Please Help, Silver Dollars with Ich

[mikeyost12]

Hi All,

I really need some advice on this one. In my 125G tank, I recently added some Silver Dollars (about 2 weeks ago). The tank is stocked with the following:
1. 1 Rope Fish
2. 5 Cory Cats
3. 1 Pleco
4. 3 Bala Sharks
5. 7 Silver Dollars

On Wednesday night, I noticed my Silver Dollars had white spots all over them and immediately knew it was Ich. I raised the Heaters in the tank to get the water temp to 86 degrees. Thursday morning I went to Petco and bought some Microbe Lift Herbtana which is for Ich and started treating the entire tank (assuming all fish may be infected). This morning, now day 2 of treatment, I did a 40% water change and Vaccuum the sand substrate the best I could. I then added my second treatment of the Medication.

Out of all my fish in the tank, only the Silver Dollars actually have the white spots as of right now. Out of the 7 Silver Dollars I had, 2 of them have died. I assumed the two that died would not make it because they had it the worst and their swimming was getting worse and worse. Tomorrow will be day 3 of the treatment, 40% water change, and sand Vacuuming. The 5 Silver Dollars left are doing great in the aspect of being very active but still have white spots on them.

This is the first time I have dealt with Ich and just want to know if I am doing this right to treat the tank? When should I start to see an improvement of at least the white spots on the fish?

 

[rlederer]

I don't know about this microbe herbtana stuff, but I'd get some medication specifically for ich.

 

[King Fisher]

Kordon Rid Ich works well. I've never used the stuff you are using so not sure about it.

 

[BigNorsk]

Well your microbe lift doesn’t even claim to cure ich, just reduces infestations of whatever.

So I would recommend getting something that works. Rid Ich was already mentioned, that would work.

Realize that if your fish can take the 86 degrees, most strains of ich can’t reproduce at that temp, so awhile of those temperatures might be all it takes.

Just think, a cheap quarantine tank would have paid for itself compared to treating the big tank.

When raising temperatures like that, good to increase aeration. Lot less oxygen in warmer water. The fish that died likely had infestation on gills and suffocated when you raised temperature.

The current spots will fall off and get into a susceptible to treatment stage rapidly, should be just a few days at that temperature.

Get something that works and follow the instructions, your fish should be good in no time.

 

[mikeyost12]

I do have some clown loaches in the tank. Is that Rid Ich Plus safe for the Clowns?

 

[BigNorsk]

It says elephant noses and stingrays are sensitive.

Not for use with invertebrates or live rock.

Contains formaldehyde and malachite green, may stain your silicon. Though usually pretty minor, not like methylene blue, which also controls ich.

You may be more comfortable with the quinone based products. They claim greater safety with scaleless fish.c I know that Kordon’s Ich attack is that typeof product and it works too.

Ich Attack® | Kordon!

 

[King Fisher]

Or use Seachem Metroplex or Seachem Paragaurd

 

[mikeyost12]

well I just got home from a 3 day business trip in Charlotte. My wife continued to treat the tank while I was gone. It has been 6 days now of medicine and a steady temperature of 86. Although I did lose 3 Silver Dollars and a Bala Shark, I am happy to say the entire tank didnt get wiped out. The fish are Ich free and doing great. I am going to leave the temp at 86 for a few more days and continue with the medication through Friday.