Help! Is this Ich?

[catfishkid]

So just now I noticed white spots all over my cherry barbs face and body. I put him in a QT for now, but I don't know if I have the right medicine to treat it.


(sorry best photo i could get)

Do I have to get separate meds for ich or can i use the ones I have for fungal infections?

 

[Old Scales]

Does your QT tank have a heater? The most dependable treatment for Ich is heat. It stops the larvae get to other fish in its free swimming stage. The temp needs to be slowly raised to 84 -86F. Salt & meds don't really cure much of anything and may hurt more than help. Keep at high temp for one week after last spots disappear then slowly lower temp back to normal. If the fish got Ich while in your main tank, then it's probably already in the tank's gravel and you might have to heat treat the main tank also.
Good luck, OS.

 

[catfishkid]

Does your QT tank have a heater? The most dependable treatment for Ich is heat. It stops the larvae get to other fish in its free swimming stage. The temp needs to be slowly raised to 84 -86F. Salt & meds don't really cure much of anything and may hurt more than help. Keep at high temp for one week after last spots disappear then slowly lower temp back to normal. If the fish got Ich while in your main tank, then it's probably already in the tank's gravel and you might have to heat treat the main tank also.
Good luck, OS.

The QT tank doesn't have a heater, the most it has is an air tube in it for oxygen. Would it be okay to put him back in the main tank and then raise the temp. there?

 

[siva]

Yes, you need to treat the entire tank. I agree heat is the best method, avoid using salt and meds. Raise the heat slowly. During the course of treatment do as many PWC's as you can and gravel vac thoroughly to remove cysts from the substrate. Leave the tank lights out. Leave the heat up for one week after symptoms are gone. Add an airstone and/or reduce the water level to increase surface agitation from the filter because the increased heat = decreased oxygen.

 

[Old Scales]

Yes, without a heater you're not accomplishing much. Plus I would want to make sure if any Ich larvae are in my main tank I would want to heat treat it. You can google Ichtyoptherius and read through lots of info and forum posts about its life cycles. That would give you good insight on what you are fighting. Os.