Help With Ich

[tibby25731]

I apologise, i see there are already lots of topics relating to ich. I got medication for my fish yesterday and put it in. Since then, 1 fish has died, and most of the tohers are gasping at the surface. All I really want to know is, do my fish have any chance of survival? I have read up plenty about treating ich but I am not sure how it progresses through the fish. I only noticed spots on Tuesday night. I am so worried for my fish. Even my pleco keeps going up to the surface for a breath every now and then... Also, doea anyone know if the white spot treatment, containing malachite green, will harm my african dwarf frog and rhino nosed shrimp? I only have one tank so i can't move them out

 

[tibby25731]

well, my ghost glass cats, my glowlight tetras and my hatchet all died today. I also seem to have lost a shrimp.
The others seems better than this morning, they are still spending too much time at the surface but not as much as earlier. And the frog seems unharmed so far. I have done about 25% water change, did 10% last night also, have put in more ich medication. any other ideas for me? Should I keep doing water changes or not?

 

[*Fishkies*]

What medication are you using exactly? (title of it and the company that makes it)
Also what is the temperature in your tank? Have you changed the temp at all?
Do you have water movement in your tank? Like aeration?

 

[Talleyrand]

I havent used medications to cure ich in years.
Just turn the heat up to the mid 80s(F) and do water changes every other day, thoroughly vacuuming the gravel every time.
About 10-12 days later the ich will be gone.

 

[tibby25731]

Not sure what the med is called, it is just a white spot treatment from the lfs. Temp is 80 right now, an turning it up 1 degree at a time. Aeration - like an air stone? No. But use oxygenating tablets. Also, there are bubbles rising in a corner where the filter creates them?

Will continue to water change every other day.

 

[Talleyrand]

You are going to lower the Oxygen level in the water when raising the heat. If your tank isnt overstocked and the surface of the water is being roiled you shouldnt have a problem. I couldnt believe it myself until I tried it, but heat and water changes kills Ich.

 

[tibby25731]

Thank you. Well, i think my tank was a bit overstocked before, but the deaths have cleared that up . Damn my LFS for their crap advice! I have a 60 lite tank, it contains a pleco who is small right now (YES I know he will grow too big for this tank, I am going to have to start saving for a larger tank!), 2 kribensis, 3 guppies, 3 neon tetras, 1 african dwarf frog and 1 or 2 rhino nose shrimp. Is this OK do you think? Thank you for the advice, I know I will have to wait it out and hope my remaining fish survive, which is excruciating, but hearing advice and trying everything I can to help them makes me feel a little better.