How to treat ick in a planted tank

[corylover5]

A got a molly a few days ago and when I got home I saw 1 spot on her tail, but When I looked closer it looked like an air bubble so I didn't think much of it. I know I should've quarantined her but I don't have room for a quarantine tank. Today I noticed ick on all 6 of my mollies. I think ick was one of those diseases where you should treat the whole tank but I'm not sure what to use to treat it since They are in a planted tank with with a few mystery snails and cories ( which I know are sensitive to medication). I have ick-x but I wasn't sure if I could use that with snails, plants, or cories. How should I go about treating my tank for ick? Thanks in advance.

 

[corylover5]

My tank is not heavily planted it only has a few plants here and there

 

[seangee37 17]

Slowly raise the temperature to 30C. Keep it there for at least 2 weeks. Do large water changes and gravel vacs every few days. No other treatment is needed.

 

[corylover5]

I have a preset heater for 78 degrees made for 30 gallon tanks and a heater for 10 gallons preset to 78, I tried using both but it only comes up to about 80 degrees.

 

[corylover5]

I also have 2 hillstream loaches which were kept in a heated tank at the store I got them from so I was told they would do fine in my tank. I know they don't like high temperatures but would they be ok for 2 weeks at a higher temperature to kill the ick? I would put another air stone in my tank for them.

 

[seangee37 17]

With Cories in the tank I would suggest an adjustable heater is the best way to go. Temp has to be 30 (I believe that's 86F), 29 won't work.

 

[corylover5]

I will definitely look into an adjustable heater. Would the hillstream loaches be ok with the higher temp?

 

[Byron]

I will definitely look into an adjustable heater. Would the hillstream loaches be ok with the higher temp?

Probably for the two weeks, though I have no direct experience. Increase the surface disturbance (warmer water holds less oxygen) and increase the current throughout the tank. This is if you must keep the Hillstream Loaches in this tank.

That brings me to another point, you need cooler temperatures (below 75F/24C) for this fish long-term, and this will not be good for mollies which must have warmth (above 75F/24C) . You cannot house Hillstream Loaches in with warmer water fish, so either find another tank for the loaches (a 10g or larger) or return them.

 

[corylover5]

Yikes. I was told they could live with mollies and cories but I now realize that was wrong. Do you think it would be ok to keep my water at 75 degrees so its in the middle for both types of fish?

 

[Byron]

Yikes. I was told they could live with mollies and cories but I now realize that was wrong. Do you think it would be ok to keep my water at 75 degrees so its in the middle for both types of fish?

There is more than just temperature, but to answer that, no that is really not workable. Mollies should be above 75F so at 75F they are on the lower side, but even more importantly the Hillstream is really at the upper end and lower would be better. Room temperature (which is as low as you can get without a chiller) is adequate for the loaches.

They also need a strong current; they attach to rocks, graziung off algae, in fairly strong currents so the temp is one thing but the oxygen level is another with a stronger current. Mollies are not going to like being buffeted around.

Never, absolutely never, listen to fish store employees unless you know the individual is trained (very few are). We have all gone through this, to think of the fish I killed early on because of similar. We live and learn, and we want you to avoid our losses.

 

[corylover5]

Thank you. I will bring the loaches back as soon as I can

 

[corylover5]

I'm returning them tomorrow but is there any type of small algae eater I could get for my 29 gallon tank that could live with mollies and cories? I'm not getting them for them to clean my tank, I just think it's really cute the way that they latch on to the sides of my tank. I have algae wafers and blanched veggies that they would get, along with live blackworms from time to time.

 

[Byron]

I'm returning them tomorrow but is there any type of small algae eater I could get for my 29 gallon tank that could live with mollies and cories? I'm not getting them for them to clean my tank, I just think it's really cute the way that they latch on to the sides of my tank. I have algae wafers and blanched veggies that they would get, along with live blackworms from time to time.

First can you post the water parameters, especially GH and pH?

 

[corylover5]

I'm not sure about the GH and Ph because I typically get my water tested at my LFS and last time I had it tested(4 days ago) they said I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 2.5 nitrate, and they just said the PH and everything else looked good. I should've asked exactly what the PH and GH readings were but I didn't. I'll make sure to check tomorrow when I go.

 

[Byron]

I'm not sure about the GH and Ph because I typically get my water tested at my LFS and last time I had it tested(4 days ago) they said I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 2.5 nitrate, and they just said the PH and everything else looked good. I should've asked exactly what the PH and GH readings were but I didn't. I'll make sure to check tomorrow when I go.

When you get any water tests done, always ask for the number and write it down. The pH looking good doesn't tell us anything, and it might clue us/you in to various things. A pH test is useful to have on hand.

For the GH, check with your water supplier, this may be posted on their website.