Ich on my cardinal ?

[dmoney87]

So my first ever possible outbreak of Ich in my entire time of aquarium keeping.. Im not 100% that it is Ich and my cardinal along with the spots are much to small for a detail picture.. mainly since Ive had to return my amazing camera due to job loss.. Anyways I discovered 2 white spots on the body of my cardinal. I read they are suppose to look like grain of salt. So ive been watching and they do appear to protrude out of the body but almost looks like a very tiny white spider. (thats my description) Ive also found one spot almost directly under the gill. Over the last 48 hours ive done alot of reading and if it is infact ich Ive begone the heat treatment as I refuse to use chemicals in my aquarium, and its much to large to dose with salt. Ive added an extra bubble bar set on full blast and slowly over the last 48-55 hours increased the temperature of the tank to 89-90 degrees farenheight. So far no signs of stress from any of my fish in the increased temperature. Ive already done a 45% water change and will do another tomorrow. So anyways If I am missing on something I should be doing aswell please let me know, thanks in advance

-davE

 

[Zagz]

A good place to start. Watch the spots and if they become cottony or fuzzy, QT the fish and treat for bacterial infection. If they stay the same and you see the fish's poo become longish, white and stringy, then QT and treat for internal parasites.

 

[dmoney87]

A good place to start. Watch the spots and if they become cottony or fuzzy, QT the fish and treat for bacterial infection. If they stay the same and you see the fish's poo become longish, white and stringy, then QT and treat for internal parasites.

I havent noticed any other fish that has any abnormalites spots or otherwise..Are either the bacterial infection or the internal parasites contagious to any of my other fish? Because if this is the case I would rather "put down" my one cardinal rather than risk my entire fish population.

 

[Zagz]

Both instances can be contagious. I don't think you should euthanize one fish when you are not sure of any infections. If it is ich then the whole tank will have it regardless and the heat treatment will take care of that.

 

[dmoney87]

I did the heat treatment for ich for about two weeks in all total. I do now not believe the two white spots to be Ich as they have not gone away. The fish seems as active and healthy as always.. no flashing.. he eats.. and theres no other abnormal behavior. I have not been able to see the color of his feces. I plan on buying the New Life Spectrum A+ Non-Medicated anti parasite food. I currently feed my fish the New Life pellets along with there flake brand.. Hikari frozen foods and Hikari sinking carnivore pellets. The "anti parasite" food just seems to be of a little higher nutritional value. So my question is.. Does anything other than medication work to remove parasites etc? I don't currently have a QT tank setup, which is reckless on my part I know. At the same time I refuse to put any medication/chemical into my tank. I even get a little hesitant when Im dosing my ferts lol.

thanks again,

davE