New Pleco Finally Shows Himself in Tank-COVERED IN ICK!!

[WhiteCloud]

I bought a Rubbernose Pleco from a LFS what I usually don't requent much as week...but I was there...and I needed a Pleco....

...Well...I acclimated him slowly....then I did not see him for a week.

I turn on my lights this morning...and finally...I see him:

Skin Faded
a Large scratch/cut down his belly
and COVERED with ICK!

I have never seen a case like this!! I am going to throw him in the hospital tank...dose with Melafix...The temp is 80...I can't go any higher.

What should I do to the main tank? Do I need to treat that tank also? Temp is 78...and the heater doesn't give me a stable temp above that..so I would hate have to increase.

As this is a Pleco...is it safe to add salt? Also..what kind of salt and how much should I add? I have some Instant Ocean...will that work!!

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I have used salt in my tank (before I knew it was bad for plecos) and he didn't seem to mind, but he's 10" to the start of the tail, I imagine he can take quite a bit..

Yes you should treat the whole tank, ick get's into the gravel and that's part of the life cycle. (you will probably see it on other fish in about 7 days)

If you don't have loaches or inverts (tho my ghost Shrimp survived it) then you can use coppersafe, which I've used successfully, but be warned, you will need a copper test kit and you may never get rid of the copper. (Chemipure seems to do a good job in a canister filter)

Or you can get a new heater that will go to 86+F and that should help, even if it's just temporary. If your old heater is that touchy then I would suggest replacing it anyway before you get fish stew.

 

[WhiteCloud]

Thanks for the reply!!

Copper is not an option....I hoping...a few years down the road...to convert my 90g to a saltwater. I do not want copper to be absorbed by the silicon.

I will pick up some salt...a new heater...and get the process going.

I will also treat the tanks with Melafix. I have a large bottle..and this will pretty much use it all up!

I had a bad feeling when I bought him...now I know...QT is a must!!!

WC

 

[Menagerie]

I have treated rubber lips with the heat and salt treatment. They do just fine. Definitely get a new heater--the one you have will probably fail. Plus, it's nice to be able to raise the temp if need be!

 

[TankGirl]

Definitely treat with heat - I have never used salt with plecs but trust Menagerie on this one. You might have to treat your main tank with heat also. I have never lost a fish or a plant from the heat treatment, so I am a big fan of it. Good luck!

 

[BobthePlec]

I'm using the heat/salt treatment for ick right now in my 20 gal, and i have a rubberlip pleco in there. He seems to be doing fine with the salt and the temp is at 82F, and we're well into day three. Betcha your pleco will be just fine.

Good luck!

 

[TankGirl]

The temp ought to be above 85 to kill the ich, and sometimes that means adding another heater.

 

[WhiteCloud]

Well....late night...and I hate Ick...and right now...I hate aquariums!!

First Job...Only visible diseased fish...the Pleco and get him in the hospital tank. He got away in my planted tank....I could not find him and the entire tank was disrupted!!! 1 Hour later...found him...and got him!

Now I need to treat the Main tanks and Hospital Tank

Okay....I got the Aquarium Salt in at 1 tablespoon/5 gallons
Got the heat up from 77 to 80 so far...I will need a another heater to get up to 86.

I had some Melafix...and I put that in at: 1 Tablespoon/10 gallons...OH NO!!!! That was supposed to be 1 TEASPOON/10 GALLONS!!! So I have a 3 fold Melafix overdose in my main tank. I do a 25% water change and put the carbon back in my filter, after I had just taken it out!! I had HORRIBLE Foam. Wife was Angry...kids were dipping there hands in the tank. Was just a horrible time.

Now...at 1AM...I go to bed...and no other fish have any signs of Ick (some were doing the "rock rub dance". The I get up at 5AM...and guess what...10 FISH WITH ICK SPOTS in the Main Tank!!

I am so distraught!! I have never had a problem like this in 13 years as a fish keep! I am thinking I may need more than Heat and Salt...ANTIBIOTICS!

I need to stay away from copper...and my main patient is a scaleless pleco....any recommendations on what I should use???

Anyone want a 90 gallon FW planted tank (contaminiated with ICK)?

WC

 

[Maillis]

Using the heat and salt treatment the ick can sometimes look like it's getting worse before it gets better because you are speeding up the life cycle of the parasite by increasing the heat. Also all that disruption to the tank probably stressed the fish out enough to let the ick get a foothold. Just stick with it, I find that Quick Cure is good for treating ick, i use the salt treatment and a half dose of meds.

 

[Menagerie]

I should have mentioned this yesterday--I never pull a fish with ich since the whole tank needs to be treated.
Stick with the salt and heat method--everything will be fine. Make sure there is plenty of surface agitation because oxygen does not diffuse as well into warmer water.

 

[Meredith]

Oh my. It sounds like a mess. I hope you get through this ok!

 

[WhiteCloud]

With this Ick thing I really screwed up!

1. Should have just left Mr. Pleco in the main tank....now I have 2 tanks I am treating

2. Ummm...Melafix for Ick...what was I thinking?? It does nothing...and to gave triple dose it...dumb..dumb..dumb..

I will be increasing the salt over 3 days...I added 1/3 last night...1/3 tonight ...and 1/3 tomorrow. Still increasing the temps...Heater is maintaining so far!

I had also heard the Diatom Filter can filter out the Ick too in the swimming phase. I think I will add that to the mix also and see what happens!

No losses yet....but I feel that they will soon be incoming!

Plants...I am guess they will be severely damaged with the salt and heat...Oh well...I didn't like a lot of them anyway.

I have just had the worst week this week: Ick, Car broke down in a snow storm and needed to be towed, working 70 hours this week (with no days off), and not to mention a bad case of the piles.

 

[Menagerie]

1. Should have just left Mr. Pleco in the main tank....now I have 2 tanks I am treating

You can put him back.

2. Ummm...Melafix for Ick...what was I thinking?? It does nothing...and to gave triple dose it...dumb..dumb..dumb..

It won't hurt anything.

I had also heard the Diatom Filter can filter out the Ick too in the swimming phase. I think I will add that to the mix also and see what happens!

I have heard they are helpful, but not 100% effective.

No losses yet....but I feel that they will soon be incoming!

I don't know about that. I have never lost a fish to ich when starting the heat and salt treatment ASAP.

Plants...I am guess they will be severely damaged with the salt and heat...Oh well...I didn't like a lot of them anyway.

Because you don't like them, they will be fine!!

 

[TankGirl]

Please don't get too discouraged - ich is truly one of the few aquarium diseases that CAN be successfully treated in most cases. I have treated planted tanks with heat and did not lose a single plant. They won't care for the salt but once treatment is over they will come right back.

Once you get your heat up it will kill the parasite, and you have harmed nothing with the Melafix. It is a mild antibacterial/antifungal so it may even help prevent any secondary bacterial infections that a stressed fish might come down with.

You will beat it and continue enjoying your tank, so hang in there!

 

[WhiteCloud]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Tank Girl!

I finally got the temp up to 86 in both tanks. I did need to buy another heater for the 90 Gallon.

I dropped my water levels down...have my airstones on all the time at full steam. Backed down the Pressurized CO2 for a while...it was tough trying to keep up with CO2 with all the water agitation.

I have all the salt in...and I put in in slowly over a 2.5 days. I not have my specific gravity at 1.003 in both tanks (I am glad my wife got me a refractometer for my SW tank for christmas).

I ran my Diatom Filter for a few hours in each tank..and will do the same tomorrow. I am hoping this will decrease the number of free floating parasites.

Pleco is looking better...but still with spots. Several Cherry Barbs have come down with spots. The Red Tailed Shark had them..but they are now off.

As I remember correctly...I keep the heat and salt all in there for 3 days after the last sign of ick.

I hope this works!

 

[TankGirl]

I'd keep the temps up for at least a week after the last spot to be sure (Menagerie - I think you recommend even longer, don't you?). Glad to see the temps are up, and good call to discontinue the CO2 for the time being. You'll have everything back up and running before you know it.