Ich Again?

[Joeyg2100]

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Got home yesterday and found little white spots all over one of my tetras. This happend to me about a 2 months ago. Since then I have gotten 2 Angels and 2 Bolivians from one LFS. Had no problem with that store. Then about 3 weeks ago I got two Germans from another LFS. Is it possible for the ich to be dormant for that long before it starts showing up? If so then I am done getting fish from this LFS because the last time I got fish from it, my tank got ICH.
I started the salt treatment all over again. This seemed to work great the last time I had it. Also I thought that once a fish gets ich it's body gets ammunities towards it. I know they could get it again, but is that true? Thanks

 

[PDX]

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Got home yesterday and found little white spots all over one of my tetras. This happend to me about a 2 months ago. Since then I have gotten 2 Angels and 2 Bolivians from one LFS. Had no problem with that store. Then about 3 weeks ago I got two Germans from another LFS. Is it possible for the ich to be dormant for that long before it starts showing up? If so then I am done getting fish from this LFS because the last time I got fish from it, my tank got ICH.
I started the salt treatment all over again. This seemed to work great the last time I had it. Also I thought that once a fish gets ich it's body gets ammunities towards it. I know they could get it again, but is that true? Thanks

As far as i know (i could be wrong) fish never get immune to the ich parasite they can have it many times in their lives if they are not treated correctly (poor water quality, infected fish from LFS etc.) I noticed that my new tank from e-bay had the begginings of an ich problem several of the fish flicking against stones and gravel i made my first of 2 treatments with an interpet (think it was this) anti-whitespot formula which is diluted into half a litre of warm water and spread across the water surface (in the process turning the water an attractive blue colour.

Since the first treatment the fish have stopped and i will complete the treatment tommorow... hopefully i won't see the dreaded ich for a while at least...

I'd say get some treatment for them, and do a water change... and just keep an eye on fish you buy from LFS!

 

[modernhamlet]

This a textbook example for why a quarantine tank is a good thing.

That said, ick usually requires not only a new, infected fish to bring it in (which your LFS seems happy to provide), but also poor water or other extenuating circumstances to make the other fish susceptible to an outbreak.

What are your water parameters, Joey? How often and how much are your water changes?

 

[Joeyg2100]

This a textbook example for why a quarantine tank is a good thing.

That said, ick usually requires not only a new, infected fish to bring it in (which your LFS seems happy to provide), but also poor water or other extenuating circumstances to make the other fish susceptible to an outbreak.

What are your water parameters, Joey? How often and how much are your water changes?

I do 50% water changes weekly. My water is Ammonia= 0ppm, Nitrites = 0ppm, Nitrates = 5ppm.
And yes I am going to get a quarantine tank the next time I get fish. I am tired of having to do this to my tank. The extra $15 for a 10 gal tank is well worth it. How long should I keep fish in the quarantine tank after I get the new fish?

 

[modernhamlet]

2 weeks is usually fine. 4 weeks is better.

Typically with ick, you'll see the cysts in the first 2 weeks or so if they have it.

 

[Nina]

There are a number of posts about ich on the forum. If you do a search a few of them have links to other sites explaining what ich is and how is happens, lives etc.

We have had it a couple of times and we did the meds etc but it was taking ages to clear. Added a UV to the tank and hey presto ich gone!

If you are using just treatment and you don't finish the whole course then it will come back. Exactly like a human illness it why they pescribe the meds for a certan amount of time.

But from experience I still suggest the UV. It does have other benefits other than clearing Ich (although that is a bouns). Again do a search because I can't remember all their uses I just know that their are lots.

Best of luck

N

 

[Bignose]

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Is it possible for the ich to be dormant for that long before it starts showing up?

Just wanted to make sure that this question was clearly answered: absolutley not. Ich does not have a dormant stage at all, at tropical temperatures it must go through its entire life cycle in 3-5 days.

Part of the reason ich is often suggested to have a dormant cycle is that our saltwater bretheren fight a parasite known as crypto that is oft called "the saltwater ich" that does indeed have a dormant stage. Also, the dormant myth gets propagated since oftentimes people stop treating their tanks when the white spots fall off. You must contunue to treat for at least one entire life cycle after every visible spot disappears, otherwise you cannot be sure to get every parasite. I usually recommend 7 days of treatment after all spots disappear just to be sure. If not every ich is killed, it may come back several weeks later and seem like it was dormant for a month when really there was just a very low population and the fish were asymptomatic.

Plus, your case is the classic resaon why to have a quarantine. Anytime someone asks 'why should I quarantine' I'm going to point them to this thread.