Ich came back with a vengeance

[itsgracia]

So my fish caught ich two weeks ago and I caught it early and got rid of it. Yesterday I noticed that an X-ray tetra had spots. That tetra is now missing along with a zebra danio. I don't know where they went. They just disappeared poof!

I got home from work today and found a neon in the filter intake and a lifeless danio on the gravel. This is so depressing.

Heat is turned up to 86 and I'm using salt. The tetras seem to be ok with it. No one else has spots right now but will keep observing.

I now only have

3 zebra danios
7 neon tetras
1 black Molly
4 X-ray tetra (pristella)
1 bamboo shrimp

I'm so depressed right now. Oh and my water parameters are

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
pH 8.2 (it's always been this high)

Last water change was yesterday before I added half the salt I needed. Using API Freshwater Salt.

 

[nereksnad]

greetings itsgracia;

it is good that you attempted to cure the so-called Whitespot decease when you first encountered it.

however, when i needed to cure this decease aswell, i read that salt does not work!!

whitespot decease are parasites that multiply every 36 hours. they multiply out in the water and in the gravel, and does then attack the fish. therefore it is utterly important that all parasites are killed, with specialized medication and with following the instructions thoroughly. it took me two threatments to cure the decease, however, i'm still constantly looking out for signs that it's not entirely cured.

sincerely;
nrk.

 

[glassbird]

um...correctly used, salt does very well against ich. It can only kill a specific stage of the life cycle, however. Which is why it helps to up the temperature in the tank a bit. Raising the temp speeds up the life cycle, and lets the salt kill them faster.

Salt is also less expensive, and much milder on the fish. It can not be used on any fish that is sensitive to salt (obviously), but is very effective when used correctly.

How much salt are you adding, and on what schedule? What kind of salt are you using?

 

[Tasha]

Oh no, with my luck lately this is my fear as well. Our ick seems to be gone, however just yesterday I noticed one of my fish rubbing itself on things a fwe times... only the one fish and shes a silver molly I dont see anything on her, maybe her internal parasites are making her itchy as well... I dont know.

I raised my heat, used salt and melafix as I was treating for cloudy eye at the same time. Good luck to you!

 

[itsgracia]

Well I still have the temp up to 86F and plan on keeping it there for another week. So far I have no more signs of Ich as of Wednesday last week. I used salt with the heat. I use a tsp/gallon so I did 14 1/2 tsp on day one and then another 14 1/2 on day two. I'm using the API FW salt. It's very effective and all of my fishes are good. I did do my first PWC today which lessened the salinity to half. I'm not adding anymore salt though but just leaving the temp.

 

[Tasha]

Hopefully you have it beat!!

 

[glassbird]

I can't speak to tropical fish, so someone else will have to back me up here, but with goldfish you are supposed to work your way up to 3 teaspoons of salt per gallon, and keep it at that level for at least a week after you see the last sign of the dots on the fish. Lowering the salinity before that time will result in some of the free swimming forms (which is the only stage that the salt can kill) surviving....and your ich disaster will continue on.

Its kind of like cutting your dose of antibiotic in half, part way thru the treatment. The stronger organisms will survive...and breed...and you are in deeper trouble than when you started.