My Fishies Are Sicky With The Icky!

[stepho725]

Yes - I knew this was going to happen after it was too late! I was not patient and chose to purchase black and regular neons at Petco a couple of days ago even though the saltwater and goldfish tanks had ich! I should've known better...and I'm truly kicking myself in the butt right now!
The black neons have got some ich on them and my dwarf gourami looks like its beginning to break out a little also.
Are they doomed? What should we do? I saw a couple things about raising the temp and adding salt? What about the medicine they've got at the store? Should I change my filter cartridges or take out the carbon? Will the shrimp and snail get it too?? Kinda freakin out here so any help is appreciated.

29 gal tank with AC 50 (with biomax, carbon, & sponge) with an average temp of 77...
ph remains acidic at 6.5, alkalinity is very low, water is soft, nitrites are 0 and nitrates are around 15 - says my test strips...yes I do realize I need a master kit...
Gouramis, tetras, bristlenose pleco, bamboo shrimp & snail.

Thanks fish friends!

 

[ztigris]

I'm using the Ich Attack all natura on my planted tank with shrimp and cory, along with schooling fish.
Pull the charcoal and throw it away.
On my 55 gallon treating 2x a day and I'm almost done. It took two bottles ( at petco about $14 each) . So far the only casualties was an otto and cherry barb. But the otto I found no signs of ich. The cherry some how damaged her mouth really, really bad.
The shrimp and cories are doing great! The shrimp are over loaded with eggs. So must be okay.

 

[ztigris]

Oh I did raise my temp to 85 for the first two weeks. But some of my plants suffered. If you don't have plants raise the temp slowly wjen you start adding medicine. It wil speed the life cycle so you can kill it sooner.

 

[shellieca]

I have a female Betta in a QT tank right now who has Ich. I've got the temp up to 86 & adding salt with daily water changes. Its been 2 days & I already see improvement in her behavior & appearance except she still won't eat. I avoid meds if I can.

 

[Candiceg]

Avoid the meds. Raise your temp to 85/86. I wouldn't add salt because you have shrimp? Maybe a shrimp person will clarify on this. I don't have shrimp. It will look worse until it gets better

 

[ztigris]

Because of the shrimp I didn't use meds or salt. The ich attack is an all natural herbal remedy that is safe for invertibrae and sensitive fish. And its working.
If you don't kill it when it's off the fish in it's tomite stage, it will come back worse.
The higher temp of 85 seemed to be okay. I think they liked it better as they berried up more than ever.

 

[Candiceg]

Yes I have used that before. Smells terrible but very safe.

 

[ztigris]

Lol! Yes it does smell bad! But once in the tank it's not bad.

 

[stepho725]

I'm soooo freakin mad!

 

[Tippytrampoline]

I'm soooo freakin mad!

It happens to the best of us, I did the same thing and lost a GBR because of it. Good luck though!!! 10 days on the high heat should work, so long as you vacuum well. Then add another seven days of high heat, keep up with pwc's. as stated before, it will most likely look worse before it can get better. High heat speeds up the life cycle but will kill any exposed parasites in the water column. Salt is an added measure because its not tolerated well by the parasite, and it provides a healing sort of soothing or the fish, easing gill function and production of slime coat, both of which can be compromised due to stress.

Everything will be okay!!!!

 

[stepho725]

But no salt with the bamboo shrimp or snail right? Turned the heat up to 80 this am and will continue moving upwards tonight. Do I get aquarium salt or sea salt or does it not matter? What happens if it kills all of my fish? Going to buy a vaccuum tonight I guess...wanted to wait to get a python...blah.

 

[shellieca]

Definitely no salt with the snails as far as I know. Heat will take care of the Ich but it can be 2-3 wks so have patience.

 

[Tippytrampoline]

Definitely no salt with the snails as far as I know. Heat will take care of the Ich but it can be 2-3 wks so have patience.

Oh yes, snails + salt =

Yes patience is key to the process, though the first week I saw definitive relief of the fish. Everyone seemed a lot less aggravated.

Any fish loss you experience I will guess is going to happen in the first week or so. Unfortunately, it's always a possibility, but from what I can tell it was caught early on, and the sooner treatment starts the better.

It's all uphill from there!

 

[stepho725]

Yes I'm on my way home to check them out! Will give an update shortly!

 

[Lt.]

So I have ich, I think, on a Von Rio Tetra, and I have 20 or so ghost shrimp, 2 mystery snails, 8 Rummy Nose Tetra, 4 zebra danios, and 4 cories. So you CAN'T use salt in a tank with snails? Other than heat, what else should be done? How slowly should the temperature be raised?

 

[Lt.]

So, i need clarification on ich treatmant. 88 degrees is the temperature required, then salt, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons is the ideal concentration, but i know the salt needs to be added gradually. so, in say, a 45 gallon tank with cories, tetras, and danios, how much should be added? i was thinking daily 25% PWC's with proper amount of salt, would that work?

 

[shellieca]

So, i need clarification on ich treatmant. 88 degrees is the temperature required, then salt, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons is the ideal concentration, but i know the salt needs to be added gradually. so, in say, a 45 gallon tank with cories, tetras, and danios, how much should be added? i was thinking daily 25% PWC's with proper amount of salt, would that work?

Did you take out the snails? I'm not sure if you can use salt with your cories. Someone more experienced with those will have to chime in. I'm treating one fish since Sunday in a 2.5g with temp at 86 & 1 tsp of Aq salt. Today I see no spots on her so it does work. Raise the temp over a 24 hr period, leave it up for at least a week after you see the last spot.

 

[Lt.]

I'm setting up a 5 gallon as a temporary home for the inverts. And I've heard that the cories will be fine if I slowly add the salt.

 

[stepho725]

Okay So no progress made here. If anything its worse! My thermometer is only showing 79 and my heater is as high as it can get. Sooo...guess I need a new/another heater. What size/wattage/brand do u all recommend? I've got a 29 gal.

Oh I am running my air pump right now too...that's supposed to help the fish breathe right?

I think my male gourami is not doing so well....hes been hiding all night and didn't eat.

 

[stepho725]

Lost two black neons. Also my shrimp shed so I'm hoping that's not a bad sign....
Otherwise it looks a little better in there. Did a 50% water change yesterday and will probably do another 10-20% today...heat is only up to 81 or 82...
Local Petco doesn't carry ick attack..
We will see what happens I guess!!