Ich in my planted tank

[Luna09]

Hello!

I recently bought plants off of Kijiji (my first of possible several mistakes) as after 3-4 days in the tank, my green neon tetras began flashing.

I immediately turned up my water temperature and inspected the fish. I saw the classic signs- a few (1-2 Ich cysts on a couple of the tetras) and added the first dose of Cupramine (1 drop per gallon)

Then I got worried about my plants and everything struggling because Cupramine is hard on the plants and fish metabolism- liver damage.

So I yet again maybe made another mistake.

I left it over night. In the morning things were looking Ok but not happy. So I put carbon in my filter and did a large water change (30-40%)

I waited a few hours for the carbon to do it's magic and then went to the store for aquarium salt.

I am now in the process of slowly adding 1.5tsp/gallon in a brine solN.
I added a small amount about 40 minutes ago and no one seems the worse for wear.

Does anyone have advice?

My parameters are

0ppm of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
6.6-6.8pH
83F temp.

It is a 40 gallon planted with fluorite substrate (mostly black)

Driftwood and plants, CO2 injection of about 1bubble/sec plus root tabs near the more demanding plants.

I add Flourish, Flourish Trace and I tiny bit of Flourish iron when the plants need it.


Does anyone have other suggestions? I haven't had an outbreak of Ich since my first aquarium when I was 13 years old and Internet didn't exist to tell me guppies need a heater.

Thanks so much!

-Luna


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[ImACoolguy]

How long has the tank been set up?
0 nitrate other indicates tank is not cycled or your plants are absorbing them all.

Have you introduced anything recently besides the plants? Don't really see plants inducing ich through stress... It's a plant not an Oscar in a china shop...

What is the entire stock of your tank?

If you have any bottom feeders such as pleco's, loaches, corydoras, etc either quarantine them separate or don't use salt. Because they are scaleless the salt can actually kill them in high doses.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[Luna09]

My tank is over 5 years old and nothing else is new. I do weekly water changes and have never had a problem.

Ich oocysts encapsulate themselves in the substrate, on plants and on drift wood in one of the life stages of the Protozoa. It is possible for them to have been introduced to my aquarium by the new plants.

My aquarium is a standard 40 gallon and contains:

- 6 green neon tetras
- 3 ember tetras
- 1 apistogramma panduro
- 1 pearl gourami
- 1 sumo loach

I realize I might loose the sumo due to salinity but if the only fish I loose is one that I can get at the LFS any time, then I'm ok with that.

The green neons took me 2 years to find as they aren't common in Ottawa and the only apistos I usually see at my LF stores are agassizii and cacatuoides, I really don't want to loose my panduro.




Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[ImACoolguy]

My tank is over 5 years old and nothing else is new. I do weekly water changes and have never had a problem.

Ich oocysts encapsulate themselves in the substrate, on plants and on drift wood in one of the life stages of the Protozoa. It is possible for them to have been introduced to my aquarium by the new plants.

My aquarium is a standard 40 gallon and contains:

- 6 green neon tetras
- 3 ember tetras
- 1 apistogramma panduro
- 1 pearl gourami
- 1 sumo loach

I realize I might loose the sumo due to salinity but if the only fish I loose is one that I can get at the LFS any time, then I'm ok with that.

The green neons took me 2 years to find as they aren't common in Ottawa and the only apistos I usually see at my LF stores are agassizii and cacatuoides, I really don't want to loose my panduro.




Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

It's not "required" to use salt during ich treatment. It's just a remedy to soothe them. Important thing is keeping temp at 86.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[Luna09]

When reading into a bunch of different remedies, I read that the salt will kill the free swimming parasites but that, as you said, heat is a big factor.

So my temp is above 80 and I really hope that helps everything along.

I am just so sad. I love all my fish and plants and everything has been running very smoothly for years.

I noticed the neons flashing yesterday and a few spots this morning but I haven't had any deaths so far.

With treatment is it possible that the infected fish will survive? Should I be culling?

Does anyone know how long after adding salt I can expect to see improvement? I am not noticing any more spots from this morning but I think my embers are starting to get itchy.

Thanks,

~Luna


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Would bump up to a full 85-86 to be sure.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Luna09]

It is between 84-86. My thermometer isn't sensitive enough to tell (I'm using one with a needle that goes up in increments of 2 degrees...

The tetras are looking a lot worse today but they are still eating.

Fingers crossed.

-Luna


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice