Angel fish and Ich

[Tdwyer]

I usually do not use a QT tank, which at this point I realize I should, but I often do not have any issues with sick fish.

I bought a pair of angels and one ended up getting Ich. I set up a quick QT tank, dosed the tank, removed the sick angel and began treatment with Aquari-sol.

All seemed well, the white specks that were risen from the angels body disappeared, it's energy levels remained steady and a healthy appetite. The spots disappeared within 2-3 days and I waited until the remainder of the week (7-days) to make sure the Ich had been fully treated. I then returned the angel back into my community tank.

So along with instant aggression issues between the two angels now (using a divider for the time being). I have been keeping watch on the angels every day, all seems well, good activity, eating, etc. All other fish in the tank have been healthy for months/years.

This morning the white flecks are re-appearing and I removed the angel back into the QT tank.

I am not so experienced with Ich, had it only once before in perhaps the 6 years my tank has been running. I do regular water changes, the quality of the water is good, great filtration, cleaned within it's own water at all times. There's no aggressive fish in there, a school of mixed tetras and two hyperactive yoyo loaches.

I am kind of expecting the angel to die from stress of the tank changes, which would be entirely unfortunate at this time. It's a great looking fish, in fact the the pattern I have wanted for awhile but my small and rural pet shop do not get in often.

Any suggestions, if it doesn't die within the next few days? Should I treat the angel longer than 7-days?

It is a small QT tank, but still doing a little water change every two/three days, along with treatment. Luckily my community tank has not showed any signs of Ich during the initial sighting or this time.

I am also half questioning my diagnosis of ich, haven't seen the angel scratching itself. But I don't know what else it could be, small white spots that are risen slightly from it's body. Ich was my best guess.

Thanks so much

 

[treemanone2003]

Hanges are that yes, lack of QT enabled this. I've also suggested heat only treatment for at least two weeks as I'm not fond of introducing meds into a tank. Also, there are some med/heat resistant strains of ich, but what you're describing does sound as ICH is the issue at hand. Raised white bumps similar to a salt grain in appearance. Although you took good measures to treat the fish, it may not have been enough time AND it may still be present in the tank which is why the fish has become reinfected so quickly. I would recommend to gradually increase the temp to 86° over the next day or so and perform some WC's at the same time. With the higher temps, a air stone may also be needed to increase gas exchange/add O2 to the tank. Both the Angels and Loaches should be fine with the heat.

The divider is an excellent idea to help quell the aggression. Is it from the angel that was sick or the other ? You may need to swap them after treatment if things don't settle down eventually. Also, what size is main tank and when you set up HT, did you remove carbon from filter ?


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[Tdwyer]

Main is around 45g.

So despite there is no sign of ich in the main tank, to raise it's temperature as well?
I would have thought if the main tank had it, by now at least, there would have been other signs on some of the fish but there is none that has appeared yet. I had the impression that ich usually will infect an entire tank?

I don't want to dose the community tank with meds unless it's necessary, it's a well-thriving planted tank and I don't know what the meds would do to that. I have a bubble wall in that tank, so increase exchange of gas shouldn't be a problem.

In the QT tank the carbon was removed during the first instance, and is still removed.

Aggression was from both of them, I kind of feel re-introducing the pair is going to be an uphill battle, if not impossible. So don't have luck with re-introducing angels when was has been taken out for an extended period of time.

Thanks for the input, will extend treatment for 2-3 weeks, instead of 1 week.
Water change every 2 days should be okay?

 

[Andy Sager]

You may find this post very helpful in understanding the lifecycle of ICH and why your fish got re-infested. Using Heat to Treat Ich in Freshwater Tropical Fish - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

Hope this helps.

 

[treemanone2003]

You may find this post very helpful in understanding the lifecycle of ICH and why your fish got re-infested. Using Heat to Treat Ich in Freshwater Tropical Fish - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

Hope this helps.

+1 to this link from Andy. Just because it doesn't "appear" doesn't necessarily mean it's not there. Since the main tank wasn't treated, it's quite possible to be in a stage that's not visible and with reintroducing a stressed fish, it's that much easier to become sick again.


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[em1981ma]

With pick leave affected fish in the main tank and treat as a whole parasite lives in the water so whole tank needs treating.

we're gona need a bigger tank (boat).. JAWS ~~~∆~~\o/~~