Ich - But Have Farlowella And Kuhlis - Help!

[magpie]

Help please... ich with sensitive fish.

Tank size: 65 gal
pH: 6.6-6.8
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10 ppm
kH: very soft
tank temp: 78-79

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
Few white spots, 2 ricefish and 1 hatchetfish

Volume and Frequency of water changes:
25% weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:
Just flourish for plants. Add Prime at water changes.

Tank inhabitants:
- Hatchetfish
- Daisy's ricefish
- Purple pencilfish
- Gertrudae rainbowfish
- Kuhli loaches
- Farlowella catfish
- Stiphodon gobies

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):
the Farlowella this past weekend - I don't see any on them. They're acting happy and are eating.

Exposure to chemicals:
NA

Digital photo (include if possible):
Off to go take some.


My concerns are that the farlowella are new (got them Sunday) and wild-caught - I've heard that they're sensitive to meds, but also to large water changes and high temps. Not sure how much of all that is a serious factor, but I don't want to lose the farlowella from environmental stress....

 

[magpie]

Photos

On the tail of the hatchet

 

[snazy]

For sensitive fish I would use Seachem Paraguard at the recommended dose for 21-ish days. But it is up to you mate and someone may have a better idea.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I would use any proprietary ich med at half dose for twice as long along with raising the temperature of the tank as high as your fish can tolerate, but at least 28C. Make sure you have really good aeration going on.

Excellent pics though!

 

[magpie]

I'm increasing the temperature, I've read it should go to 85 degrees F (29 C). I'm not positive if that will negatively affect anyone if done slowly...? Just not sure about my farlowellas and if they can handle 85. I put the spray bar of my Eheim 2217 so that part of it is at the surface, causing agitation. Hopefully that will be enough. I can see tiny air bubbles moving in the tank.

Does anyone have experience with Coppersafe? It's supposed to be safer for fish like loaches.


(thanks for the photo compliment btw. )

 

[Wills]

I have used Waterlife Protozin with my Whiptails which are slightly comparable to Farlowellas also used it with my Agenisous (though not loaches they are naked fish) without problems.

Wills

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I have used Waterlife Protozin with my Whiptails which are slightly comparable to Farlowellas also used it with my Agenisous (though not loaches they are naked fish) without problems.

Wills

I would have recommended Protozin too but I'm not sure they can get it in the States.

 

[magpie]

OK, I have another online "friend" who has Farlowella and a planted tank, and he recommends a 50% water change, then Coppersafe immediately, followed by increase in temps to 85 F for one full week. Then decreasing temps back to normal, and another water change in 3-4 days after that.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks so much for your input!

 

[snazy]

OK, I have another online "friend" who has Farlowella and a planted tank, and he recommends a 50% water change, then Coppersafe immediately, followed by increase in temps to 85 F for one full week. Then decreasing temps back to normal, and another water change in 3-4 days after that.

Sorry to ask, but how is a treatment for a week, regardless of the medicine, going to get rid of ich for good? Or does the coppersafe last a long time?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Sounds like a good plan magpie. Hope all goes well.

OK, I have another online "friend" who has Farlowella and a planted tank, and he recommends a 50% water change, then Coppersafe immediately, followed by increase in temps to 85 F for one full week. Then decreasing temps back to normal, and another water change in 3-4 days after that.

Sorry to ask, but how is a treatment for a week, regardless of the medicine, going to get rid of ich for good?

Because the temperature is at 29C which will make sure the life cycle is less than a week which should allow the meds to do their work. Having said that I would still probably go for ten days just to be sure.

 

[snazy]

Sounds like a good plan magpie. Hope all goes well.

OK, I have another online "friend" who has Farlowella and a planted tank, and he recommends a 50% water change, then Coppersafe immediately, followed by increase in temps to 85 F for one full week. Then decreasing temps back to normal, and another water change in 3-4 days after that.

Sorry to ask, but how is a treatment for a week, regardless of the medicine, going to get rid of ich for good?

Because the temperature is at 29C which will make sure the life cycle is less than a week which should allow the meds to do their work. Having said that I would still probably go for ten days just to be sure.

I get it. I actually just googled it and at the recommended dose it should last a month.
Plants and snails won't like it.

 

[snazy]

Just to add for the poster of the thread in regards to the coppersafe that apparently the toxicity of coppersafe increases when the total alkalinity (KH) decreases. So at the recommended dose you may kill your fish according to my friend "Google"
It is not recommended with a low Ph. And it is also several times more toxic at higher temperatures
So just be careful, as what worked for some may not be the best idea for others.
I've never used coppersafe, but it's maybe no harm to add the info.

 

[magpie]

I'll keep up the temp for 10 days per your suggestion, then.

I really appreciate the input and info.

The only reason I'm trusting my friend re: the coppersafe is because he is an experienced aquarist, has a couple of south american heavily planted biotopes with similar fish, and he has similar water conditions. He has used it successfully as above, and he states that he hasn't noticed any stress on his farlowella or other fish. Oh, he also doses based on approximate actual water gallons in the tank - so if you have a 29 gallon with lots of decor and plants, you might only have 23 gallons of water. So I dosed for 50-55 gallons instead of 65.

I'll let you know the outcome when I'm done - hopefully soon. Just want my tank back to normal with healthy fish!

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I'll let you know the outcome when I'm done - hopefully soon. Just want my tank back to normal with healthy fish!

Hope all goes well.