How treat ich with plecos?

[Koikeeper99]

I made a thread about my female bristlenose getting white spots all over and incase she has ich I want to prepare for it. I know you can increase the temp but I also have fancy goldfish in there. Also I read you can't use copper treatments for plecos? And lastly they can't handle the salt bath because they're scaleless? Sorry for all the questions but what medication do you guys use for ich on plecos?

 

[LostInFish]

I use quick cure it worked great

 

[Koikeeper99]

Ok I'll check that out if she definitely does have ich.

 

[93MSB]

Bristlenose plecos can dramatically change thier spots from almost black to very white, that's more than likely what it is. Keep an eye on it though.

if it is ich a lot of people just raise the temp to 86deg, which disrupts the lifecycle. If the fish is healthy enough it should survive the ich until it dies

 

[jlk]

Treat the tank with salt at .3% and move the pleco to a 20g rubbermaid container. Treat him with heat preferably but if your using meds, dose at half doses for longer term. You can pick a container up at any chain store for $10 or less.

 

[Koikeeper99]

Are some symptoms inactivity?

 

[Koikeeper99]

Treat the tank with salt at .3% and move the pleco to a 20g rubbermaid container. Treat him with heat preferably but if your using meds, dose at half doses for longer term. You can pick a container up at any chain store for $10 or less.

I was told salt wouldn't work but I cant really afford a heater to use with the container I might just try some meds like quick cure?

 

[jlk]

I was told salt wouldn't work but I cant really afford a heater to use with the container I might just try some meds like quick cure?

Salt won't work with the pleco- he can't handle the level salinity needed to treat the tank/goldfish. I dislike the use of meds for ich unless necessary. However, what I would suggest would have to be ordered. I believe quick cure is some sort of formalin/malachite green combo. If you opt for this, use at half doses and keep the lights off.

 

[Koikeeper99]

Alright thanks ill pick up meds this weekend if she is still inactive..

 

[Joey P]

A few weeks ago I did salt and heat with plecos (well A pleco) and it did just fine, the Ich, however, didn't survive.

 

[Mcor]

This is my BN plec, note the tiny white spots and the clamped fins? It had ich when I took this photo, any similarity to how yours is looking? Treated with white spot treatment.

 

[Koikeeper99]

This is my BN plec, note the tiny white spots and the clamped fins? It had ich when I took this photo, any similarity to how yours is looking? Treated with white spot treatment.

Yes and she will not stop fanning her fins so I'm positive something's wrong



Lots of little white spots

 

[93MSB]

yeah that looks like a bad case of ich.

Turn the heat up to 86 and the ich's lifecycle will be disrupted and die off eventually. I would personally turn the heat up regardless of if i was medicating or not. As others have mentioned be careful about which med you use and how much you dose

 

[Koikeeper99]

Went and get some meds and will turn heat up to about 78-80 degrees but how long should I keep the temp up? I have Goldie's in their that probably won't like the warm temp but they'll have to deal with it for a while.

 

[Mcor]

Mine was only a mild case and I treated only with meds. I was reluctant to treat with heat as they were all used to a certain temp. If you're worried, particularly with the goldies, I'd go the meds route only, and treat for 2 weeks at least. Mine I dose meds, then 4 days later do a partial water change and redose. Then wait 7 days and do it again (so PWC, dose, 4 days later PWC & dose). Hopefully that will knock it out for you.