Need a little help, clown loaches and Ich

[HopefulHobbiest]

So let me first start off by admitting that I'm new and also an idiot... Tank hasn't finished cycling but is pretty close... I got impatient and added some clown loaches to a tank thats in the process of a fish in cycle.(1 eclipse cat, 6 Cory's, 4 platy(and now 3 clown loaches)) I'm aware that the clowns will eventually outgrow this tank and yes I plan on buying a 125-150G... Anyway on to my problem.

I added the clowns last week and went on vacation, I had someone looking after my fish but they didn't mention anything odd the whole week. I got home this morning around 2AM and went to check on my fish, all three of the clowns have white spots that were not there when I left. Now I'm pretty sure this is Ich but I would like to know how to get rid of it??

The clowns are scaleless and I understand they have much different tolerances to meds then the other fish I have. I'm due for a pwc tomorrow and I try to do 2-3 a week but since I was gone it didn't happen... So after the pwc what is the best way to get rid of this??

I'm swinging by petsmart first thing in the morning to replace my heater since no matter how far you turn the dial it won't reach any higher than 76-78 so I'm just gonna throw it out.

Any meds I should look for?

I know that some people are going to want to jump on me for making the mistake of buying a fish so sensitive before my cycle finished but I'm going to ask that we wait to stone me! I want to save my fish and my tank first.

PLEASE HELP

 

[Lexilove]

So let me first start off by admitting that I'm new and also an idiot... Tank hasn't finished cycling but is pretty close... I got impatient and added some clown loaches to a tank thats in the process of a fish in cycle.(1 eclipse cat, 6 Cory's, 4 platy(and now 3 clown loaches)) I'm aware that the clowns will eventually outgrow this tank and yes I plan on buying a 125-150G... Anyway on to my problem.

I added the clowns last week and went on vacation, I had someone looking after my fish but they didn't mention anything odd the whole week. I got home this morning around 2AM and went to check on my fish, all three of the clowns have white spots that were not there when I left. Now I'm pretty sure this is Ich but I would like to know how to get rid of it??

The clowns are scaleless and I understand they have much different tolerances to meds then the other fish I have. I'm due for a pwc tomorrow and I try to do 2-3 a week but since I was gone it didn't happen... So after the pwc what is the best way to get rid of this??

I'm swinging by petsmart first thing in the morning to replace my heater since no matter how far you turn the dial it won't reach any higher than 76-78 so I'm just gonna throw it out.

Any meds I should look for?

I know that some people are going to want to jump on me for making the mistake of buying a fish so sensitive before my cycle finished but I'm going to ask that we wait to stone me! I want to save my fish and my tank first.

PLEASE HELP

Raise heat is prolly best thing you can ever do. Don't bother with meds. I used them and they didn't change a thing but then my heat raised and it was gone after a few days

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Will it save the loaches?? They seem to be the only ones who developed the Ich... I'm also going to vacuum every last bit of the substrate.

Is there any other information you can give me about what to expect when I raise the temp in the tank?

 

[Lexilove]

I have absolutely no knowledge of loaches but this is how I recently got rid of it with a peacock eel, African dwarf frogs and mollies.

 

[Lexilove]

Also about what to expect my fish were less more active and make sure you have an airdrome or they will gasp

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

I guess I should've been a lil more specific...

Are there any warning signs for the other fish that the heat is dangerous to them? Does it do anything to the fish internally?(higher metabolism, breathing rate, swimming off balance?) stuff like that...

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

I have two airstone/bubblers, 1 at each end of the tank...

 

[Lexilove]

I guess I should've been a lil more specific...

Are there any warning signs for the other fish that the heat is dangerous to them? Does it do anything to the fish internally?(higher metabolism, breathing rate, swimming off balance?) stuff like that...

Oh sorry raise it to 86 over a few hours prolly like 1 or 2 degrees every few hours. Also it will make their metabolism faster that is why they will be more active. And with 2 air stones you should be fine

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Thank you... Im really hoping this works because I really do love my fish even if I'm an idiot and put them through **** they shouldn't be put through... I don't want to see them die

 

[Lexilove]

I know the feeling! I am still new and because of the fact I didn't watch what I had put into my tank I got ick. We all make mistakes and they all eventually get fixed

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

This is true... Maybe while I'm there tomorrow I'll grab a 5-10G as a quarantine tank for the future...

 

[Lexilove]

Good idea. Once I get everything settled that I'd my next move for now I am not adding anything cause once everything is gone into my bigger tank it will be a dwarf puffer tank

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Same here... No more additions till I cure this Ich and the tank fully cycles

 

[Lexilove]

Good. Well good luck!

 

[HopefulHobbiest]

Yes, thanks again...

 

[Rivercats]

I've been keeping fish since the 70's and have run into this problem a few times over the years but last winter the heater in our sunroom went out through the night and my juvenille angels got quite chilled (20L tank). When we got up and went out there we found the heater could not keep the temp up so by the next day some of the angels had a few (and I mean a few) spots of ich. They never got covered and I think part of the reason was because I feed New Life Spectrum Thera+A regular formula almost exclusively. The company claims it boosts the immune system and helps fish naturally fight off things like ich. I truely believe this to be true (along with good water maintanence). Knock on wood these fish are, and other than that incident, have always been very healthy. That food also brings out great color and all my fish love it. I use it every day along with the Spectrum small fish formula for the small tetras and threadfin rainbows in my 220. I'm not pushing to use this but I really believe this food does what it claims to do (helps boost their immune system).

 

[Lifeoffroad]

So let me first start off by admitting that I'm new and also an idiot... Tank hasn't finished cycling but is pretty close... I got impatient and added some clown loaches to a tank thats in the process of a fish in cycle.(1 eclipse cat, 6 Cory's, 4 platy(and now 3 clown loaches)) I'm aware that the clowns will eventually outgrow this tank and yes I plan on buying a 125-150G... Anyway on to my problem.

I added the clowns last week and went on vacation, I had someone looking after my fish but they didn't mention anything odd the whole week. I got home this morning around 2AM and went to check on my fish, all three of the clowns have white spots that were not there when I left. Now I'm pretty sure this is Ich but I would like to know how to get rid of it??

The clowns are scaleless and I understand they have much different tolerances to meds then the other fish I have. I'm due for a pwc tomorrow and I try to do 2-3 a week but since I was gone it didn't happen... So after the pwc what is the best way to get rid of this??

I'm swinging by petsmart first thing in the morning to replace my heater since no matter how far you turn the dial it won't reach any higher than 76-78 so I'm just gonna throw it out.

Any meds I should look for?

I know that some people are going to want to jump on me for making the mistake of buying a fish so sensitive before my cycle finished but I'm going to ask that we wait to stone me! I want to save my fish and my tank first.

PLEASE HELP

I'll probably get in trouble for this but my loaches have never had a problem with any medications. I used the quick cure when they got ich and it was gone in a day. My loaches are probably my hardiest fish. You have to take some things people say with a grain of salt. I've even read on a website that they weren't even truly scale less. Its up to you but ive had no problems treating with any medication. I do recommend like most the medications do a smaller dose over a longer period of time. This seemed to make it easier on them. Good luck.

 

[Lifeoffroad]

I'll probably get in trouble for this but my loaches have never had a problem with any medications. I used the quick cure when they got ich and it was gone in a day. My loaches are probably my hardiest fish. You have to take some things people say with a grain of salt. I've even read on a website that they weren't even truly scale less. Its up to you but ive had no problems treating with any medication. I do recommend like most the medications do a smaller dose over a longer period of time. This seemed to make it easier on them. Good luck.

Also, I use a liquid vitamin that is absorbed through the skin and I drop in the food. This makes my fish tough as nails. I think its made by boyds? Can't remember but its good stuff.