ICH outbreak...yuck

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a couple water changes ago in my 29 gallon tank, I forgot to turn the heater back on after water change... I believe that may be the cause of an ich outbreak starting several days ago. I caught it early ... just noticed a couple of tiger barbs not swimming right and not eating...then noticed the white dots on a coup[le of them...other fish seemed fine

gradually raised the temperature of tank to 84 degrees using a second 200 watt heater....then added 30 drops of malachite green. added the 30 drops of meds each day for 3 days and followed this with a 50% water change and thorough substrate cleaning...started another 3 day regiment..added 30 drops yesterday and today

Fish are starting to swim normally again and eating and most of the white sand like white spots are much fewer. No fish loss so far.

How long should I continue this regimen...meds..then in 3 days do a wc with substrate vac...
 
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Oh dear, not the best thing to happen :/

Am not very good when it comes to diseases and treatments so best not to mention anything just in case its wrong advice and make matters worse.

I just wanted to say good luck and hope it all clears up without too much trouble.
 
gradually raised the temperature of tank to 84 degrees using a second 200 watt heater..

Raise the water temp to 86 f this speeds up the Ich life cycle and stops it reproducing, you will see results in 24 to 36 hours. Keep it there for at least 5 to 7 days, If after 36 hours you dont see results a little salt can be added, As I have never needed salt Byron can help you with how much you need.

malachite green
Usually this stuff is not needed
 
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ich appears to be gone..at least on the fish...fish are swimming fine now and eating as good as ever...the only fish affectled seemed to be the tiger barbs which I read are very susceptible to getting ich.....will do another 50% w/c and vac in 2 days....and a few days later will turn down the heat which is now at 84....
 
Maintain the treatment (whatever you did) for at least a week. Re-infestation is likely if the treatment is not prolonged. The life cycle of ich takes several days and it is only at the free-swimming stage that it can be killed.
 
so would treatment/wc/vac for 2 weeks be long enough to ensure I wont get a second outbreak? so far so good...all fish active and looking good....last time I had a tank with ich, I lost half my stocking about 8 fish...live and learn

I would have done salt treatment, but I think I read Plecos don't deal well with salt...I have one full grown BN pleco
 
so would treatment/wc/vac for 2 weeks be long enough to ensure I wont get a second outbreak? so far so good...all fish active and looking good....last time I had a tank with ich, I lost half my stocking about 8 fish...live and learn

I would have done salt treatment, but I think I read Plecos don't deal well with salt...I have one full grown BN pleco

I tend to go two weeks, so yes, that should do it, provided the strength of the medication you are using is maintained over that period. Increasing the temperature usually helps, as it will speed up the ich cycle a bit. The cooler the water, the longer.

If the fish are those listed for the 29g in your signature block, I would have used salt rather than malachite green. The latter is hard on characins especially. I used to be a naysayer for salt, but Neale Monks told me it was much safer for most fish than any standard medication, and often more effective. I have used salt with characins, cories, loricarids (whiptails and farlowella) and loaches, all fairly sensitive fish when it comes to any additives, with no losses and a cure. Salt can burn fish, I knew someone who did this with a BN pleco, if used in too high level.

Don't change treatments mid-stream though, this can really stress out fish. Stay with what you did, or do a couple of massive water changes, wait a few days, before starting a different treatment.

Byron.
 
I probably will just stick to the malachite green for one more week at reasonable dosage as just one more week should do it..... if next time I use salt, can I use iodized salt or is non-iodized recommended... what amount of salt would you use

main thing is fish are doing much better now and no sign of ich on them
 
I probably will just stick to the malachite green for one more week at reasonable dosage as just one more week should do it..... if next time I use salt, can I use iodized salt or is non-iodized recommended... what amount of salt would you use

main thing is fish are doing much better now and no sign of ich on them

"Salt" used in a freshwater aquarium as a treatment must be "Aquarium Salt." Never table salt or marine salt as these contain additives that will further stress fish in such conditions, and not rift lake cichlid salts as this is something else and has insufficient sodium chloride to do the job when used against parasitic disease. You can get "Aquarium Salt" at most fish stores or online. I use API's, but there are others.

As for the level, I have used 2 grams per liter. If you can't weigh salt, use the formula that one level teaspoon is approximately 6 grams, so this would treat 3 liters of tank water. When calculating tank volume, remember to subtract for the displacement by substrate, wood, rock, etc. Add the salt slowly, over several hours; it must be completely dissolved in water before being poured in. I always do a major water change prior to any treatment. At the end of the first week (or sooner if more water changes are needed) do the weekly water change and add salt only for the volume of fresh water added. After treatment, lower the heat naturally and use normal water changes to remove the salt. If during treatment there are signs of fish distress, do an immediate water change; this is basic with any treatment.

Byron.
 
Kosher salt is also fine.
 
Ok...29 gallon is under control..fish all seem good

BUT now myu 10 gallon got infected...I have harleys, neons, two shrimp and a nerlite snail. Can I use the salt treatment with these fish? Is Byron's suggested dosage ok?

Ordered aquarium salt..should have in two days...I already raised temps to 86... fish seem to be doing much better already.

On another note..my Bolivian ram got ulcerated popeye in one eye and eye is cloudy...moved to hospital tank and dosed with melafix, prazipro, and maracyn two... time will tell if this will work
 
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