How long for Ick to kill?

[boardsurfer]

Hi all,

I got two new fish from the lfs (they had buy 1 get 1 free). They were in my tank and everything was doing great. Then, 1 month later- they both died, and also took a couple of my yellow-tail damsels with them. I only have 3 damsels left, and one of them has damaged dorsal and pectoral fins, and kind of like a cloudy mucus on him.

Do you think this could be ick? Would ick take this long to kill? I thought that ick killed the inhabitants in a week or so...

PH is 8.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Temp 79-84 (it fluctuates because my heater stinks)
Gravity 23ppm

Thanks

 

[jamal-188]

Ick does not cause the fins etc to be ripped or damaged. It will look like small white dots that could be as small as grains of salt. Your heat fluctuation is a concern. You really don't want your tank to fluctuate like that, I would invest in a new heater asap.

 

[Guest]

Be sure to check that your tank is not coolest in the morning and hottest in the evening. that could mean your lights are steaming up your tank. I also hear that DOL? (dissolved oxygen level?) start to fall around 80 so try and keep it under there and as stable as possible. If lights are a problem..... Elevate them, Vent the top of the hood, get a fan, Hopefully you wont need a chiller. As far as your dieseas it sounds like stress from temp variations can be making them susceptable to fungus. I am no expert on disease so if you think i might be correct go to sick fish dept :-( Good Luck

dela

 

[jamal-188]

I also hear that DOL? (dissolved oxygen level?) start to fall around 80 so try and keep it under there and as stable as possible.

dela

I've never heard that about the DOL falling at a certain temp? But I do know nothing bad happens if you keep the tank over 80. Most people on here keep there tanks in the 80-82 degree range if I'm not mistaken. I keep my tanks 80-81 and have never had a problem.

 

[Guest]

I've never heard that about the DOL falling at a certain temp?

I heard this from a guy that seemed pretty knowlegable and experienced. I could be wrong. but come to thing of it expand when they are warmer leaving less pressure on molecules. I also ready everywhere that -74-78 is good but most people here say around 80. I have kept mine around 78 i figure its the best of both worlds.

Dela

 

[jamal-188]

I would never have a SW tank below 78 unless they were cold water species which are very rare. I"m not sure who told you 74-78 but IMO 78 is even on the low temperature end.

 

[Thelionfishman]

I agree with everyone keep your temp. at 78' it's the best temp. It sounds that you do not have ick, but fin and body fungus. Try some medicine for about five days it should clear up.

 

[boardsurfer]

Thanks for the help. I am going to buy a better heater this weekend.

Merry X-mas

 

[Apollo]

Ick

Ick appears as "white freckles" on the fish and "Can lead to fin deterioration"

If left untreated it can result in other fish deseases and decay.

Some of this looks like "cotton" on the fishes body.

The treatment of Ick lasts from 1 week to approximately 10 days depending on the degree of the infection.

This can be treated with products like rid-ick.
It is a blue-green formula that you add directly to the water.

You must remove all carbon filtration for any type of medication because it can filtered out.

Secondly, you will want to remove any ornaments possible while doing this because the ick medications contain a chemical call malachite green which will "dye" your ornaments an ugly blue-green.

Even when removing all ornaments the seals at the corners of your tank can get stained with this color but it is not really noticeable.

 

[gooyferret]

Apollo that is true ich can cause fin decay! Glad you brought that up because i was going to!