Bad case of ich

[Weeze]

Hi, i hope someone can help me. i have a record 96 tank with an extra nitrate sponge and an air stone. The tank was new and has been up and running since March. Water tests have all been excellent. in there are:
Four black widow tetras, ten neon tetras, four corys, two hoplo catfish, 1 plec, three zebra danios, four ghost catfish and two clown loaches.
Seven weeks ago we had a rainbow shark which died of respiritory distress, no other symptoms other than blood red lips. the same week we lost a cory a similar way. Aquatics centre puzzled as to what problem was.We treated the tank with myxazin on advise and then sterazin after the clown loaches seemed to develop same symptoms(advised it sounded like gill flukes) Water stats again all excellent. CL have not recovered fully, rarely come out and flit quickly through tank when they do. Last week noticed white spots on Black widows, neons and danios. worst affected have been CL. Lots of rubbing and flicking. Aquatics centre advised me to use WS3 and turn temp up. is now 28c. Told to use full dose because white spot so severe . On third treatment now and loaches are still very distressed, very rapid gill movement and clamped fins. lots of flicking and even more spots. Im very upset to see them suffer this way and do not know what to do. i have a feeling this has been the problem all along. Any body know another way or something i have missed?

 

[WILDER]

If they have clamped fins i would dilute the med as clowns are funny with whitespot meds, you do no the tank isn't big enough for the clown when they get bigger will need a 90gal tank.

 

[Weeze]

Thank for the reply, too late for todays dose, found this website after administering med this morn. Large tank on christmas list though! Also, i have kept tank lights off to minimise stress-a good idea, or will it make no difference?
Was told that half dose would not work as quick and loaches at high risk of death because of advanced state of ich.

 

[Cian McLiam]

WS3 is pretty potent stuff, I used to use it at half strength in worst case scenarios. The way I did it was to up the temp to 31 or 32C for two or three days, keeping the tank lid open and an airstone. Did 20% water changes daily with water matured overnight with an airstone in it and a mixture of 1/4 dose WS3 and half dose Melafix. I added boiling water to the fresh water before adding to the tank to help dilute the meds and warm up the water also.

 

[Weeze]

Thanx Cian, do you mean that you did a Quarter dose daily rather than half every two days. Did a 25% water change last night and put in three quarter dose this morning with a view to doing another water change tomorrow. I suppose your method keeps a certain level of medication in the water at all times. One Loach is still extremely weak, still with a lot of spots. You say you used to use it, what do you use now?