Got Myself In A Pickle, What To Do?

[killudead]

On Friday, I went and bought 2 rummy nose tetras to replace the others that had died. I have been constantly monitoring my ph due to it being so high at one point 2 weeks ago. The test was 7.2 - 7.4 on friday.
So I picked out my 2 fish and they looked great. Brought them home, did the adjustment sequence for them.
Went on about my biz..
Saturday I wake up and those 2 new RMT's are riddled with ich. they look like a salted peanut.
Anyway I tried to get one out into a different tank. It failed and he died.
I left the other alone, hopefully he will pull through.
Problem is he is in my main 75 gal. tank with all my other fish.
So I call the pet store today to tell them that my fish died (left out the part with ich), they told me to come in with dead fish and water.
I go in with my fish and water and talk to the guy. Water was fine and the dead fish has no sign of ich at all. We discussed a simple replacement for that fish.
Upon reviewing my next fish, all the RMT's had ich. Every fish in the tank. about 20 or so.
I now know where the ich came from.
Now I figure that since the other RMT has ich already and is in the big tank for 3 days now. I should leave him there and treat the whole tank for ich.
Correct???

The lesson here is that i have experienced first hand the reason to have and use another tank before introducing them into the main tank. I had good luck as far as I could tell. But in flash it has all vanished.
They gave me a clown loach for a replacement. I am nervous that it will get really big and eat my other fish. See sig for info on 75g tank.
Also they only gave me one. I am reading at least 4 per group.
What should I do?

 

[minxfishy]

You need to treat the whole tank for Ich, as the parsite will be present in the tank not just on the fish. I would not have bought another fish if all the tanks had ich, especially a clown loach (who yes do prefer to be in groups) as they are particularly prone to Ich.

 

[saz326]

Yeah, agree with Minx, Clown loach is a daft replacement. What they go and suggest that for?

I'd take the loach back and tell them that since the rummy tetras all have ich and you bought one of them before the ich showed, you would like a treatment product to be supplied to you free of charge instead of a new fish.

Its more important to ensure the other fish are healthy than to get a new one that could introduce a second disease while your fish are all possibly weak.

How are they by the way?

 

[killudead]

Yeah, agree with Minx, Clown loach is a daft replacement. What they go and suggest that for?

I'd take the loach back and tell them that since the rummy tetras all have ich and you bought one of them before the ich showed, you would like a treatment product to be supplied to you free of charge instead of a new fish.

Its more important to ensure the other fish are healthy than to get a new one that could introduce a second disease while your fish are all possibly weak.

How are they by the way?

I hear what you are saying. I already have the ridich. I will call them today and hopefully i can at least bring the loach back and get credit on account for it.
They do not have a universal system for the tanks. Each tank is filled and treated individually. Thats the one good thing about this lfs.
Thanks I will keep you posted.

 

[killudead]

called today, they will accept the loach back and give me some store credit or something.
Now I have noticed that he has ich. 2 small spots on his tail.
####!!!!!!
I have no idea how he could have gotten the ich. I dried the tank out, there was no fish in there for at least 2 weeks. The filter was not running. heater not running. I emptied the whole tank, and refilled with fresh water. Added the crap and everything appeared fine.
Now i do know that if you were to use the same net, it is possible to transfer it. Especially if he is sensitive anyway, especially to ich.
But the nets were dry when I grabbed him. Anyway, i raised the temp and added some ridich to that tank as well.
The other RMT looks a little better today, not as many white dots. I think he is going to pull through just fine.
Should I do the water change like the instructions say on the back of the ridich bottle?

 

[saz326]

Never used that one. (Never had ICH luckily - quaranteen tanks are the way forward!)

Follow instructions as directed - they are there for a reason I guess.

But dont just do water changes. While you are at it use the oportunity to do a gravel vac to pick up as many of the ich parasites as you can (they have a life-cycle that spends some of its time in the gravel!). This will help reduce the overall number of parasites in the tank.