Feeling Ichy

[kev350d]

Has anyone had whitespot that just wont go away, ive posted here as it isnt so much an emergency but a bloody noose round my neck...

It all started when an infected clown loach was released into my main tank without quarentine (thanks to you know who), now the clown loaches are spot on "pardon the pun" and have never had so much as a rub against a stone but each time i treat the tank all goes perfect then BOOOMM i notice a spot on one of my cardinals so i treat them once more and again all is perfect (infact its happened so often now that my tank is constantly sitting at 30°) i always add a follow up dose a week after the course has finished.

So far ive administered 2 full treatments of protozin (no ill effects what so ever on my loaches) and recently again with whitespot plus.. But after peering into the tank as i always do i notice a cardinal with a white spot again.. Im talking each time is one fish with one spot so the parasite never manages to overcome any inhabitants.

Water stats are perfect and 20%-30% water changes are done weekly like gosspel.
The tank is 350L and filtered through a Fluval 40F and a Juwel 1000 power head with foam filter to displace O2 and aid filtration
405 Filter media consist of:

Sponge, floss, ceramic media and efi-torf peat. (no carbon)

Im now at a last resort and plan to purchase a UV sterilizer tomorrow to aid in the treament..

Problem i have is that i now have a breeding pair of Kribensis with fry and im reluctant to use chemicals in there for now as i dont believe a half dose will achieve anything other than waste medication (as a full dose didnt eradicate it), Im going to try the medication manufactured by Sera as the new lfs uses this and i now trust him 110% "rare i know" but you have to meet this guy he's so passionate about tropical reptiles and fish.

My tank is stocked as i want it (apart from the gold nugget i have on order) I just wish the ich would go..

Close to removing all fish and treating in seperate tanks allowing the main tank to stand for a week with no host fish (cranking the temp up) and doing a 50 % water change im at a loss..

So does anyone else have a nightmare with their tank that just wont subside..

 

[black angel]

You havent mentioned if you upped your tank temp or not. Usually upping it to the mid 80s works in conjunction with the treatment.
Turning the light off for 12 hours helps keep the med active, although theres debate in if it needs to be off at all.
Ive just recently got rid of ich from my main tank using heat and protozin, but there is a strain of ich thats very resistent to treatments and you may have this.

 

[kev350d]

(infact its happened so often now that my tank is constantly sitting at 30°)

Yep infact the tank hasnt dropped below this in 2 weeks now (loosing my plants at these temps) but i'd sooner loose plants than fish.

 

[andywg]

Information is your greatest weapon when dealing with ich.

The best source of info I am aware of is here: http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml

 

[kev350d]

Ive read that link in the past inside out and back to front (extremely informative) and fully understand its life cycle (killing it is my issue) as mine seems to go against the norm, ive had ich in the past and dealt with it fairly easy but never in such a large planted tank, without effecting certain species of fish in the tank.. Corry's, loaches, plec's and now the fry.

 

[jenny6165]

sorry to hijack, im also trying to treat ich in my tank.
lots of articles are saying that treatment is ineffective until the parasite is free swimming... but how do u know when this is? is that when u cant see spots anymore? or is it a case of continuing treatment until its all gone.

the protozin treatment recommends daily doses on days 1,2,3 and 6. should i be using the treatment everyday? or not at all?
can i add salt into the aquarium even with a loach and plecos?

so far ive upped temp to 29 degrees celsius, adding doses of protozin,, doing approx 40% water change before each dose, ive taken out carbon sponge.

anything else?

 

[WILDER]

The wolf knows alot about resistant whitespot, he knows of a better med I think, Contact him by pm.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showuser=6418

http/cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

 

[jayjay]

I have ich which has now practically disappeared. If I was to treat again I'd do it using, esha exit treatment, high temperatures, salt and daily gravel vacuums and if I could a UV filter.