Horrible Ich. Is it too late?

[sueja]

Hello,

I was hoping someone could give me advise about whether my ich issue is still treatable (and if so, how?) or if it's too late.

I've had my tank now for 3 weeks and I've tested my water levels and everything is all clear. Added new fish and noticed one of my dwarf goramis would nip on the other dwarf causing stress on the poor guy. I was thinking to return one of them but before I had the chance I noticed a couple white bumps on the fin. The next day I went and got No-Ich (malachite based) and have been treating for 1 week now with 1/2 a dose because I have an upside-down cat fish. Only that one fish has the ich and it's gotten worse, like a LOT worse, and it looks like the poor guy might not make it through. The color is fading and the fins are stuck to the body. I'm trying everything to save the poor guy. I've raised the temperature, isolated the bully fish and the cat fish so that I can do a full dose treatment. I was going to do a salt water bath as well but I'm afraid that the fish is too weak now and will probably cause more stress on it.

Is there anything else I can do? Should I add salt to the tank or will the raised temp and medication deplete the oxygen too much (I have an air-stone). Suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[sinibotia]

Don't use salt and meds together. You may have a resistant strain and need to switch meds. I'm afraid that's all I can say. Signs don't look good for your gourami

It's rare, but ich has been documented skipping the "vulnerable" 2nd stage of its life and reproducing within the fish. Sounds like that may be the case here.

 

[sueja]

I'm afraid you're right. I've never heard about there being resistant strains like this. Every post I read made it seem like there's always a relatively easy cure for ich. I can't believe how bad it looks. I've never seen anything this bad. Can't even google a picture that's comparable to what I have. Has to be a deadly strain. Pretty sad.

 

[Matt68005]

Could you give him a salt bath in a full strength or even double concentration of your medicine in a glass goldfish bowl or plastic tub?
Would only take 5 or ten minutes maybe to kill them?
Sorry i dont have alot of experience with ick, but i do other diseases and something like ick is suppose to be easy.
I would try the bath rather then subject him to a week of half strength malachite?
Ick meds are one shot kill parasite type meds. Should respond in as little as 30 minutes...

 

[Matt68005]

Why is everyone using this new "nox-ich" ?
Do you have access to some quick cure at walmart, as the formalin/malachite combo is a good parasite killer.

 

[sueja]

Unfortunately it was too late. It has gone to fish heaven sometime last night. I was afraid of putting it into a salt bath because the fish was already very weak and people have said that it could cause more stress on the fish. The last resort I had was to remove the healthy fish and up the temperature to 84 and use a full dose of Nox-ich.

Nox-ich ABSOLUTELY DID NOT WORK at ALL!! There were no improvements whatsoever since using. Also, 2 days ago my guppy got a few spots on the fins and the next day my guppy was gone. So we've had 2 casualties to far.

Also, I don't believe Nox-Ich was supposed to be a one time kill type thing. Ich is vulnerable in only 1 stage of it's life and it doesn't kill the ich while the ich is attached to the fish. The instructions stated to use 1 drop per gallon daily for 3 days, and if ich persists take a 1 day break and continue another 3 day treatment. It did not mention anything else other than to remove the filter. I've done water changes between the treatments just in case.

Hopefully others will see this and take my advise and DON'T USE NOX-ICH. It doesn't work.

 

[Matt68005]

I agree 100%. I have noticed several post about people on here using "nox-ich" and not having any sucess.
A bottle of quick cure is 4 dollars at wallmart and will kill your fishes ich in 30 minutes.
(Not directed towards you, just others that have been using this defunt product)
If people are gonna use meds at all, i wish they would use things that work.

 

[Matt68005]

I understad about trying to save the planet and all, but why bother when conservatives think its okay to pump billions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year and spill oil all over the place......your little malachite/formalin is not gonna have much impact on the planets ecosystem if others deny "climate change" or as i like to call it , big oil supporters from texas who dont care about anyone but themselves. LOL
Take it or leave it, this is my opinion and im entitled to it per the constution of the united states.

 

[sinibotia]

If you're worried about the environment, use salt

 

[sueja]

Well I'll have to agree with you 100% on that myself. But I had no idea these meds were bad for the environment. If I did, I probably would have gone natural, although I didn't have that as an option at the time simply because I didn't know.

I will take your advise and go to walmart. I have another fish in the tank, although not showing signs, I will take my precautions and treat that one. Thanks for the advise!

 

[HookedOnFishh]

I'd say if he is that bad flush him he'll die in a few days if it's that bad no meds will treat him now when it's that bad


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