Is ich really gone?

[fpgill]

I bought a few new fish (tetras and a yoyo loach) and put them in a quarantine tank. A few days later I started seeing the white spots on all the fish.

I turned the temperature slowly to about 85; spots disappeared almost immediately. Kept the temperature there for two weeks, then brought it back down slowly.

It's been six months and no further signs of white spots. Can I assume its gone? I don't know enough about this parasite to know if it can hang around sub clinically. Previously the only way I've rid a tank of it was to leave it cycled but empty for a month. Thanks for any info.

 

[JuiceBox52]

I bought a few new fish (tetras and a yoyo loach) and put them in a quarantine tank. A few days later I started seeing the white spots on all the fish.

I turned the temperature slowly to about 85; spots disappeared almost immediately. Kept the temperature there for two weeks, then brought it back down slowly.

It's been six months and no further signs of white spots. Can I assume its gone? I don't know enough about this parasite to know if it can hang around sub clinically. Previously the only way I've rid a tank of it was to leave it cycled but empty for a month. Thanks for any info.

Yep it's gone. It will only come back if your fish are under severe stress or if you introduce it with new fish. It's bestto quarantine all new fish

 

[Byron]

It is obviously "gone" so far as the initial infestation is concerned. But as JuiceBox52 said, severe stress can cause a re-infestation, and any new fish may bring the parasite with them even if they do not show any signs of it; it can also travel on plants and wood from a store tank so not only fish bring it. Fish that are healthy and not under stress will easily fight this off; if this were not the case, all the fish in the habitats would have it and die off.

 

[fpgill]

My concern is - can I now put these guys into my main tank, or will they need a separate tank indefinitely?

 

[Colin_T]

If there have been no more spots for 2 weeks, then the fish are free of white spot and you can add them to your main tank.

There won't be any more white spot parasites in that tank unless you introduce the parasite back into it.