Ich

[Rhetherington]

Hi all I got ich for the first time in 10-15 years. I have been treating for about 5 days used Paraguard then switched to microbe lift herbtana 2 days ago. Looks like I have stopped the spreading and maybe killed off the free swimming parasite. Is it safe to add new fish?

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Rhet...

I would perform at least a 50 percent water change and do a thorough job of vacuuming the bottom material. Add a healthy teaspoon of standard aquarium salt to the new, treated tap water. Allow the tank to run for a few days. Then, it will be safe to add a few fish. The Ich parasite isn't able to grow and reproduce in pure water conditions and a trace of salt in the water. Once the fish are in, I would begin a more aggressive water change routine. If you can commit to removing and replacing at least half the tank water weekly, you should have no more tank problems.

B

 

[Rhetherington]

Thank you, yeah it’s a 125 gallon high tech heavily planted tank. I did a full clean on my 4’ manzanita and did a 60 % water change. I do weekly water changes as well. It had to come in from one of my new fish

Thanks for the response

 

[libertybelle]

It may indeed have come in from one of your new fish but I think what B was pointing out was that a healthy fish’s immune system can often resist ich. Seeing it get the better of the fish means the fish might need a little extra attention and a little extra clean water. Also having just finished a treatment they may still be a little stressed and susceptible to anything new fish might bring in again. I’d give them a couple weeks to recover before putting in any new fish.

Well actually I would probably quarantine but that’s just me! My lfs for a decade wasn’t the best. Lots of ich in their tanks so I got in the habit of almost always quarantining for at least a week to watch for it. Never actually developed (which is why I so strongly believe in clean water as a preventative) but better safe then having to medicate the whole tank again.

 

[Autumnsky]

The life cycle goes for a little while and it is always best to wait for a week min. after the last spot is seen but I would wait about 2 weeks to help the fish get back to normal. And be sure the little Ich bugs are really gone.

Bringing in new fish with new possible illnesses to pile on top of the already weakened immune system is a negative.

As mentioned above using a QT practice can be especially important in expensive fish, sensitive types of fish, scaleless fish and inverts in the tank which do not survive many types of treatments, and just simply the security of an established tank.

QT practices vary in many peoples definition. A week would help you see glaring issues, a couple weeks min, will help you make sure there aren't any big things been brewing and the fish should be looking pretty good. But some like longer periods.

It can also depend upon if you have an imported fish, if they spent awhile in shipping prior to you getting them, if you treat them when they arrive, deworm them, wait to make sure any parasite issue would be cured.

Frequent the lfs where they came from and can get accurate information from the manager about health of the fish from that particular tank coming down with something...