Frustrated by Ich

[golsama]

One of my 29 gallon planted tanks is infected with Ich! I haven't dealt with Ich in years and it seems to have attacked with a vengeance.

The tank inhabitants include:
12 cherry barbs
Pair of Betta imbellis
Pair of L144 plecos
Cory cats
Small army of dwarf zebra hovering loach
Small calico angel
8-10 tetras (Hyphessobrycon sp from Jeff Michels group buy)

I am treating the tank by raising the temperature and running a UV sterilizer. I have already lost 6 fish 5 tetras and 1 cory. The tetras seem to be the worst off (appear to only have 3 left). I have RidIch + on hand but am hesitant to use it. I am getting increasingly frustrated with the amount of fish I am losing.

Should I be doing something different? Should I use the RidIch + or just continue with increasing the temperature and hope for the best?

 

[cichlidaddicted]

I usually add salt when dealing with any illness not sure how the tetras would handle it. Also mela and pimafix are a great nonantibiotic product never used it on ich but imo its great for any ailment.

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[hollyfish2000]

tetras are very sensitive to ick medications. I'm not really experienced. You might do a search. The one time in recent memory I used just heat and salt. I don't remember the salt concentration. I did not lose any fish. There are some very horrible strains, though, where it seems to wipe out the tank.

 

[golsama]

tetras are very sensitive to ick medications

Yeah, this is why I'm hesitant to use the meds because the loaches are two. I'm afraid to use salt because of the catfish and the loaches. Will my loaches and catfish handle the salt? At this point they may die without it anyway.

There are some very horrible strains, though, where it seems to wipe out the tank.

So far it looks like this is happening in my tank. Already since my first posting I've lost another tetra.

 

[cichlidaddicted]

I would say the meds are worse than the salt just be observant add one tablespoon per 10gal wait an hour or two and one teaspoon per 10. Raise the temp to about 84 slowly. Resperation will be you best way to tell if they are having trouble. I know most fish can handle up to one teaspoon per gal. Or more for short periods like salt dips......also an option if you want to treat effected individuals in a bucket of tank water.

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[HermsTheWord]

I have had success with Paraguard, though the full treatment usually takes about a week. Good luck!

 

[verbal]

I have had pretty good luck with a 1/2 dose of ich medicine - they recommend it on some brands for more sensitive fish. Ich definitely can be frustrating.

 

[YSS]

Raising temp wouldn't do much good unless temp is over 86. With meds, I've always had good luck with QuickCure.

 

[msjinkzd]

I would make sure you increase your oxygenation when you raise the temperature. I havent' had loaches or catfish have problems with using salt when it is at about 2 tsp per gallon for ich treatment. So sorry you are having this problem

 

[golsama]

I have a water pump aimed at the surface of the water and I also dropped the water level a bit so the water from the filter output splashes to help with oxygenation.

I added salt to the tank last night (1 tbs per 10 gal). Cats and loaches aren't acting like its bothering them.

I did lose 2 more tetra last night (death count of 9 now). One of the bettas is looking pretty rough. I'm just worried that I'm going to lose all the fish in that tank. I'm being extra vigilant about washing my hands and not using anything from this tank in another.

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[Becca]

I used salt (ask Frank C for his instructions on a saturated salt solution and therapeutic dosing) and high temp to treat a tank with an assorted variety of chocolate gouramis, checkerboard cichlids, a variety of tetras, and cory cats - salt, heat, and water changes.

 

[Jmty]

Ruby Reef Kick-Ich 2 L recently use this with loaches ,plants etc will not affect your plants is a little pricey but will safe your fish.

 

[dogofwar]

I've had good luck with heat + UV sterilizer to combat ich.

Increasing the heat requires increasing the level of oxygenation. Add an airstone or two.

Also keep an eye on the temp. Heaters stick...especially when they're on for long enough to get the temps in the upper 80s (i.e. high enough to kill ich).

UV sterilizers...running slowly...kill ich that is not on the fish. I bought one a couple of years ago when I was battling ich on the fish I brought back from Uruguay... and it worked great. Just make sure the flow is slow and the bulb is fresh.

Matt

 

[golsama]

I'm using a Finnex heat controller with a Jager heater that to avoid the heater sticking on.

The UV sterilizer that I am using runs very slowly. I will add an airstone to the tank as soon as I get home.

The tetras were definitely affected the worst and I have lost all of them.

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[Frank Cowherd]

Sam,

You said ICH but did not describe it. Were the dead ones covered with visible white dots? Velvet is in MHO a lot worse and causes death a lot easier than ICH. Velvet is basically a micro version of ICH and shows only as a film on the fish although it is individual organisms.

Both respond to higher temperatures and added salt. The temperature should be like 85, but that can be hard on fish that do not like high temperatures and a lot of corys do not. Salt can be tolerated by all fish up to about 3 teaspoons per gallon, but you have to add it slowly, like 1 teaspoon per gallon now and the next about 3 to 6 hours later and then the third 3 to 6 hours later. If you have tetras, you might wait a bit longer between additions. If you see stress from added salt, then dilute by draining 30% and filling with fresh water.

Both ICH and velvet require two weeks treatment because both form cysts that mature on the side of the fish, then drop off and fall to the bottom. Nothing can get to the cysts, their outside in not permeable to meds or salt. The cysts convert to a dozen or so new organisms. So when they hatch there are dozens of them looking for fish to attach to. It is this stage that is most easily treated with salt or meds. But you must keep the salt and or meds at the effective level for the full two weeks.

If you see fish deaths due to ICH or velvet you can be sure your tank is full of cysts. And probably some of these are hatching every day and some will continue to hatch for another 10 days to two weeks (temperature dependent).

Two weeks is a long time when you are watching the fish fight the organisms, but be patient and you will overcome the buggers.

 

[golsama]

The fish were covered in tiny white spots like someone had sprinkled salt on them.
I really appreciate everyone's advice. It's really helped me out. I will try my best to remain patient.

On the bright side I have plenty of other happy/healthy tanks to relax me.

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[Becca]

The fish were covered in tiny white spots like someone had sprinkled salt on them.
I really appreciate everyone's advice. It's really helped me out. I will try my best to remain patient.

On the bright side I have plenty of other happy/healthy tanks to relax me.

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Just be REALLY careful going between tanks. When my husband's 150 got Ich, I was careful, but it still jumped upstairs to my 29 somehow. I took to using Frank's saturated salt solution to wash my hands after that. We did add an airstone to the 29 and a powerhead with vinturi to the 150 during treatment - that definitely helped. All but 1 of the paleatus corys in the 150 died, but everything else made it.

 

[blkmjk]

When I was having disease jump around my tanks I started using a bucket of bleach water and a bucket of rinsing water with prime for my nets and my hands when doing tank maintenance. That helped Alot! Just had a ich breakout myself. Salt and temps knock it out in my tanks no time at all...

Drew