Timeline of my attempt to quarantine and rid the fish tank of Ich...


1999: I begin my experience with salt water fish

2003: I upgrade from 75 gal to 120 gal tank

1999-2008: I experience periodic outbreaks of ich and try using raw, crushed garlic cloves added directly to the tank as treatment. Overwhelming recovery rate by fish; raw garlic may or may NOT have helped. Regardless, ich outbreaks occur when new fish are added and symptoms typically cease within 7-10 days. All is well.

May 2008: after 8 years, my first outbreak of ich that caused fatalities. (8) LiveAquaria fish purchased, all of those dead, and 6 replacement fish (kudos to LiveAquaria) dead from Ich as well, plus most of my existing tank succumbed and died, too.

START OF FAILURE:
July 2008: with only 2 surviving fish left in my 120 gallon, I decide to take this time to catch and remove remaining fish and begin QT for ich. Research.

August 2008: QT research and ich research

Sept 2008: I tear down the tank in order to catch Convict Tang and Tomato Clown, the only survivors of May '08 outbreak. I give Tomato Clown back to LFS, and put Convict Tang in QT, slowly decrease salinity to 1.009. Convict Tang stays in 1.009 for 8 weeks.

Nov 08: Convict tang added to display tank refugium. Seems fat and happy.  10 months later, still fat, greedy, happy.

March 09: Mimic Tang purchased, put through 6+ weeks of hypo. Successful, although fish now has HLLE/Lateral Line.

May 09: Mimic Tang added to empty display tank.  FIRST FISH ADDED TO FISH-LESS DISPLAY

April 09:  3" Naso Tang purchased, placed in QT with slow acclimation of Copper treatment to .5.  I was careful not to increase Cu past the .5 level.  Naso died 6 days later.

May 2009: 2.5" Hippo Tang, bangaii cardinal, and spotted mandarin purchased, placed in QT.  I decide to cease Copper treatment in favor of hypo. Hippo dead, bangaii dead within 1 week, before I get hypo lower than 1.012-013.  I continue decreasing salinity to 1.009-1.010 and keep at this level for 5 weeks.

June 2009: spotted mandarinfish added to display tank.  I figure that it's a $75 mandarinfish, as it's the sole survivor of 5/09 QT.

July 2009: Another 2.0" Hippo Tang in QT, again using hypo.  Slow decrease in salinity results in 1.009 by mid-July.  Hippo moved to 2nd, sterile, 78 degrees F, 1.009 salinity QT tank.  Hippo Tang constantly hides when approached but eats well.

July 2009:  Encouraged, I purchase another 3" Naso Tang, another bangaii cardinalfish, and a spotted hawkfish, yellow clown goby in QT tank.  10 days later, this Naso Tang is dead, as well.  Only symptom is heavy breathing.
August 2009:  after 3+ weeks in 1.009 hypo QT, this 2nd Hippo Tang has ich.  ICH at 1.009 Salinity.  Goddammit.  Especially frustrated because I took old display tank water from a water change and added it to QT tanks as a water change.   I think I infected QT tank(s) with Display Tank water that's infected with Ich.  How the hell did that happen?

August 11 2009:  unrelated to these QT failures, last night I discover the spotted hawkfish missing.  Not sure if he jumped through the eggcrate on top of the 29 gallon ("QT#1") QT tank, but he's definitely not in the tank anymore.
END OF FAILURE

results of QT so far, August 09:
DEAD:   2 naso tangs, a bangaii cardinalfish, 1 hippo tang, and another hippo tang has Ich at 1.009.  He'll be dead soon, I reckon.  I can't add Cu at this salinity.  We'll see if he pulls through.
SURVIVED:  original Convict Tang, a Chocolate Mimic Tang, and a spotted mandarinfish.
STILL IN QT as of 20090810:  spotted hawkfish, yellow clown goby, and bangaii cardinalfish, and the Ich-riddled Hippo in his own, 2nd QT tank.