Jaybird
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I bought clown loach last week to replace the one that tried to do the Alcatraz thing (escape down the python hose), and to my horror, three days later I found him covered in ick spots!! I have never seen so many!
None of my other fish have ever had ick. Now I am battling it full force. I have a 400W heater in my 90G which only dials up to 87F. Well, I have it cranked, but my thermometer on the other side of the tank reads about 85F. It just can't get above that.
The 85F temp shouldn't be a problem, should it? I know everyone keeps recommending 87, but it just won't make it.
Another question, will gravel vacuuming help? I've read about the ick life-cycle and that the protozoa is not affected by ick medicine when it is encysted in the fish (when you see the white spots) and after it leaves the fish it falls to the bottom of the tank and encysts itself again. Will the vacuuming help remove the encysted ick at the tank bottom?
What started with one loach, has spread to the other loaches, and to some of my keyholes. I've also seen some of my other fish flash on some of the rockwork.
I've put some medication in the tank, but at 1/2 dose because of the loaches.
Any input would be great. I've never had to fight this before. Fin rot yes, but never ick.
None of my other fish have ever had ick. Now I am battling it full force. I have a 400W heater in my 90G which only dials up to 87F. Well, I have it cranked, but my thermometer on the other side of the tank reads about 85F. It just can't get above that.
The 85F temp shouldn't be a problem, should it? I know everyone keeps recommending 87, but it just won't make it.
Another question, will gravel vacuuming help? I've read about the ick life-cycle and that the protozoa is not affected by ick medicine when it is encysted in the fish (when you see the white spots) and after it leaves the fish it falls to the bottom of the tank and encysts itself again. Will the vacuuming help remove the encysted ick at the tank bottom?
What started with one loach, has spread to the other loaches, and to some of my keyholes. I've also seen some of my other fish flash on some of the rockwork.
I've put some medication in the tank, but at 1/2 dose because of the loaches.
Any input would be great. I've never had to fight this before. Fin rot yes, but never ick.