salt for cat?

[Allivymar]

tkos hit that one on the head.

Ich has a 3 stage life cycle and the meds basically only kill them during the freeswimming stage (they are pretty much encysted the other 2 and the meds can't get to them). There's a great article about ich here: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/fish/notes_ich.html#salt . It explains things a heck of a lot better then I can LOL

I'm unfamiliat with Nox-ich, but it does apparently contain malachite green which is one of the chosen chemicals for treatings ich.

 

[HOLLIEO]

wow! Great article!! But, now I am just a little confused. Can anyone shed some light for me... Give me a break man... It's friday?!?!?! ha, ha
So, I treated my fish for three days, turned the temp up, and then cleaned the tank and put back the cartridges. apparently I am doing something wrong because the Ich is still there (well, you can see spots on the fish). What do I do? keep treating with the medication, salt and heat until I dont see spots? I thought you just treated for the three days with meds and then clean up.
I guess I am wrong. I read the great article that Allivymar sent me, but I really need it spelled out for me. Like a step by step... readers digest version.. ha, ha
I am just not sure how I know when to stop medicating if the bottle says three days, but everyone else is saying longer?!?!? help!!!

 

[Allivymar]

Heh I hear ya; I'll give it a go.

Cause ich has 3 stages and only one is the really vunerable stage, the meds only kill em during that 3rd stage (when they're cruising around looking for victims). If there's any in the other stages in the tank, they will remain alive and wind up infesting your fish again cause the meds can't get thru the cyst shell. When they are on the fish they are actually in a cyst; the meds don't kill them off the fish. Its only when they hatch and swim around that they're killable.

The higher temp generally do NOT kill them (unless its incredibly high; I've heard like, 95f) but speeds up the life cycle, so you can catch more of em in that killable stage. So 3 days is generally not enough to make sure its all gone...at lower temps it can take an even longer as their life cycle can really slow down.

Also, its why its recommended to gravel vac EVERY day. You'll be sucking up most of those nasty little ich cysts hiding in the gravel. So fewer of em to reach the next stage and glom onto your fish.

Btw HOLLIEO, I realised that link prob goes right to the middle of the page. Did you figure out to scroll to the top? LOL

 

[HOLLIEO]

Allivymar... I totally appreciate your response on this. I really need the help!!!
So, now that I treated for thee days (which you say is not long enough) and I can still see spots on the fish (which you say the med wont kill), then what do I do now?
Oh, and when you gravel vac, about how much water is suffient to remove?
Yes. I was able to go all over the place on the link you attached and of course had to print it out to add to my collection.

 

[Allivymar]

I'd say keep treating; pretty much until 2 days after you see the last ich spot on your fish. Try to take out as little water as possible while gravel vaccuming so you're not sucking out all the meds, and do it BEFORE you put the meds in. I'd be hesitant to suggest putting in a little more meds to compensate; that stuff is pretty toxic and you don't want to overdose.

Ich sucks. It is such a pain to treat, and the fish are so miserable. I cringe anytime I walk into a lfs and the fish are covered; you KNOW those are not happy fishies.

 

[HOLLIEO]

Well, the cat didn't make it. This morning he was at the bottom of the tank
Still have to continue to treat te rest of the gang.
Thanks for the help. I will keep treating with the meds and a little salt and the heat. Hopefully a few days more. The platys are starting to clear up.

 

[Allivymar]

Ack. I'm sorry honey

A stupid question; mostly because it didn't even occur to me to ask previously, but was the ich med designed for scaleless fish? If not, did you half dose? Ich meds are basically poisons (as opposed to antibiotics for example) and the scaleless guys tend to absorb way too much. I am SUCH an idiot for not even thinking to mention that. Is what I get for posting during insomnia bouts *sigh*

Perchance you already knew that, keep in mind ich is tough to get rid of on those scaleless guys by any means. It infests them more so then scaled fish and leaves all fish who have it pretty weakened.

I'm glad to hear the platys are responding well; sounds like something there is going the way its supposed to.

 

[HOLLIEO]

Yes. I treated with the Ich med, half dose. It was 1 drop per gallon and since I have a 20 gallon... I just did 10.
Spots are still on the Platys, but not as many now. I have been treating with salt, heat and meds for about 6 days now (and cleaning the gravel) but the spots are still there. Should I continue to treat? Will the spots go away? Just not too sure on how long to keep the treatment up for?

 

[Allivymar]

Whew. I would have felt like dog droppings if you had fully dosed and I didn't mention the scaleless fish problem.

Yep. You are going to have to continue (sucks, I know). Don't forget, those spots on the platys will not be affected by the meds; got to keep the meds at a decent level to catch those buggers when they are free swimming. Its generally recommended to continue treatment till 2-3 days after the spots have gone.

I've also read that some ich strains are showing a resistance to treatment, although none of them were scientific studies. Be that as it may, it sounds like things are moving in the right direction; keep it up!