Icky Pickle... (Ich)

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Corbo

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
307
Location
Sedalia, Missouri
Wow...

Today... I have been devastated.

Please help me. I am stumped.

I am looking up Ick treatments... and none of them seem feasible for my tank.

Salt Treatment-- kills my plants

Medications-- kills invertebrates

Heat-- Iffy? I'm not sure if it works with just heat alone.

I believe I got a bad batch of Cardinal tetras, which I presume were wild caught, that was infested with Ich, as that is the only explanation I can think of...

Does anybody have a solution? I'm going to cry. I wish I had a QT, or a Hospital tank... I can go buy one, but it won't be cycled...

Thanks,

--Corbo
 
Go ahead and kick up the heat. Just how many invertebrates do you have in there? I recommend ich attack. It clears up ich fast, and I think it's safe for invertebrates. Don't count on it though, I'd set up a QT and put some used substrate in along with some filter cartridge goo and tank water (just to be safe). That way the invertebrates are protected. It can literally be in almost any container, just has to be in the biggest thing you've got.
 
I am thinking about going to Wal Mart, buying a 5 gallon--

somehow getting my 5 nerites and 6 amano shrimp in there?... and treating with meds?

It's going to be sooo hard to catch my amanos... I just want to collapse. I feel so dumb.

I've bought Quick Cure-- as it was the only available Ick treatement at Wal Mart... and no other place is open as of now.
 
That'll do, if you can't catch the shrimp... Just pray. Either way, knock up the heat to about 86, and hope for the best. Don't worry. My Betta Took a turn for the worst today. His fin rot went from healing to worsening. Im helping other people with their problems since I can't do anything about mine right now. Lol. It's good therapy!
 
Heat alone will take care of ich if you religiously gravel vac and water change. One of our admins has successfully treated ich at least a couple times using heat alone
 
Homedog98-- I'm so sorry about your Betta, I'm lucky mine is in my other tank. :| he's my pride and joy, he started this whole hobby for me.

mfdrookie516-- So, you think heat alone will suffice? Only problem is I have sand as my substrate and it's hard to vaccuum- would the other method with the 5gallon tank work?
 
Corbo said:
I am thinking about going to Wal Mart, buying a 5 gallon--

somehow getting my 5 nerites and 6 amano shrimp in there?... and treating with meds?

It's going to be sooo hard to catch my amanos... I just want to collapse. I feel so dumb.

I've bought Quick Cure-- as it was the only available Ick treatement at Wal Mart... and no other place is open as of now.

Don't you have an understocked 10g? Could you add the shrimp and snails to that, treat that tank with salt so you prevent spread of ich to that tank and then do meds in the card tank?! I'm tryin real hard to help...lol!
 
Don't you have an understocked 10g? Could you add the shrimp and snails to that, treat that tank with salt so you prevent spread of ich to that tank and then do meds in the card tank?! I'm tryin real hard to help...lol!

It would be an awesome idea that I haven't thought of yet... But it wouldn't work-- I have Cories in my 10g--- not salt tolerant... at all. Good logic though, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for trying... I'm just in a bad situation right now. If I hadn't been so ignorant in the first place, I wouldn't be here.
 
Corbo said:
It would be an awesome idea that I haven't thought of yet... But it wouldn't work-- I have Cories in my 10g--- not salt tolerant... at all. Good logic though, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for trying... I'm just in a bad situation right now. If I hadn't been so ignorant in the first place, I wouldn't be here.

Oh crap!! Could you move the cories to the medicated tank until it's all resolved? Ok...this is starting to sound way to complicated...
 
You don't have to treat the invertebrates I don't think... I don't think they can get ich... I definitely could be wrong though.
 
Homedog98 said:
You don't have to treat the invertebrates I don't think... I don't think they can get ich... I definitely could be wrong though.

Well I was just thinkin in case they carry ich on a shell or something...even if they aren't susceptible, could they still be carriers?
 
mfdrookie516 said:
Heat alone will take care of ich if you religiously gravel vac and water change. One of our admins has successfully treated ich at least a couple times using heat alone

I had some thing ickish looking a while back in my planted 90 with fw clams, mussels, and 3 varieties of shrimp I treated for 10 days with pimafix with all fish cured and no invertabrate casualties. pimafix bottle recommends 7 days or longer if necessary I just treated till the bottle was empty, hope this helps
 
Corbo said:
I need to find this... maybe my LFS has some... I feel helpless

Shoot...I was starting to feel hopeful, and it's not even my tank! :( At least there is some hope...
 
Ok-

Update:
I've just vaccuumed what I could of my substrate.. lots of weird little brown pellet shaped things all over my aquarium... I think it's part of a plant, maybe seeds or something, but not sure... anyhow, I removed all of them I could. Also raised heat and intend to raise more tomorrow.. I hope this works.
 
Corbo said:
Ok-

Update:
I've just vaccuumed what I could of my substrate.. lots of weird little brown pellet shaped things all over my aquarium... I think it's part of a plant, maybe seeds or something, but not sure... anyhow, I removed all of them I could. Also raised heat and intend to raise more tomorrow.. I hope this works.

I hope this works too! Keep us posted
 
I'll update you all. Wish me luck.. Maybe if I'm truly lucky it's not really ich and won't spread to my other fish!
 
Not sure if I over reacted or what... Or if it was stress... But all fish are out happily swimming.... One occasionally strays off. No white salt like substances on tails or fins... I'm treating my tank with melafix... This guy who was in my Lfs has been keeping tanks forever and says its practically a fix all. Haha. All fish seem happy though. Heat is cranked to about 85... Had one fish stuck in filter intake when I got home from school today. This keeps happening... How to fix this? Filter is aquaclear 50
 
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