Ugh, I think I have an ich problem

How long have you had these fish? Any new inhabitants lately? What are your params? If there has been nothing new and you have had the fish for a bit then something has stressed them out to bring out the Ick. Are you sure you want to dip already? That can be quite stressful. After your lights go off how many spots do you see? They will be much worse at night if it is ich. In healthy fish, with as few spots as you see now, the fish can fend it off. Do you have any garlic additive? You can make your own out off fresh garlic and soak flake in it. I am a believer that this helps, also Ginger.

If things get any worse I reccomend QT with Copper if you can or Hyposalinity if you have fish that can't take the copper. The fish you mentioned should be able to handle copper but double check. QT all fish. And run reef fallow for 4-8 weeks. A fallow tank througought the lifecycle is the only way to truly get rid of ICH.

I will try to help more after some more info. I hate to admit it but I have beat ICH twice in my Reef years. One about 75% survival and the last 100%.

 

Over-reacting to ich is the worst thing you can do. I wouldn't do anything for a few days. Check your water, if anything I would add some garlic to the food and make sure they eat a couple times a day. Sit back and take it slow, everything in this hobby takes time.

 

I saw the ich starting on my two blue tangs and got worried, then was starting to work on lowering my salinity from 1.026 to 1.023 and with a few days the ich was gone.

 

I am sure you did this in QT and not in your reef. But just so someone else doesn't read this and do it, Never use Hypo salinity on a reef, your corals cannot take it. 1.023 isn't enought to effect it ICH parasite you have to get down around 1.009 or so to kill it.

 

Good water params but your salinity is low. Not enough to cause ich to surface I don't think. Are you using a float arm hydrometer or refractometer? Are they calibrated?  I would get more nervous if at night the fish are covered with the salt grain sized ICH. Tangs especially blue are very susceptable but if healthy and params are good will fight it off.
You have to remember that the methods we use to fight ICH are very stressful and make the situation immediately worse before it gets better. It is best to try to let the fish fight it of themselves if possible and not too far gone.
Read as much as possible on the internet, read many things to get a consensus. Even my advice you want to verify from others like Jason. Know your enemy, learn its life cycle. It helps dramaticllay so you know what you are up against. Here is one good article:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-.../index.php
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

The big and fuzzy spots have me concerned. That sounds more like a fungus than ICH. Unless the ICK has caused some damage and now fungus has set in. Hungs plan sounds like a good one if it is truly ICH. Good luck.

 

If you are going to QT, QT every fish and run your tank fallow for 4-8 weeks. It is a HUGE waste to only qt some if you can get them all. The parasite is living in that tank and the clowns will be the host and the parasite will continue. They have to have a host to live. This is the only way you can get rid of it forever.
I don't know how to say it any plainer. Please read up on the parasite and you will see what I mean. I forget where it is between 4-8 weeks. It seems like maybe 6-8 but I forget. If you can get those clowns into QT, DO IT NOW!

 

Cool! It is a really tough thing to do, but keep your main tank fallow for the complete life cycle of the organism. It is worth it in the end. Look it up in one of those articles. I can help you find another good article if the one I sent doesn't say.

 

That's a good question. I assume you have a clean up crew so you need to feed them. So I would either feed less or less often. If you fed every day, I would maybe feed the same every three days. Or feed 1/2 to 1/3 as much.
I am just shooting from the hip here though, anyone else have an opinion?