Ich!! Sigh...

[Joyler]

So I just found ich on my green neon tetras...and now I'm stressed! I have inverts, live plants, no QT and so far my heater has not been able to get my tank to above 82 degrees! Help?!

 

[dskidmore]

Can you pick up a QT or a second heater? Blankets or other insulation around the tank will help the heater out, as will turning up the house thermostat. The less heat you're loosing, the warmer you can get with the same size heater.

 

[Joyler]

Ok blankets it may have to be then...

 

[dskidmore]

You'll have to spring for the heater if that doesn't work. If you get warmer but not warm enough to kill the ick, you can just speed up the lifecycle and make things worse.

 

[Joyler]

I just bought a 300w heater...says it gets up to 93 so hopefully I'm good now

 

[Joyler]

I just found out my old heater was only 200 w

 

[Flossie]

So I just found ich on my green neon tetras...and now I'm stressed! I have inverts, live plants, no QT and so far my heater has not been able to get my tank to above 82 degrees! Help?!

Just found my fish have ich too. I'm so frustrated

 

[mudraker]

Try Ich Attack by kordon, along with the 86 degree heat treatment. It is not harmful to plants or inverts.

It can also help with secondary infections.

Do you have other fish in the tank? If so, what kind?

Non-iodized salt can also be used in most cases as an effective cure along with heat.

 

[dskidmore]

Salt could be harmful to the plants in excess, I'd skip that unless you can get a QT up.

 

[Joyler]

I have 12 green neon tetras, 2 cockatoo apistos, 4 false magnificent rasboras, 1 brown bristlenose, 2 mystery snails, 1 ghost shrimp

 

[Joyler]

Ugh...make that 11 green neons...I'm just hoping I don't lose the apistos!! They aren't showing ich yet but I can tell they are not feelin the whole situation...

 

[mfdrookie516]

Get the temp up and do a half dose of salt... I had no issues with my plants using a half dose. Took about a week of 88 degrees and the salt and they were all clear.

 

[Joyler]

Ya, my temp is up to 86 or 87...and I'm using kordon ich-attack...someone else on here suggested it...but if you don't think it will work I'll get the salt tomorrow

 

[mfdrookie516]

I just wont use meds...so, I can't comment on its effectiveness. But, if that doesn't work out for ya, the heat+salt method will definitely work.

 

[Joyler]

Oh...that's right...do you just get aquarium salt? Sure is easier to give suggestions, when your not FREAKED out about your own fish...haha

 

[mfdrookie516]

No need to get freaked out. You'll get em doctored up just fine.

Yes, I just use the API aquarium salt and dosed it at half what the box recommended.

 

[Joyler]

Ok...thanks jonothan! The ich just came on so fast...how much of a water change did you do a day? 50? And did you vacuum the substrate?

 

[mfdrookie516]

No, I did a water change once more that week (usually do them on sat or sun, added an extra one on wed), then another extra one the week after. There's no vacuuming the substrate in my 125! Too many plants.

 

[Joyler]

What the?! Ok...hahaha...thats against most of what ive read! Lol...but I trust you

 

[mfdrookie516]

It is... but doing daily 50% pwc's on a 125 is no easy task... or cheap for that matter when you add it all up. If it were a smaller tank, I would have. And, if I could have vacuumed the substrate, I would have.