hollyfish2000
Members
do a quick scan of some previous posts about options for dealing with ick. Most of us subscribe to the heat and salt method. Slowing start increasing your temp to speed up the life cycle of ick. Then you'll need to slowly add salt -- and since you have a large tank, you'll be using quite a bit.
Have you recently added fish?
Have you recently added fish?
dogofwar
CCA Members
Do a big water change/gravel vac...replace with warmer water...add an extra airstone or 2...and turn up the heat...
Not sure how RTC and TSN do with regular ich meds, so be careful.
A 220g is a big tank but those are some big fish...
Matt
Not sure how RTC and TSN do with regular ich meds, so be careful.
A 220g is a big tank but those are some big fish...
Matt
countryboy
Banned
slowly raise the tank temp. to 87* maintain for 2-3 wks. Add extra aeration (bubble stones, surface agitation, do water changes) I have read that salt doesn't do much.
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Less is more
Raise tank temp to 90º and maintain for 72 hours. That's it. You're done, salt and meds aren't necessary.
Extra aeration is however an excellent suggestion/adjunct as water holds progressively less dissolved oxygen as it gets warmer. Generally OK to heat up most fish species for brief periods but you don't want to additionally stress them by making it hard for them to breathe. You can check on the web for species-specific tolerances to heat. If you have species that are intolerant of 90 degrees warm them up to whatever they can tolerate and supplement with meds/salt. It will take longer to treat this way although I found that malachite green works really really well (some bottom feeders and tetras don't care for it) and it's infinitely cheaper than any and all off the shelf meds save for salt.
Luck.
Raise tank temp to 90º and maintain for 72 hours. That's it. You're done, salt and meds aren't necessary.
Extra aeration is however an excellent suggestion/adjunct as water holds progressively less dissolved oxygen as it gets warmer. Generally OK to heat up most fish species for brief periods but you don't want to additionally stress them by making it hard for them to breathe. You can check on the web for species-specific tolerances to heat. If you have species that are intolerant of 90 degrees warm them up to whatever they can tolerate and supplement with meds/salt. It will take longer to treat this way although I found that malachite green works really really well (some bottom feeders and tetras don't care for it) and it's infinitely cheaper than any and all off the shelf meds save for salt.
Luck.
countryboy
Banned
90* is a little excessive. 86* is more tolerable for most fish. I say 2-3 weeks because you will have parasites in different stages of their life cycle. So yeah....86* raise 2*/hr. for 14-21 days maybe lower water level so hob will splash and have better gas exchange. Water changes
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Science? We don't need no stinking science...
It has been found that Ich does not infect new fish at 29.4°C/85°F (Johnson, 1976), stops reproducing at 30°C/86°F (Dr. Nick St. Erne, DVM, pers. comm.), and dies at 32°C/89.5°F (Meyer, 1984).]
A little less conjecture and bit more research might be in order. Most cichlids don't have a problem with 90º. Ich life cycle is 7 days at 77º F, 4 days at 80º, etc. One can of course keep tanks overheated for 3 weeks, but that's twice as long as required.
Upon reflection I think there might be a good case for running the temp up to 90º for 24 hours (especially if it's a case of serious infection) just to kill existing infestations and then dropping it to 86º for 7-10 days to wipe out any any new releases that might arise from cysts still residing in the tank. I'm a big fan of one-step treatments and my only actual experience with ich resulted in a single dose of malachite green and 48 hours at 90º on a tank that included discus, tetras and Corydoras sterbai. Didn't lose a fish and it never came back.
Each to thine own...
It has been found that Ich does not infect new fish at 29.4°C/85°F (Johnson, 1976), stops reproducing at 30°C/86°F (Dr. Nick St. Erne, DVM, pers. comm.), and dies at 32°C/89.5°F (Meyer, 1984).]
A little less conjecture and bit more research might be in order. Most cichlids don't have a problem with 90º. Ich life cycle is 7 days at 77º F, 4 days at 80º, etc. One can of course keep tanks overheated for 3 weeks, but that's twice as long as required.
Upon reflection I think there might be a good case for running the temp up to 90º for 24 hours (especially if it's a case of serious infection) just to kill existing infestations and then dropping it to 86º for 7-10 days to wipe out any any new releases that might arise from cysts still residing in the tank. I'm a big fan of one-step treatments and my only actual experience with ich resulted in a single dose of malachite green and 48 hours at 90º on a tank that included discus, tetras and Corydoras sterbai. Didn't lose a fish and it never came back.
Each to thine own...
countryboy
Banned
So if it stops reproducing at 86* and doesn't infect new fish as 85*. Why go to 90* ? There is no need to. I had always thought that 90* was supreme but my research is telling me 86*. So you are right in that you need to research more articles.
dogofwar
CCA Members
There are multiple phases of ich. Better to kill the tomites in the tank than for them to remain dormant...and infect fish when you reduce the temp in the tank.
Almost all tropical fish are fine at 90 degrees, provided that there is adequet aeration...
Matt
Almost all tropical fish are fine at 90 degrees, provided that there is adequet aeration...
Matt
countryboy
Banned
Yes there are different phases. That is why you slowly raise the tank temp. to 86* and leave it there for 2-3 wks. Nobody said anything about lowering the temp. 90* is at the upper end of what your typical heaters will do.
dogofwar
CCA Members
So some people raise the temp to 90 for a couple of days...and some raise it to 86 for 2-3 weeks. Both will work.
I prefer the higher temp because it kills the tomites... I also use a UV sterilizer.
Matt
I prefer the higher temp because it kills the tomites... I also use a UV sterilizer.
Matt
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Welcome and congratulations
You think so? Twelve posts and I'm already bored - that's good for 2nd place on my all-time list. Parroting what you think you read on the internet isn't research - I at least provided three citations (none of which apparently made any impression), whereas all you've done is provide unsubstantiated comments about what you seem not to understand to pretend that you do. Great start that, but obtuse (be it feigned or genuine) just isn't my thing, so........ Shazzam! - in the microcosm of my computer's internet realm you just became invisible.
Isn't technology wonderful?
So if it stops reproducing at 86* and doesn't infect new fish as 85*. Why go to 90* ? There is no need to. I had always thought that 90* was supreme but my research is telling me 86*. So you are right in that you need to research more articles.
You think so? Twelve posts and I'm already bored - that's good for 2nd place on my all-time list. Parroting what you think you read on the internet isn't research - I at least provided three citations (none of which apparently made any impression), whereas all you've done is provide unsubstantiated comments about what you seem not to understand to pretend that you do. Great start that, but obtuse (be it feigned or genuine) just isn't my thing, so........ Shazzam! - in the microcosm of my computer's internet realm you just became invisible.
Isn't technology wonderful?
countryboy
Banned
No need to parrot. Don't get fiesty. I just pointed out the inconsistency in your "research" (Dr. F. Arts Allot). Apparently you didn't read my post. Shazam
Jefft
Members
IF both of yall are going to the cookout I am definently bringing a chair and a cooler of beer.
dogofwar
CCA Members
I think countryboy is from NY...and not a CCA member. So I don't think he'll be at the BBQ...
Matt
Matt
jonclark96
Past CCA President
The cookout is for club members. Pay your $20 to become one and you are welcome to come.
