Maybe ick, but fry and Im goin outta town!

[alexgcali]

Hi, I just added two Green Spotted Puffer to my 20 gal tank.

One of them was the dominant of the two, and I think the weaker one caught ick. It looks that way.

They are both pretty young, around 1".

Usually I would ick treat the tank but I have two problems.
I am leaving town sunday for two weeks.
I have 10 tetra fry in the same tank.

When I leave town
I have someone who is going to do feed and h20 changes...he might be able to do the ick treatment too. That would kill the fry for sure right (they are about 1 weeks old)?

I possibly could quarantine the ick puffer in a tank with no heat, light, or filtration....10 gallons. Maybe my friend will do the ick treatment routine and change h2o 20% once a week, in the 10 gal. Think this is best (ie could the puffer live under those condition, or just let it go until I get back?

All the other fish are healthy, strong, and vivacious. (molly, tetra, bosemani rainbow)

 

[SeverumGuy]

I see some problems. First of all, get the puffers their own tank. They get pretty mean to any other fish. As far as the ick goes. Once the puffer has ick, the other fish will more than likely get it whether you take it out or not. It's in the water. I'm not sure how the fry will handle treatment. Also, when treating, you have to wait for the white spots to start going away. Once that happens, the ick drops to the bottom and spawns which means the offspring with be free floating looking for fish to attach to and will be susceptible to treatment. Nothing much you can do until then. When treating, you need to treat for at least a week straight, doing water changes everyday before adding new treatment. You also have to remove the carbon from your filter so it won't clear up the treatment in an hour. Your best route right now is to turn up the heat to around 82 or a little higher to help the ick run it's cycle quicker so you can start treatment. A lot of people say to add aquarium salt with the increase of temperature, but I don't think that puffers do well with salt. All the other fish would be fine with salt, especially the molly. Keep in mind, if you increase the temperature, the ick will run its cycle in about 4-7 days. If you have a lower temperature (like the 10g you said with no heater) it could take up to 2 weeks to maybe a month at worst case, which in that time could lead to fish dying. Hope everything works out well. Just leave a nice detailed list for your friend and good luck.

 

[dkpate]

+1.
Turn the temp up to 86* though, since ich cannot reproduce in that temp, and keep it up for 10 days, at least. (One degree every hour, and the same when you turn it down). Make sure you lower the water level, or add an airstone, since higher temps means less oxygen in the water.
Good luck.