Ick Central

[Morrowboarder]

I've battled this before, but this time it's pretty bad. My two pictus catfish are ick infested. I don't know where the parasite came from, but one is so bad, he is breathing rapidly due to ick on the gills. I used CopperSafe before and it worked after a week, but I'm not sure if the one pictus can last that long. The CopperSafe killed all my plants last time I used it, luckily I haven't added any plants since. Any idea where the ick came from? I haven't added anything to the tank for months

 

[Pufferlove]

I heard that Sometimes ick can come from stress but can't confirm that though

 

[Ljk09]

I've battled this before, but this time it's pretty bad. My two pictus catfish are ick infested. I don't know where the parasite came from, but one is so bad, he is breathing rapidly due to ick on the gills. I used CopperSafe before and it worked after a week, but I'm not sure if the one pictus can last that long. The CopperSafe killed all my plants last time I used it, luckily I haven't added any plants since. Any idea where the ick came from? I haven't added anything to the tank for months

Ich lives in your tank all the time. It usually comes on when the fish are stressed. Have you tried the heat method? It's always better than medicating because its not as stressful.

 

[Morrowboarder]

Thanks for the replies. I cranked my heat up to 85. That's about as warm as I can make it for the catfish, I believe. I wonder what stressed the fish? pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are ideal. I also do regular weekly water changes and condition my water.

 

[Ljk09]

Thanks for the replies. I cranked my heat up to 85. That's about as warm as I can make it for the catfish, I believe. I wonder what stressed the fish? pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are ideal. I also do regular weekly water changes and condition my water.

Have you moved things around recently? I know you said the water was ideal but do you test normally? Liquid or strip test?

 

[Morrowboarder]

Liquid tests. I haven't moved a thing. Maybe this isn't ick, but a fungus? I cleaned out a cave where the one infected pictus sits all the time and there was a bunch of uneaten pellets with mold on them. The fungus is white. I cleared out all if it I think.

 

[Ljk09]

Liquid tests. I haven't moved a thing. Maybe this isn't ick, but a fungus? I cleaned out a cave where the one infected pictus sits all the time and there was a bunch of uneaten pellets with mold on them. The fungus is white. I cleared out all if it I think.

Sounds more like a fungus.