Could introducing liquid ferts trigger Ich outbreak?

[ahelmes71]

I started dosing Flourish Excel yesterday for the first time in my 55 gallon tank. I only used 3 capfuls.

Today I was noticing some small white spots of what I guess is ich on the fins/tails of my Rainbows and Congo Tetras. It's possible this was already there and I hadn't noticed, or maybe it is just coincidence.

I thought Ich had to do with temperature changes? I had also heard it can be triggered by stress.

My tank has stayed at a solid 74 degrees this week. Do you think change in water chemistry from introducing the ferts could stress out the fish to cause an outbreak?

Should I do some partial water changes and add some Rid-Ich? This is a long term tank that has been up and running for about five years. I don't typically see sick fish in there.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

What are your levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? Did you add any other chemicals to the tank besides the ferts recently?

 

[aqua_chem]

Excel probably wouldn't have any effect on a parasitic organism like ich. The only possible explanation is that it somehow stressed an already vulnerable or infected fish, which allowed it to get a foothold. That being said, it's probably a coincidence. You didn't add fish recently by chance did you (within the last month).

 

[brunettebaby4571]

The same thing happened to me too I just added stuff for my plants and all of a sudden my fish are showing signs of ich again...Its been gone or so I thought for quite sometime now...What the world?