ha ha ha :fingers:

ditto dFishce!! i haven't heard the pygmy angels as ich magnet theory and I've never experienced it with them.

following up on what amphibious said, it sounds like you've got just two fishies in your DT? how tough would it be to get them out of there?

I only ask because if it's not a problem, then you could fallow the tank for a month or so (i can't remember the length of time you need) with your 2 little fishies (no plug intended) in your QT. of course that would stress them out a bit, but it's the only way I would suggest to make sure that you've broken the ich life cycle.

Yeah, I am going to try to get them out within the next day or so, and put them in my QT. I am going to just let my DT cycle for a month or 2 (depending on how impatient i get) :fish: I already do water changes once a week.


The snowflake should be pretty easy to catch. He is very food motivated!!!

The hawk fish thats another story. I have no earthly idea on how to catch him. He is so skidish.
Any ideas???

hmm, yeah that's why I asked if it would be tough. hawkfish are really fast when the want to be. my knee-jerk reaction would be a fish trap, but if he's not food motivated as your other one is, then that may not work well. another thing I've tried with some success is to use a net and a specimen container. use the net to drive the hawk into the specimen container. i figure since it's clear they should have a harder time seeing it. try it ... you might get lucky. maybe someone else may have some neater tricks too.

the one piece of thing I would remind you of though, is that if you can't get both of them out, then don't bother fallowing as the one guy you can't get out of there will remain as the ich's potential host and that will defeat the purpose. let us know how it turns out ... :)

Thanks!! I will keep you posted!

Jenn, I was going to suggest fallowing the tank for 4-6 weeks too. This will break the ich life cycle. You probably picked it up from the article but is case not, you don't have to remove inverts as only fish get ich.

I'm confussed "fallowing"??? what do u mean?

I'm confussed "fallowing"??? what do u mean?
In this context, Carmie, means to allow it to sit for a period of time to allow the remaining Ich parasites to die off. Without host fish that should be about 4 to 6 weeks. I'd lean toward the longer period of time.

Dick

Ok that sounds like a good idea. I have gotten the snowflake eel out, but we are having a tough time catching the hawk. We REALLY REALLY REALLY dont wanna break down our tank, because it will be tough to get our corals back in the right place.

Any ideas???

aside from a fish trap or the net/specimen container idea i talked about earlier, i've got nothing. i think Rob talked bout this in one of the shows; i cant remember which one

Do you know where he sleeps? Maybe it would be easier to catch him after lights out???