Fish with ich...how many drops?
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
donttaptheglass
Aquarium Advice Freak
Take the ich meds back to walmart and don't dose the tank at all . . . ESPECIALLY with the Pleco in there.
Slowly turn up the heat in the tank (about a degree per hour) until just ABOVE 86 degrees, then leave it there for two weeks after all signs of ich are gone. That's all you need to do to cure ich.
The ich meds WILL kill your pleco, even if you halve the dose like it says on the bottle.
Believe me, I learned the hard way. Take that stuff back. Raising the temp is all you need.
Also, when the ich is in its state that it is visible on the fish, the ich meds are virtually useless anyway. That stuff is only effective for a very short period of time when the parasite has left the fish and moved to the substrate before it goes in search of another host. Catching it during that time is, at best, a crapshoot.
Slowly turn up the heat in the tank (about a degree per hour) until just ABOVE 86 degrees, then leave it there for two weeks after all signs of ich are gone. That's all you need to do to cure ich.
The ich meds WILL kill your pleco, even if you halve the dose like it says on the bottle.
Believe me, I learned the hard way. Take that stuff back. Raising the temp is all you need.
Also, when the ich is in its state that it is visible on the fish, the ich meds are virtually useless anyway. That stuff is only effective for a very short period of time when the parasite has left the fish and moved to the substrate before it goes in search of another host. Catching it during that time is, at best, a crapshoot.
I've tried raising the temperature. I've been trying for 2 weeks, and my tank won't go above 80 degrees.
I've talked to a fish expert I know and he says that raising the temperature will help but won't heal. He said its like giving a person with a fever a blanket--it won't heal it completely, but just help.
I'd just like to know how many drops.
I've talked to a fish expert I know and he says that raising the temperature will help but won't heal. He said its like giving a person with a fever a blanket--it won't heal it completely, but just help.
I'd just like to know how many drops.
Devilishturtles
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can always get a higher wattage heater.
Your fish expert is partly right. Raising the temperature just a bit won't do anything. Raising the temperature above 86F will do everything. It kills the ich, and that is what you want.
With the meds, you'll be treating for upwards of a month, and may lose your plecostomus.
It's up to you the route you want to take. With the drops, my guess is going to be 1 drop per two gallons (with the pleco in there).
donttaptheglass
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thanks Devilish . . . .I can't in good conscience recommend you putting ANY drops in there with that Pleco.
Your fish expert may be quite knowledgable, however here in AA there are MANY fish experts, and even some not so experts that will back me up on this . . .
Take the ich med back and put the money into a higher wattage heater. You won't be sorry. The temp must be ABOVE 86F. It'll work, promise!
Your fish expert may be quite knowledgable, however here in AA there are MANY fish experts, and even some not so experts that will back me up on this . . .
Take the ich med back and put the money into a higher wattage heater. You won't be sorry. The temp must be ABOVE 86F. It'll work, promise!
Apocalypse_Gold
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Ich + ich meds = dead fish. 86F * 2 weeks = no more ich. I have used the heat method several times and it is 100% effective, and I have only lost one fish during treatment (and he was mostly dead before I started). My success rate with meds was about 25%, with lots of casualties. Unless your fish can't handle higher temps (like goldfish), skip the meds and buy a higher wattage heater. The general rule is 5 wpg. Higher temps do decrease oxygen. If you don't have an airstone you may want to add one, or if you have a hob filter, lower the water level so the output is falling into the tank.
donttaptheglass
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thanks for the backup on that Apocalypse . . . .but PLEASE tell me that your sig line is either sarcasm . . . or its just old and you haven't gotten around to changing it yet.
Apocalypse_Gold
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Sig is serious, and I actually just changed it to that because of all the UGF bashing that goes on around here. I have a UGF in my 20 g planted tank along with a HOB and I love it. I clean it well and keep my root feeding plants in pots. Even though the tank is very overstocked, my nitrates are consistently below 5 ppm and my tank is very clean and the water is clear. I probably won't have a ugf on my theoretical next aquarium as I plan on using eco-complete.
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
Peregrine said:
NO - 5 ml is a teaspoon! 15 ml is a tablespoon.
For the record - my experience with ich:
meds - 1 dead <out of 2>
heat + salt - 3 successful treatments & no casualty.
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