Two bolivians and an angel walk into a bar...

[Vallorn]

and end up with dandruff. I had special ordered 2 bolivian rams and a koi angelfish and had to pick them up yesterday. My quarantine tank was in use because one of my cory's ended up with fin rot so I placed the new fish in my 20g. The 20g will be the home for the ram's but the angel will be moving on to a larger tank once he/she grows a little.

The new fish were in almost perfect condition but I noticed today while doing my weekly pwc that at least 3 of the other fish already in the 20g appear to have ich (which oddly enough seems to be pretty popular on this forum today). I've already started slowly raising the temperature of the tank but I'm have tempted to go out and buy some CopperSafe.

This whole situation is slightly starting to stress me out which is why I'm tempted to go with meds. I've been looking forward to getting my new fish since I special ordered them over 2 weeks ago and now it seems that my tank has put them in jeopardy. The 20g is planted with a penguin 150b filter and has 10 neons, 4 ottos, and the new fish in it.

Does anyone not recommend going the med route or should I just stick with the temperature treatment?


Fyi, I forgot to mention the 20g is fully cycled with 0 ammo, 0 nitrites, and ~5ppm nitrates.

 

[brittanykluss]

Wheres the koi going?

 

[Vallorn]

Wheres the koi going?

Into a 55g tank.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I've never been a fan of meds, but I did have to resort to them once for something that no natural method could cure. That said, the salt and heat method work well IME. I bought 50 some fish at once a while back because a store was going out of business and offered me a deal I couldn't pass up. Put them all in and ended up with ich... no surprise. Raised the temp up to 88 degrees and added half the recommended dosage of salt (half what the salt carton said anyways). This was in a tank with plants and fish that are typically said to not do well with salt (clown loaches and bristlenose plecos). The clowns were the ones with the ich the worst, within a week and a half, no sign of ich. Lowered the temp back down 2 weeks after that, everyone has been just dandy since.

 

[Gboy66]

50 fish?? Haha woah thats cool. How big was the tank? Sounds like natural methods always work on here, so id go that route!

 

[Vallorn]

Well, I've already started raising the temp and it's at 80 now. I may give it a shot but I might go pick up some CopperSafe as a last resort. I have that Quick Cure stuff already but I've heard mixed things about it.

My biggest concern is the new fish. I mean, they are stressed already from being in a new tank and now they have to go through an ich treatment. I understand Bolivians like warmer temperature but I'm not sure how the rest of the fish in the tank will handle it.

 

[Gboy66]

Any other tanks for the new fish temporarily? Id go natural with a little salt

 

[Vallorn]

Any other tanks for the new fish temporarily? Id go natural with a little salt

No other tanks unfortunately; they are all occupied.

 

[Gboy66]

Friends? (15 charectors)

 

[Vallorn]

Friends? (15 charectors)

Nope. None of them have any tanks or interest in it.

 

[Gboy66]

Ah jeez. K go ahead with your treatment although youv already prbly started. Hope it doesnt hurt the fish