Everyone has whitespot!

[Bloo]

Also, my filter media has carbon in it. What should I do if I am going to add meds? I don't want to take it out...

You absolutely have to - otherwise you might as well not medicate at all.

 

[OrkyBetta]

So will the tank be ok with no filter cartridge in it for the time it takes to treat the ich? Also, what about water changes while I treat the fish?

 

[WILDER]

You only remove the black carbon sponge you leave the rest of the sponges and filter inside the tank.
before you redose do a gravel vac and water change.

Maracide
Controls Ich and other common parasites

 

[OrkyBetta]

No, maybe I mis stated that. there are specks f carbon in the cartridge, there is only one cartridge, I have a mini marineland filter. Those were the cartridges that came with it.

Label reads, Contains Black Diamond Premium Activated Carbon

and I can see the black specks in the water when I swish my media in there.

 

[Bloo]

Oh dear you most certainly cannot remove you filter media.
In the long run I suggest you stick with plain filter media.
I guess you only option is to use salt then. As you don't have any cories etc, I would say that should be ok.

 

[OrkyBetta]

My only idea is t get some plain filter media when I go to the LFS.

Would salt clear up the ich? If so, what kind? Just plain table salt( un-iodized), or the stuff at the store?

 

[Bloo]

no absolutely not. Do not do either of those things.
You cannot just replace all your filter media - that would mean your whole tank will start to cycle again.
If you have a look at this recent thread it will tell you how to do it

 

[WILDER]

Table salt is fine as long as you have no scaless fish, you have neons in there so don't go mad, turn temp up to 30 and cover tank up with a blanket.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.kenliz.plus.com/Salt_use.html

 

[OrkyBetta]

ok thanks!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

what i did when i had an ich emergency is i pulled out a couple gallons of old tank water and put the filter pads in that. then i took a pocket knife and sliced the filter cartridges open. i then manually removed the carbon from the cartridge by reaching in there and yanking it out. once i pulled out all i could do by hand, i scooped water into the pad, swished it around, and then poured it back out into the bucket. i did that until i couldn't get anymore carbon to come loose. at that point, i carefully put the emptied cartridges back into the filter box. no mini-cycle.

that had to have been the single most disgusting thing i've ever done for my tank.

 

[OrkyBetta]

Tried Pica's idea, got all of the carbon out of my media. Did a 25% water change, Raised temp and added about half of the dose of the Rid Ich.

 

[Briarmoor]

I just treated a gourami, 5 neons, 3 corys, and an otto for Ich. It was supposed to be 3 days of treating (half strength because of the neons). The fish store guy, who seems to know alot, said okay to treat full strength when I called 2 days later to say the fish still had some spots. I did it and was afraid the neons might not make it. They acted drunk. I wouldn't do it again not knowing much yet, don't know if it would kill them next time. I also added half the aquarium salt recommended and the corys are okay and so is the plant, but not sure if that should be done again either. Fish guy said it was okay. Turned temp up to 80 from 78.

Question now, just did 25% water change yesterday and nitrites are still a little high, not in the danger level. Should I keep treating for Ich for a few more days to kill what is in the gravel, even if fish are clear? Am reading the Ich on the fish is not killed but will burst and make more which stays in the gravel. How long to treat? Even if bottle says only 3 days, fish guy says go 7. Thoughts? I feel like I need to bring nitrites down just as bad and water change would help get rid of more Ich too.

Decisions! I just want to keep the fish healthy.

Pam in TN

 

[Bloo]

How long to treat? Even if bottle says only 3 days, fish guy says go 7. Thoughts? I feel like I need to bring nitrites down just as bad and water change would help get rid of more Ich too.

Decisions! I just want to keep the fish healthy.

Pam in TN

My thoughts on that woul be to treat as directed. Different brands work in different ways. Some need to be added daily - with others one treatment will suffice. That however does not mean to say that the ich will be absoutely gone in 3 days. If you read about the life cycle about ich you will understand this better.

 

[OrkyBetta]

RID-ICH plus says it is completely safe for "scaleless" fish and neons when used full strength. I still watched them like a hawk when I used full strength just now, net and siphon in hand, prepared to do whatever I needed to incase someone reacted violently to the meds.

All seem well, still infested, and I just noticed Appolo has split/tattered fins. And Sky has a split dorsal fin. My animals WANT to give me a heart attack.

Once the ich is gone I'm going to quarantine Apollo and treat him with Melafix. I would do it now, but I'm hesitant to add anything else until the ich is cleared up. Put in a drop of melafix to Sky's bowl, anything else I can do? Unless Apollo's fin tattering worsens, I'll hold off a few days.