To He** with those white spots!!

[Jaybird]

I bought clown loach last week to replace the one that tried to do the Alcatraz thing (escape down the python hose), and to my horror, three days later I found him covered in ick spots!! I have never seen so many!

None of my other fish have ever had ick. Now I am battling it full force. I have a 400W heater in my 90G which only dials up to 87F. Well, I have it cranked, but my thermometer on the other side of the tank reads about 85F. It just can't get above that.

The 85F temp shouldn't be a problem, should it? I know everyone keeps recommending 87, but it just won't make it.

Another question, will gravel vacuuming help? I've read about the ick life-cycle and that the protozoa is not affected by ick medicine when it is encysted in the fish (when you see the white spots) and after it leaves the fish it falls to the bottom of the tank and encysts itself again. Will the vacuuming help remove the encysted ick at the tank bottom?

What started with one loach, has spread to the other loaches, and to some of my keyholes. I've also seen some of my other fish flash on some of the rockwork.

I've put some medication in the tank, but at 1/2 dose because of the loaches.

Any input would be great. I've never had to fight this before. Fin rot yes, but never ick.

 

[rich311k]

I hate to tell you this but 85 is not high enough. You need to be over 86. Maybe just by a cheap heater at the LFS and stick it in there to get the temps up. Gravel vacs will help get rid of the parasite, but the heat or the salt or both is the important thing.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with Rich. You want it above 86-87F. Another heater will help. I'm having the same problem right now treating ich.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Needs to be above 86 degrees. I agree with getting another heater at the lfs. Never hurts to have an extra.

 

[Zagz]

I also have 2 heaters on all my tanks over 30 gals.

Ich can take some time to cure. I had a case that lasted 7 weeks from start to finish. Hopefully that won't be the case with you.

 

[Jaybird]

I hope that it won't take 7 weeks!!!! I guess I'll take the heater from my 30G and put it into the 90G.

I only have one bamboo shrimp in the 30, so he should be fine.

 

[severum mama]

I hope all turns out well for your treatment. Remember to keep your temp bumped up for 2 more weeks after the last of the ich spots are gone.

 

[Jaybird]

Alright! I've got a total of 600W of heater in my 90G, and both heaters are cranked to the max! The temp has got to get above 85 now. Well, the one heater only goes to 87, and the smaller one to 89.

So far there are a lot fewer spots on the fish that before, but on more fish. Grrrr. It seems that the really sick ones are a bit better, but some of the other fish now have a few spots (like one or two). I think that the ick medicine helped a bit.

Gonna keep the temp thing going for two weeks and on Friday I am going to perform a gravel vac that would do an obsessive compulsive proud and combing that with a 50% water change.

Freakin' ick! Thinks it can mess with the likes of me

 

[tenbsmith]

First, I'm assuming you keep the temperature in the room with the tank below 85 for all or most of the day. That being the case, useing some sort of insulationa around the tank will slow the loss of heat and increase the temperature. I'm thinking blankets wrapped around the tank would help as would something over the top, though you'll want to be sure there's a way for oxygen/air to get in. If there's a hose for your pump and filter, wrap that.

That's the spirit, kick that ick's as#.

 

[Thebluyak]

also you can add some epsom or rock salt, it will dehydrate the parasite. Read this article it will help answer some more questions medicine and non medicine treatments are included

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=32

 

[Jaybird]

Well, it's been a week and all visible signs of the ick have disappeared.

Once a week I do a 50% PWC and I have not put any more of the medication into the tank since the first dose.

I can't say that it has been a joyful experience. I lost 2 of the clown loaches and one keyhole. The loaches ended up so depeleted from the amount of ick on them that they just didn't recover. The keyhole must have gotten the ick on his gills as he started gasping and hanging out on the bottom. One morning.......gone.

As of today, everyone seems fine. No flashing, no ick spots anywhere.

I'm going to keep the temp up for another week and add more salt with the waterchange this coming Sat.

*EDIT*
Just want to thank everyone. There are no more ick spots in the tank and the temp is coming down. Mind you, my clown loaches that brought the disease into the tank have departed us. They stopped eating.

Thanks for helping all the others survive the dreaded white beast.