Ich still hasn't ridden in almost 3 weeks.

[FishayFishay]

I still have an ich problem. Also realized my "cardinal tetras" are actually neon tetras. My LFS has some explaining to do. I couldn't really tell at the time since they were juvenile when I got them. (Easy mistake). Therefore I've been keeping a third eye on them but they've handled everything well including ich and stress and an ammonia spike. Aside from that I still keep seeing ich spots on my DG. It's gotten way better with behavior and my water parameters are on point 0/0/10. I've been dosing every other 48 hours unless it gets too noticeable (the spots). I've had a couple of questions regarding the filter media, should I clean it or replace it during or after the treatments are over? I've been dosing lower than recommended cause that medication is just wicked blue and scary looking once it's in my tank. I've been dosing a little more than half is recommended but last night my gourami started twitching really hard and I thought that was out of the picture by now so I panicked and dosed the recommendation. Probably should've done that from the start. Basically now I'm wondering where do I go from here and when can I add some plants in my tank?

 

[Mebbid]

Skip medications and just increase the temperature up to 86 degrees. Keep it there for 2 weeks after the last spot goes away. That's the best current treatment for ich that's out there.

 

[FishayFishay]

I have it at 82 now and I see your point and I would have no problem doing that if I seen spots on all of them. It seems to be just my gourami with the noticeable spots. I wouldn't want to take a chance and end up killing any of my neons and possibly my gourami with the heat treatment. But I'll keep it in mind.

 

[Mebbid]

Heat treatment is perfectly safe. Much much safer than medicine actually.

The neons can still have ich as it infects the gills before other parts of the body.

 

[FishayFishay]

Alright I'll try it. Is there any tips you can give or anything I should look for while it's going on?

 

[Mebbid]

Alright I'll try it. Is there any tips you can give or anything I should look for while it's going on?

Not really. Heat can decreaase the oxygen in the tank so you might keep an eye on whether they are gasping at the surface. Other than that there's no problems that occur.

Just don't combine heat with medicine

 

[libertybelle]

Heat treatment is perfectly safe. Much much safer than medicine actually.

The neons can still have ich as it infects the gills before other parts of the body.

don't increase the temp too quickly though! And make sure you run a bubbler. under-dosing medication is not usually a good idea. Lets bugs build up a tolerance to the medication.

82 isn't warm enough because the goal of the heat treatment is to make it too warm for ick to replicate - hence 86.

 

[FishayFishay]

Not really. Heat can decreaase the oxygen in the tank so you might keep an eye on whether they are gasping at the surface. Other than that there's no problems that occur.



Just don't combine heat with medicine

Okay so should I do a 50% water change and maybe add back my carbon then start the heat treatment? I have a air stone in there if the heat takes the oxygen.

 

[libertybelle]

Okay so should I do a 50% water change and maybe add back my carbon then start the heat treatment? I have a air stone in there if the heat takes the oxygen.

I'm not an expert but I think people usually suggest running carbon for 24 hrs to remove medication. Is it fresh carbon? Otherwise it might not pull out all the medication.

Yup leave the air stone running 24/7 while you are heating or medicating the tank. Both heat and some medications can decrease the oxygen in the water.

 

[libertybelle]

And of course no more than a degree an hour to heat it up... I think that's generally considered safe

 

[FishayFishay]

And of course no more than a degree an hour to heat it up... I think that's generally considered safe

My heater is only set to skip numbers. It's from 82 to 86 to 90. :/

 

[libertybelle]

My heater is only set to skip numbers. It's from 82 to 86 to 90. :/

Do you have a thermometer. You can just gradually turn it up, checking manually to be sure it doesn't go to fast

 

[FishayFishay]

Do you have a thermometer. You can just gradually turn it up, checking manually to be sure it doesn't go to fast

No I don't have a thermometer but I think I'll just turn it up to 86 and every 25 minutes or so turn it back down for 10. Just to balance out and not shock them with the temp change

 

[libertybelle]

No I don't have a thermometer but I think I'll just turn it up to 86 and every 25 minutes or so turn it back down for 10. Just to balance out and not shock them with the temp change

thermometers are cheap I would suggest getting one as temperature changes can be really dangerous for your fish.

 

[libertybelle]

also without a thermometer you wouldn't be able to tell if your heater ever fails, until too late

 

[Mebbid]

No I don't have a thermometer but I think I'll just turn it up to 86 and every 25 minutes or so turn it back down for 10. Just to balance out and not shock them with the temp change

The temp has to stay at a standard 86 degrees or higher. If the temperature drops below that the ich will continue to spread. The 86 degrees prevents the ich from breeding rather than killing it outright.

 

[libertybelle]

The temp has to stay at a standard 86 degrees or higher. If the temperature drops below that the ich will continue to spread. The 86 degrees prevents the ich from breeding rather than killing it outright.

I think they're just trying to come up with a way to slowly raise the temperature without shocking the fish. But you really do need a thermometer to ensure it's staying at the right temperature. Heaters can be a little inconsistent sometimes especially in smaller aquariums