Dear god how long can ich last? Finally with pics!!

[Zagz]

My clown loaches have had ich for 3 weeks now, the temp has been 87 for the entire time. None of the other fish are afflicted and the clowns have only a couple of spots each. How long can this go on and how long can I keep the temps up?

[Jchillin]

Long treatments are not uncommon...4-6 weeks probably will be your target. I have no experience with CL's, but since they are known to be more susceptible, this may hold true.

[Zagz]

Thanks JC! You have taken a load off my mind! I googled and googled and had no answer.

[rich311k]

Good luck Zagz. Patience. It will die eventually.

[Zagz]

One thing I have learned with fish is patience! LOL, fishless cycling alone taught me that! Thanks guys.

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with the 'fellas too. It'll go away eventually.

[rubysoho]

and just remember to keep the heat up for two weeks after treatment so it doesn't come back!

[Zagz]

I know, it is so frustrating for me, on the bright side the clowns don't seem to notice or care, they are active and hilarious as ever!

[Tiffi]

I've just had the same. Have my 70gal on 86F for 3 weeks now and recognized a couple days ago that some fishes start iching again and the female dwarf gourami still seems to have some spots on her tail. I just hope that my fishe snad my plants will continue to be ok.

And what if it's still there in 4-6 weeks, JC?

[Jchillin]

And what if it's still there in 4-6 weeks, JC?

If ich can survive that type of environment for that length of time, then we may have encountered a new strain. We are thinking: All signs of ich gone from the fish within 4 weeks and the additional 2 weeks to pick up the stranglers.

[graymare]

Heard of temp treatment, do you have to quarantine for that or is everyone in there getting the heat?? 8O

[Jchillin]

Everyone gets the treatment. If you QT just the fish that appear affected, the ich spores that are present in the tank will infect those that are not infected eventually.

[graymare]

I see, Thought maybe some fishes didn't do well at that temp

[rich311k]

The heat treament doesn't work very well for goldfish. They don t do as well in the heat and the lower O2 levels in the water.

[greenmaji]

I would double check the temperture.. ok I would check it 5 times with 5 new glass thermometers if I was waiting a month and saw ich still present..
do you have 5 watts per gallon+ worth of heaters in the tank?
fluctuations below the taget temperature can make the heat treatment go on endefinately..

[Zagz]

I have checked it with 3 different glass thermometers, 2 digital thermometers, and two plastic floating types and one metal. I thought I was getting bad readings as well so checked and rechecked. The temp is exactly what the digital thermometers read.

[greenmaji]

is the tank getting a draft?
are you sure its ich?
is there something secondary going on? like a secondary illness..

[jsoong]

I have one nasty thought ...

There is apparently a "Florida" strain of ich that will withstand heat of up to 90. If I understand it correctly, ich should go through a complete cycle in 3-4 days at high temp. So you really should have eliminated all traces of ich in a week or 2. Persistent ich in this case may be a heat resistent strain & you might have to up the temp <if the fish can stand it.>

Also, koivet reports an unusual strain of ich in goldies that does not fall off the fish, but fester for weeks on the fish before releasing the tomites directly .... might be another reason why prolonged treatment is needed.

[Zagz]

Well it certainly looks and acts like ich. My picture taking skills aren't that good or I'd post a pic. I have never heard of this type of ich, will have to research into that. No draft to the tank. If there is a secondary illness going on, there is absolutely no signs of it.

[Blazeherd2306]

Just keep waiting....it can't last forever.