Ich reared its ugly head, what else can I do?

[Mumma.of.two]

it has a lid but it gets to below freezing here at night. wrap around the glass area?

Yes, around the glass. Insulate it like a cooler/esky/what-ever-you-guys-call-it.

 

[dsun]

update:

the first guy who had ich is now free of white spots. The other two newly ich infected fish is starting to shed the white too...i ordered a new 300W heater for my tank to try to keep the heat at 86, now its fluctuatling between 82-84. Its either both my tank themomethers are off or my 150W heater for my 55G in winter is not enough(cranked at 88 max and both my thermometers wont go past 84).

Been doing daily PWC and substrate vacuuming. All fish seem pretty happy and no abnormal behavior or signs of stress. 10 more days to go....

 

[dsun]

another day of vacumming and PWC.

my yellow jake who had spots no longer has any ich spots, BUT i saw him flashing after a PWC today. Does this mean he got reinfected?

I pretty much vacuumed every inch of my substrate, id say a 90% vacuum along with 20% WC

 

[dsun]

Update:

All visible Ich is gone from all fish. Did another PWC and even more through substrate vacuum as i suspect those nasty critters fell off my fish.

Im going to stop doing daily PWC and vacuum but will keep temperature at 86 for another week. Hopefully heat + salt will kill off any remaining ich.

BTW I Got a 300W Aquatop heater, temperature is spot on at 86 after a bit of calibration, BUT i noticed a little bit of condensation. Is this something I should worry about?

 

[Nicnet]

Update: All visible Ich is gone from all fish. Did another PWC and even more through substrate vacuum as i suspect those nasty critters fell off my fish. Im going to stop doing daily PWC and vacuum but will keep temperature at 86 for another week. Hopefully heat + salt will kill off any remaining ich. BTW I Got a 300W Aquatop heater, temperature is spot on at 86 after a bit of calibration, BUT i noticed a little bit of condensation. Is this something I should worry about?

So your issue totally sounds like what I was going through! I just couldn't manage to get my tank to stay at a decent temperature! It would be at a great 86, then drop to like 82 which wouldn't be beneficial. So I would up the temp and it would be 91! I had to put another smaller wattage heater in with this heater just so it could run too to keep it more stable. The best luck I've had is to keep the tank at about 87-88, but the fish seem to be doing well. I just did the heat and salt treatment too. But similar story, started with one, then that one got better, and bam the others, etc... But it looks like you've got it under control! Just be sure to keep the temperature up for I think it's at least ten days after the last ich is seen. & if you've got the bubbler in there and they don't look like they're gasping or anything the warm temperatures should be fine. Mine are actually seeming to really enjoy it ha ha. Good luck!!

 

[dsun]

So your issue totally sounds like what I was going through! I just couldn't manage to get my tank to stay at a decent temperature! It would be at a great 86, then drop to like 82 which wouldn't be beneficial. So I would up the temp and it would be 91! I had to put another smaller wattage heater in with this heater just so it could run too to keep it more stable. The best luck I've had is to keep the tank at about 87-88, but the fish seem to be doing well. I just did the heat and salt treatment too. But similar story, started with one, then that one got better, and bam the others, etc... But it looks like you've got it under control! Just be sure to keep the temperature up for I think it's at least ten days after the last ich is seen. & if you've got the bubbler in there and they don't look like they're gasping or anything the warm temperatures should be fine. Mine are actually seeming to really enjoy it ha ha. Good luck!!

Thanks!
Yea its been a PITA but worth it for my babies
I think the daily pwc really helps. But only do it if you can temp match to near perfect. I turned off and removed my 300w heater as condensation is getting worse..new one arriving on Monday. Cranked my little 150w to max to see if it can hold 86 as thats what my temp is at. 5 more days to go and they are in the clear.

 

[Nicnet]

Thanks! Yea its been a PITA but worth it for my babies I think the daily pwc really helps. But only do it if you can temp match to near perfect. I turned off and removed my 300w heater as condensation is getting worse..new one arriving on Monday. Cranked my little 150w to max to see if it can hold 86 as thats what my temp is at. 5 more days to go and they are in the clear.

To be honest, & I know this may be bad, but I haven't done any water changes since the outbreak. My brother and I have a lot of tanks, and honestly we just use all the buckets and tubing and etc interchangeably. We've never had an issue, but this is also the first time I've ever gotten ich or anything really. & I know we should be using our own set for each tank and all, but let's face it, I'm paying for a wedding, he's paying for college. lol so basically... No water changes during the outbreak. I've topped it off with some of the evaporation and loss from the high temperatures and in general loss, but that's really it. I've noticed a bit of the condensation as well, but not too much. Just on the top glass. Hopefully your new heater and all helps out and all is good!