Ich Sucks

[BlueShinobu]

So recently my tank got Ich. I had a balloon molly, an african spotted leaf fish or something, a big ass african catfish thing. a glass catfish. all my favorite fish died. all thats left are three platys and a pleco that i dont care about that much...why do the good fish have to die?

 

[Ian H]

ich does suck, when i first started i lost quite a few fish to it

mollies are brakish (need a certain amount of salt) so would be weak anyways. The spotted leaf fish, was it a spotted climbing perch (google for pics) i got one and love it!! although they grow quite big and eat alot of fish!!

why not sell the platties and pleco and re-stock? just be more careful where you get your fish from or put them in a quarantine tank for 2 weeks first

 

[WILDER]

Thats why its so important to quarantine new fish.
2 weeks it not long enough, at least six.
How many gallons is the tank.

 

[Ian H]

i've always been reccomended 2 and been fine with 2? i'm not arguing it just stating what i know

 

[WILDER]

i've always been reccomended 2 and been fine with 2? i'm not arguing it just stating what i know

2 weeks is not long enough.
Read this its interesting but long.
[URL="http/www.exoticpetvet.net/aqua/parasites.html"]http/www.exoticpetvet.net/aqua/parasites.html[/URL]
Taken from the above link.

Another common cause of a parasitic outbreak is inadequate quarantine of new fish, although many aquarists are loathe to quarantine new fish prior to introducing them into their permanent home. Many of the common and more serious diseases do not show up for two to three weeks following transport, and unfortunately, this can result in serious problems being introduced into the established aquarium. A quarantine tank can be a simple as a bare aquarium with a heater and sponge filter. Three to six weeks of quarantine should allow owners to identify any sick fish prior to introducing them into the community tank. During quarantine, weekly treatments with formalin (25 mg/L) are reasonable and likely to avert serious illness in many cases.

 

[TammyLiz]

i've always been reccomended 2 and been fine with 2? i'm not arguing it just stating what i know

2 weeks is not long enough.
Read this its interesting but long.
<a href="http/www.exoticpetvet.net/aqua/parasites.html" target="_blank">http/www.exoticpetvet.net/aqua/parasites.html</a>
Taken from the above link.

Another common cause of a parasitic outbreak is inadequate quarantine of new fish, although many aquarists are loathe to quarantine new fish prior to introducing them into their permanent home. Many of the common and more serious diseases do not show up for two to three weeks following transport, and unfortunately, this can result in serious problems being introduced into the established aquarium. A quarantine tank can be a simple as a bare aquarium with a heater and sponge filter. Three to six weeks of quarantine should allow owners to identify any sick fish prior to introducing them into the community tank. During quarantine, weekly treatments with formalin (25 mg/L) are reasonable and likely to avert serious illness in many cases.

Hmm...I agree with quarantining but I wouldn't treat a perfectly healthy fish with formalin just to "likely...avert serious illness in many cases". Formalin is a poison. It is just as likely to cause illness in a healthy fish than to avert it, and even in the case of sick fish formalin must be used carefully because since they are already weakened it can do them in just as easily as save them. Others will disagree with me but I thought I'd mention it anyway.