the dreaded ich

[ozmo]

Once you wipe out the ich, you will not get it again, unless you reintroduce it, regardless of what temp you keep the tank at. I have tanks that fluctuate between 66F and 75F and no ich. It has been close to 20 years since I last had ich.

I second that and always QT new fish no matter where they come from or how healthy they appear.

 

[IvanMike]

another good thing to do after ich disappears is to do a big old water change to get rid of any heat resistant swarmers. Just make sure the new water is the same temp as what's in the tank (this is easy to do by feel).

 

[Reygan2]

I second that and always QT new fish no matter where they come from or how healthy they appear.

QT tank on the way I'm not going throught this again (hopefully)...

 

[Reygan2]

another good thing to do after ich disappears is to do a big old water change to get rid of any heat resistant swarmers. Just make sure the new water is the same temp as what's in the tank (this is easy to do by feel).

I'm going to do one today, and then another larger one in a few days. I hope it's gone.

 

[Reygan2]

Different subject, but after browsing around on AA and looking at all the other really beautiful tanks, I kind of regret choosing white gravel. I had never considered sand, but it sure looks great. Perhaps a new venture??

 

[wrmiller]

I went through the heat and salt method of treatment a few weeks ago and it worked brilliantly. I only raised the temperature to 84 using a digital thermometer to judge the temperature. The digital thermometer also made it very simple to make sure that the water I was putting in the tank was the same temp as I would use that same thermometer to temper the water at the faucet before filling the bucket.

I read about you saying you were dozing again. After your first dozing you shouldn't have to do any additional salt doses unless you are doing water changes. Just be careful adding the salt directly to your aquarium as that is what will irritate your Corys if the salt lands directly on them or if they travel over or threw it before the salt dissolves. Always mix your salt outside the tank and then introduce it. The way I do water changes is by only adding 2.5 gallons of water per bucket full which means I put in 1/2 TBSP of salt to the bucket of water before adding to the tank. Your Corys will be fine as long as you keep the salt level to 1TBSP per 5 gallons of water. Be aware of evaporation as only the water evaporates and not the salt. Always try to add just water to keep your water level constant so that the salt concentration stays at or about the same.

I am currently going through the heat and salt method right now in my main tank again. Like you, until recently I didn't have a QT tank and brought 2 fishes home and introduced them to my main tank to wake up the next morning and to find one of them was showing signs of Ich. I did immediately go and purchase a QT tank and removed the fish promptly to QT. I had thought I had caught it in time before it had spread to my original inhabitants but no such luck. Just when I thought was in the clear a week later one of my clown barbs once again showed a spot or two. So, because I now have to treat the main tank anyway I have reintroduced the QT fish to the main tank and am treating everyone there. No fish will ever touch my main tanks water ever again without going through QT.

Stay the course and in my experience there is no need at all for any chemicals to be added to your tank. Salt and heat should do the job as long as you have the patience and don't rush things. Do a full two weeks of the treatment or 1 week post seeing the last Ich on any fish, whichever is longer, and you should be golden. As someone else has mentioned, after you get rid of it it is gone. You have to reintroduce it to get it again so QT everything!

P.S. - I'm no expert and the above is my own 2-cents and advice as experienced first hand. The folks on this site are wonderful and helped me through exactly what you are going through. Good luck and we will be here for moral support.

 

[Reygan2]

Thanks wrmiller..I really appreciate your 2 cents. I agree with you, I alway dissolve the salt in a cup first, and so far my cory's seem fine. I was wondering about how to add salt while changing water, so again, thanks for the details! Maintaining patience through this has been tough, I guess because it hasn't been very long since I went through the "fish in" cycle which took a lot of patience (and bucket carrying). But I feel that this method will work, and I really don't want to medicate. It is reassuring to read your success story, please keep me posted on your healing process.

 

[wrmiller]

Thanks wrmiller..I really appreciate your 2 cents. I agree with you, I alway dissolve the salt in a cup first, and so far my cory's seem fine. I was wondering about how to add salt while changing water, so again, thanks for the details! Maintaining patience through this has been tough, I guess because it hasn't been very long since I went through the "fish in" cycle which took a lot of patience (and bucket carrying). But I feel that this method will work, and I really don't want to medicate. It is reassuring to read your success story, please keep me posted on your healing process.

Ahhhh, the fish in cycling period. I remember that very well as it was just a couple month ago I went through it myself. Yes, my back is still healing from all of the buckets. Thank goodness for eco23 and too bad I didn't come across his fishless cycling information before getting my aquarium and fishes. All is good now in that realm though so it was well worth it.

I'll keep you updated on my progress also but today I'm not seeing any signs of Ich. Water temp is at 83.9 degrees. I will get it between 84 and 85 and will leave it there. I just started retreatment yesterday so I have a full two weeks ahead of me yet. I will probably do water changes about every 3 days with gravel vac and will do about 1/3 water changes at a time.

Good luck!

 

[Reygan2]

Ahhhh, the fish in cycling period. I remember that very well as it was just a couple month ago I went through it myself. Yes, my back is still healing from all of the buckets. Thank goodness for eco23 and too bad I didn't come across his fishless cycling information before getting my aquarium and fishes. All is good now in that realm though so it was well worth it.

I'll keep you updated on my progress also but today I'm not seeing any signs of Ich. Water temp is at 83.9 degrees. I will get it between 84 and 85 and will leave it there. I just started retreatment yesterday so I have a full two weeks ahead of me yet. I will probably do water changes about every 3 days with gravel vac and will do about 1/3 water changes at a time.

Good luck!

Right back at ya. I too owe a lot to eco and the others who guided me through after I'd ignorantly began a cycle after purchasing fish. Still livin' and learnin'. I hope everything works out with no casualties and I'll keep you posted.

 

[Reygan2]

Still no signs of ich

I did a 50% pwc and vacuumed really good. Temp is still at 86. I've noticed that since I've turn the heat up my tank doesn't look as clear. Maybe it's all the extra bubbles from the splash of the return from the hob's, because it doesn't look like junk floating around.

Only about 6 more days to go.

 

[Reygan2]

Still no ich....temp maintaining 87 degrees. Everybody looks great. My cory's are swimming to the top every now and then. They shoot right back down to the bottom, but I wonder if they're getting enough oxygen.

 

[wrmiller]

Still no ich....temp maintaining 87 degrees. Everybody looks great. My cory's are swimming to the top every now and then. They shoot right back down to the bottom, but I wonder if they're getting enough oxygen.

I have read that if your cory's are shooting up and diving right back down it is an indication that they aren't getting enough oxygen or there may be to much Nitrate present. I think I read that somewhere and am not 100% sure though. At 87 I'm sure the oxygen level is pretty tight. You said you have aerators though, right?

 

[Reygan2]

I have read that if your cory's are shooting up and diving right back down it is an indication that they aren't getting enough oxygen or there may be to much Nitrate present. I think I read that somewhere and am not 100% sure though. At 87 I'm sure the oxygen level is pretty tight. You said you have aerators though, right?

I lowered my tanks water level so the 2 HOB's are really splashing, plus I have an air stone that is connected to a pretty strong pump (there are so many bubbles it tends to scare newly introduced fish half to death until they get used to it). I tested perimeters after work yesterday evening and my results are still consistantly: Amm-0, trIte-0, trAte-5. Only about 4 more days though and things will be back to normal. No sign of ich today either.

 

[Reygan2]

Well, I just did my daily wellness check and I think I'm losing one of my cory's. It didn't move for at least 10 minutes and even sort of leaned to its side a bit. The other one seems fine. Could the temp be a problem for it? I dissolved the salt before I added it when I started treatment, and I never even put the recommended dose because I didn't want to harm them. I did a 50% pwc 2 days ago. I don't think its anything in the tank. I think it was the cory's that introduced ich, so maybe it was already ill.
Since there's been no ich for at least 3 days can I begin to raise the temp?

 

[Son1cbo0m]

you mean lower the temp?
you're best sticking it out for the full 10 days i think... i'm struggling with ich atm too so arent much help

 

[wrmiller]

Well, I just did my daily wellness check and I think I'm losing one of my cory's. It didn't move for at least 10 minutes and even sort of leaned to its side a bit. The other one seems fine. Could the temp be a problem for it? I dissolved the salt before I added it when I started treatment, and I never even put the recommended dose because I didn't want to harm them. I did a 50% pwc 2 days ago. I don't think its anything in the tank. I think it was the cory's that introduced ich, so maybe it was already ill.
Since there's been no ich for at least 3 days can I begin to raise the temp?

I wouldn't freak out about your Cory yet. Mine tend to sit still sometimes for very long period and I also see mine leaning sometimes too if the current is hitting them correctly. I'd stick to the plan and just hope for the best. It's more impotent to get rid of the Ich than to try and save the Cory and maybe lose everything.

Remember when the treatment is over to lower the temperature even slower than you raised it. I would bring it down about a degree per day if you can. Also, when you remove then salt, you can do that over the period of several weeks worth of water changes. Keep us updated.

My tank is right at about 86 now. Still so mad that I reintroduced Ich in to my main tank! Now that I have a QT tank and the filter running on my main tank when the QT isn't in use there will never be another excuse not to QT. I'm only on day 4 unfortunately so 10 more days to go.

 

[Reygan2]

you mean lower the temp?
you're best sticking it out for the full 10 days i think... i'm struggling with ich atm too so arent much help

Yeah, I definatly meant lower the temp. You're right..I need to stick it out.

 

[Reygan2]

I wouldn't freak out about your Cory yet. Mine tend to sit still sometimes for very long period and I also see mine leaning sometimes too if the current is hitting them correctly. I'd stick to the plan and just hope for the best. It's more impotent to get rid of the Ich than to try and save the Cory and maybe lose everything.

Remember when the treatment is over to lower the temperature even slower than you raised it. I would bring it down about a degree per day if you can. Also, when you remove then salt, you can do that over the period of several weeks worth of water changes. Keep us updated.

My tank is right at about 86 now. Still so mad that I reintroduced Ich in to my main tank! Now that I have a QT tank and the filter running on my main tank when the QT isn't in use there will never be another excuse not to QT. I'm only on day 4 unfortunately so 10 more days to go.

That is a relief. I'm new to cory's, and I am a huge fan now. But I don't know much about their behavior.
I figured lowering the temp should take a lot longer.
Don't beat yourself up over this...apparently it was a good (and hopefully casualty free) lesson learned for both of us.

 

[wrmiller]

Today my Clown Barbs are peppered with Ichy tails. This is a good thing though in my opinion as it is showing that the Ich life cycle is in full swing due to the heat exposure. I expect that by tomorrow sometime they will be completely absent of the Ich spots and then the salt treatment over the next week and a half will kill the rest. Next Friday is when I will start to reduce temperature and do water changes that do not introduce new salt.

I'll keep you posted...

 

[Reygan2]

Sounds like your treatment is moving along nicely. Unfortunately the cory I was concerned about died last night and the other one is showing the same symptoms tonight. This is so disappointing. My perimeters are and have been picture perfect, I don't understand what happened. I've been concerned since they were in a new tank that they simply didn't have enough to eat. This sounds silly, but I watched carefully during feeding and between the neons, black neons, and my DG (who is like a vacuum during feeding) I never saw any food land on the bottom. Oh well, I will try again after the ich treatment is over, except I will avoid the fs where I purchased them. I have really become attached to panda cory's so hopefully I can find a decent fs to get some more. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.