Ick!!

[Shealot]

Hi there,
I’m asking advice again! Sorry....
Long story short, I recently got ick in my tank, didn’t get what I needed to treat it in time, tried treating it but still lost everybody. [emoji24] So I did a big water change, put a new carbon filter back in my tank and bought one new fish. He’s has been looking great since I got him but today I’m noticing a few white spots on his fins... afraid it’s ick again. I’m just about to treat it but I wanted to check first.... my filter has a bio wheel and of course the brand new filter I just put in. When I treated last time I did not take out the bio wheel. Should I have? And should I this time? Should I just cut the carbon out of this new filter or put a temporary carbonless filter in like I did last time? Will I completely mess up my tank if I put a brand new filter in again after I’ve treated? Don’t know what to do, but need help asap. ??*??*
Thanks

 

[Shealot]

Also, I don’t have an adjustable heater.
I have a five gallon tank.
If I do a water change right now before I medicate will it help or will it stress him too much?

 

[Shealot]

Ok update:
I didn’t want to risk waiting any longer to treat (my terrible mistake last time), so I did a wc, raised the water temp a little with the new water, checked my water parameters which look good, put in a temporary non carbon filter, and treated the ick. Now I wait for 48 hrs before treating again. Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[m.j.gomez]

Hello, you didn't mention what type of fish you have. What type of meds your using. So far it sounds like you got a handle on it except for your heat. It will stress a fish more if your heat isn't steady so I wouldn't add warmer water than what you preset heater is doing right know. Hopefully this helps you!!!!!!

Ok update:
I didn’t want to risk waiting any longer to treat (my terrible mistake last time), so I did a wc, raised the water temp a little with the new water, checked my water parameters which look good, put in a temporary non carbon filter, and treated the ick. Now I wait for 48 hrs before treating again. Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[Jimjamjamejim]

Please help!!!!

Hello, first of all I’m new to forums so not sure if I’m writing this In the right place. I need some help urgently, my fish is acting so strange, not eating, has a sunken belly and has some white flakey stuff on his top fin and all his fins look pretty frail and torn. Can someone please help to identify what disease he has. Thank you.

 

[Shealot]

Hello, you didn't mention what type of fish you have. What type of meds your using. So far it sounds like you got a handle on it except for your heat. It will stress a fish more if your heat isn't steady so I wouldn't add warmer water than what you preset heater is doing right know. Hopefully this helps you!!!!!!

Thank you! I have API Super Ick Cure. I have 1 neon blue dwarf gourami. And a little snail. I just ordered a marineland adjustable heater.... just hoping it gets here as soon as possible!

Also I have some random white dots on my thermometer and driftwood, any ideas what those are? I’ll attach a pic...View attachment 1

 

[Shealot]

I have no idea what that other photo is in there or why this posted three of the same photos. Sorry about that.

 

[m.j.gomez]

Sorry for delay in middle of changing water on several leg tanks.The heater is a good idea. You see ich can only be killed in free swimming stage not when it's on the fish or when it gets to substrate. Heat speeds up the life cycle of ich so you can get rid of faster. As for the white dots on wood they look like nirite snail eggs. Is that the type of snail you have? If so it's a female.

Thank you! I have API Super Ick Cure. I have 1 neon blue dwarf gourami. And a little snail. I just ordered a marineland adjustable heater.... just hoping it gets here as soon as possible!

Also I have some random white dots on my thermometer and driftwood, any ideas what those are? I’ll attach a pic...View attachment 320646View attachment 320646View attachment 1View attachment 320646

 

[Shealot]

Yeah the snail is a nerite! Thank you!
And do you recommend vacuuming the gravel between medication doses?

 

[m.j.gomez]

Yeah, I would. You want to get any dead or dieing parasite. But be careful if your tank is not well established you may be taking out good bacteria too so do it lightly & not a deep clean. You don't want to cause an ammonia spike. Another thing I do is continue treatment for 7days after all signs of parasite & flashing stopped. Sometimes ich will hide in gills & if treatment is stopped to soon it will cause a reoccurrence.

Yeah the snail is a nerite! Thank you!
And do you recommend vacuuming the gravel between medication doses?

 

[Dreamroper]

Does a UV filter help with this kind of thing?

 

[m.j.gomez]

A uv will help but it won't kill all the parasites just whatever passes threw it & you want to get rid as soon as possible so treating all water w/meds is best.

Does a UV filter help with this kind of thing?

 

[Dreamroper]

A uv will help but it won't kill all the parasites just whatever passes threw it & you want to get rid as soon as possible so treating all water w/meds is best.

Thanks. I have been fortunate enough to never have any disease in my tank, but had a minor algae bloom from over cleaning filter media and I had read that the UV also helps with diseases.

 

[Shealot]

So, I did a second round of ick treatment and I’m about to do a 25% wc. Today is a week since I started the first treatment. The fish has gotten better in some regards. He still has a little white stuff on him and he still doesn’t seem like his normal happy self. Possibly that’s because 1. he still doesn’t feel good, or 2. he’s the only fish in the tank. I’m wanting to get a buddy for him but I want to get the ick taken care of first. Should I do a wc and treat once more or should I stop treatment and put a new carbon filter in. If he still has a little white stuff on his side then can he get reinfected? Should I stop medicating, keep the temp higher and start doing pwc every day for awhile until he’s back to normal?

I did get an adjustable heater, btw and am keeping the water temp at about 82. The fish is a neon blue dwarf gourami in a 5 gal tank.

 

[m.j.gomez]

It should be clear by now. Are you sure it's ich? Can you get a close pic of fish to see.

So, I did a second round of ick treatment and I’m about to do a 25% wc. Today is a week since I started the first treatment. The fish has gotten better in some regards. He still has a little white stuff on him and he still doesn’t seem like his normal happy self. Possibly that’s because 1. he still doesn’t feel good, or 2. he’s the only fish in the tank. I’m wanting to get a buddy for him but I want to get the ick taken care of first. Should I do a wc and treat once more or should I stop treatment and put a new carbon filter in. If he still has a little white stuff on his side then can he get reinfected? Should I stop medicating, keep the temp higher and start doing pwc every day for awhile until he’s back to normal?

I did get an adjustable heater, btw and am keeping the water temp at about 82. The fish is a neon blue dwarf gourami in a 5 gal tank.

 

[Shealot]

 

[Autumnsky]

Stress can cause reduced ability for the fish to fend off IcH.

Water changes with temperature matched water. Having enough room for fish to be comfortable and not cramped, keeping groups of fish which need friends, good ratio of male to female fish. Fish wich need the same / similar water temperature and parameters.

Keeping up maintenance, having a cycled tank/ filter. Not over feeding, but feeding good quality food appropriate for the fish needs.

Here are a couple articles.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/ich-ick-white-spot-or-whatever-else-you-call-it/

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/freshwater-ich-yuck/

 

[m.j.gomez]

View attachment 320746View attachment 320747View attachment 320748

Ok, think I see it & does look like ich. I would do another round of meds.
When treating ich I use salt & heat this usually takes about 4-6days for ich to disappear & another 7days after that to make sure it's eradicated. 2wks for treatment. I've never used store meds so they may take longer. You might consider using salt method if its stays persistent. You'd have to remove snail since it doesn't tolerate salt.

 

[Shealot]

Hmmm, does a snail need a filtration system and heater?

 

[m.j.gomez]

It depends on what site you go to some say 65°-85°, 70-80 & 72-82. I've kept them in fish bowls w/air that stayed room temp w/no problems simply changed 25% water every 2-3days & fed flakes.

Hmmm, does a snail need a filtration system and heater?