Ich Outbreak

[xJake]

I added 3 Clown Loaches on Thursday night that I quarantined for 2 weeks in a 20-gallon breeder to my main, 125-gallon, tank. It seems that ich still got into the main tank somehow even though the new loaches showed no signs of it (or any other disease) during quarantine and I drip acclimated them to the main tank for an hour. I came home today to find all the fish covered in white spots and they all have their fins clamped down. I've pointed both of the powerheads I have at the surface of the water and put the bio-wheels back into my HOB filters to increase aeration. I'm turning up the heat to between 89-90F slowly over the course of the next 2-3 days to try to kill off the ich. I've also added a dose Seachem Prime and Melafix to help reduce stress. Salt is out of the question as I have loaches and cories (although I could do individual baths for the scaled fish). I'm planning on doing a 30% water change (vacuuming the sand surface and rinsing off all the rocks and driftwood) in the morning and adding more melafix and prime. Is there anything else I can do besides wait and have patience? I'm also feeding my fish plenty of frozen foods and nori to help keep their immune systems up. I guess I'll need to quarantine new fish longer next time.

Stats:

Tank has been established for 7 months.
Ammonia: Undetectable
Nitrite: Undetectable
Nitrate: 10-20ppm (throughout a week's time)
Temp: 79-80F
pH: 7.1
Recent additions: 3 Clown loaches (quarantined for 2 weeks)

Maintenance Schedule:
50% Water changes every week with dechlorinated tap water matched to the tank's stats.
Filter floss changed every 3-4 days.
1/4 of the Bio-media (cut up filter sponges) rinsed every week. (Divided between 4 filters, 2 HOB, 2 Canister)

Inhabitants:
2 Blue Gouramis (Female)
1 Gold Gourami (Male)
8 Clown Loaches
20 Neon Tetras
10 Colombian Tetras
5 Cories
4 Ottos
2 Clown Plecos (the only ones without ich)
1 Platy
1 Black Molly
1 Swordtail
4 Bolivian Rams

 

[esquirette2007]

Hi Fishaholic,

I used to try getting rid of ich with salt & raising temperatures, which was hit & miss. The last ich I had in my tank happened when I bought some poor stressed-out hatchetfish. I had avoided chemicals in the past, but I especially didn't want to lose all the corys and cardinal tetras I want to breed. So, at the first sign of white specks, I ran out & got some Quick Cure & bam! Ich gone in just a few days with no losses. Treated again per directions. Everybody continued to eat like normal in their blue water & it dies the silicone in the corners of the tank a pretty blue 8)

Here's a great site with information on ich life cycle & various treatments from the Univ of Florida: http/edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_FA006

If I told you stuff you already know, just ignore me.

Karen

 

[Kal-el]

Hey xJake, every single ich outbreak I've had I just put a penny in the aquarium and cranked the heat up to around 90, and wala. I know it sounds too easy and maybe impractical, but it worked for me.