Help with ICH in a community tank

[turbovr6]

Hi everyone,
I just noticed what looks like a bad outbreak of ich in my tank. My plecos and clowns have no spots(from what I can see), but my danios are covered, my pink gourami is covered, my blue and gold gouramis have a few spots.
Whats the best way to treat this variety of fish? I just spent an hour reading, but it's hard to figure out what to do with so many different typs of fish.
I'm going to do a gravel vac and 50% water change, then start raising the temp. Should I attempt any meds? go buy a UV Sterilizer?
It's a well established tank, most of the fish are over 2years old. water parameters are good, I keep the tank clean, and at 80 degrees.
Not sure what happened, but this is my first ich breakout!!!
I'll try and get some pics, but I'm sure it's ich.

 

[Zagz]

No meds just heat will work just fine. Get the temp up to 87, for severe outbreak 1-2 degrees every 6 hours. Keep temps up there for 2 weeks after the last spot of ich is gone. Add an airstone or lower the water level a bit for extra aeration.

 

[turbovr6]

I can't get great pictures but if you look at the fins you can see the white dots.

 

[Zagz]

Yup that is ich.

 

[roka64]

Ouch, you can also add garlic guard to their frozen food, this will help their immune systems. Soak it for 20-30 minutes.

 

[tkos]

http://aquafacts.net/index.php?option=com_mambowiki&Itemid=50

this link should take you to a nice wiki on fish. Sorry I can't seem to link directly to the ich article but it is easy to find under fish disease. Regardless of the treatment you choose I would read this article. Very good information on the life cycle of ich and various treatments out there. I am partial to the heat and salt method.

And at this point assume all your fish have ich and treat as such. those that aren't showing signs soon will.

 

[Zagz]

Don't use salt with plecos and clowns. They are intolerant of salt. Heat only will work fine.

 

[turbovr6]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It's now day 3 since I discovered the ICH. I checked the temp in all 4 corners, lower, mid and upper water levels. The tank is 87.5-88 degrees. Water level is just below the spraybar, turned the airstone flow to max, and have vaccumed the tank every day.
How long should it take before I can tell if the heat only method is working? 2 of the 5 clowns have a few spots, the pink gourami and danios have less spots than 2 days ago. So far the blue and yellow gouramis, my big 14" pleco and baby gold nugget have not shown any spots at all*crossing fingers*

Thanks....

 

[Zagz]

Great news. It will take a few days if not just over a week. Ich can get worse before it gets better.

 

[turbovr6]

any opinions on diatom filters and UV sterillizers? A co-worker who left the hobby gave them to me a few months ago but I forgot all about them. Never used either before. Seems like a good idea from what I have been reading.

 

[tkos]

UV should help, diatom probably not. Continue any treatment for at least 1 week after the last sign of ich. If you don't know why then go to the link I posted earlier to do a little research.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The diatom won't be of any help. Leave the heat up for at least two weeks after the last sign of ich is gone. Then slowly bring it back down.