Must....kill....Ich!

[QTOFFER]

I have been battling Ich in my 58 gal show tank for almost two weeks. I believe it was introduced with some new black phantom tetras that I had purchased in the beginning of December. Here is a rundown of what's happenned:

Before the treatment, my water params were good:
pH--7.0, NH3--0 ppm, NO2--0 ppm, NO3--5-10 ppm, Temp--80o F
Doc Wellfish aquarium salt (2 tbsp) routinely added with each 10 gallon weekly water change.

Dec 3: Notice mild - moderate ich on all six black phantoms.
Begin DAILY treatment consisting of a 20 gal water change and Kordon Formalin 3 (10 pm formaldehyde final).
Tank temp 80o F, salt added as usual

Dec 9: Ich improving in phantoms, but now some Serpae tetras have it. In addition, phantoms show some signs of fin rot.

Dec 13: Phantoms ich free, but all serpaes have moderate case. Two serpaes have severe ich and are hiding / not eating.

Dec 16: All serpaes have some degree of ich, two phantoms have it again also. Continue formalin treatment, raise temp to 86o F, and adjust Eheim spray bar to increase surface agitation.

Dec 17 Raise temp to 88o F. Perform daily water change, formalin treatment, salt addition

I have to note that all of the fish except the two most afflicted serpae tetras are behaving normally. Nobody has clamped fins and they are all active and feeding (except the two serpaes). The danios are happily schooling and do not show any signs of ich.

I have read Allivymar's ich article (http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=32) and I am going to give the high temp cure a whirl.

Should I continue adding Formalin 3 during the high temp treatment? Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[QTOFFER]

BTW, I have been checking my water params before every water daily change and they are fine (pH 7.0, 0 ppm NH3, 0 ppm NO2, 5 ppm NO3).

 

[Tigerlily]

I vote for high temps. I've used it a couple times now on a couple different tanks and have had great results - zero fatalities. Meds make me nervous. I would discontinue the Formalin 3 and run some carbon to get it out of the water. I don't think you need it.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

 

[QTOFFER]

Thanks, Tigerlily,

I hear ya, I am nervous with the meds too. My lfs had suggested Formalin-3 because it is less toxic to the tetras. Unfortunately, it seems to be less toxic to the ichies as well. I never even considered using malachite green or copper - way too poisonous IMO. Besides, someday I may want to have inverts in this tank.

Here's what I'm going to do: Tomorrow AM, I'll do a 20 gallon water change (adding the salt as usual) and put a carbon pad in the filter to remove the remaining formalin. I'll keep the temp at 88o F for a few weeks and see how things go.

And next time, I'll use the Q-tank for any new additions!!!!!

 

[Tigerlily]

Sounds like a good plan. If your experience is like mine, you'll see no more ich after the first week at 88. The second week is really just to be sure there's no free-floating ich left in the tank. Good luck!

 

[William]

I kept my tank between 88 and 90 for 3 weeks, and ich is forever gone from my main tank.

Nice thing about heat is it gets rid of all the ich forever, unless you add another source [ Say, new fish that wasn't QTed, or moved something between tanks and a ich parasite was clinging to it ]


Never use ich meds, they are highly toxic.. they work on the principle that the ich will die before your fish, use it to long and it will kill your fish. Its nothing but fermaldihide[sp?], so basicly your embalming your tank 8O

 

[justDIY]

Scotty - I ... need ... more ... power!

when I battled the Ich, the 100 watt heater that kept my 30g tank in the mid 70's just couldn't get me to 87 degrees - it ran all the time and barely got to 84

so I had to upgrade to a 200 watt heater

just something you may want to look at if you're considering trying the high-temp treatment... if your heater works fine during the day with the lights on, also check again late at night while the cold winds are blowing - having your temp rollercoaster up and down will be very bad for the already sick fish

 

[William]

Thats what I did for my 29gal tank.

200watt Visi-Therm. Best heater I've ever had

 

[QTOFFER]

Thanks everyone for your input!!!!

JustDIY and William, I never even thought about the temp rollercoastering overnight. My apartment is hot as hell and I have my 200 W Visi-Therm cranked up. I'll be sure to check the temp tonite - a good excuse for a midnite snack!! If need be, I also have a 50 W heater available from my Q-tank.

 

[PhilMar]

I tried the Meds, and had no luck until I did the temp thing, and I've been free for quite a while. I followed the plan for two weeks, and slowly brought the temp down the third week.

It's the only way to go

Good luck