Ich!!!

[Gabe]

My tank is being over run by ich. I'm treating it and I turned up the heat but it doesn't seem to be getting better. All the fish are hovering at the surface and some have actually died I almost feel like I want to off them and start over, but I don't have the heart. But I don't want to watch them suffer either. Plus it looks like they have fin rot as well. All of my cherry barbs tails are almost gone. My 2 females are now dead and the males aren't doing well at all.

This is the first really serious thing that has happened in my tank and I am so sad about it. I'm not really sure this belongs in the emergency section as I don't know what else there is to do right now. I gave the second dose of meds today.

Gabe

 

[Joviella]

what are your water parameters? my fish were gasping for air when i had a serious nitrite problem. are you doing water changes every other day? have you removed your carbon filter?

 

[breezer40]

Hi

Have you added any extra air to compensate for the additional heat? Heat will reduce the oxigen in the water and could explain why they are hanging at the surface.

 

[Gabe]

Actually I haven't done any tests, I didn't know if the meds would mess them up. And I haven't done any water changes as I'm treating the tank and don't want to take the meds out. I do have my air stone on full blast for more aeration, and they are still at the surface. I feel bad for them because they have to fight against the current to stay in one spot, but I don't want to turn it down and lose the aeration

Gabe

 

[mrV]

It takes time before they are healt. Medicines don't affect on parasites on/in fish' skins, it only destroys "spores" in water.

 

[harried_mom]

As mrV said, "Medicines don't affect on parasites on/in fish' skins, it only destroys "spores" in water." To speed the Ich life cycle, increase the temp to about 80-82. This will get them into the "spore" stage quicker.

Also, depending on the type of fish you have, you should consider a salt bath. If you have any scaleless fish (cats or plecs), DON'T! Otherwise, adding salt will help with the fin rot as well as the ich. The salt bath is written up in my reference book as: add one teaspoon of table salt ( not iodized!!!) for each gallon of water. Add the same amount that night and twice the next day, once in the am and once in the pm. If there are not improvements by the third or fourth day, add one more teaspoon of salt each day. On the ninth and tenth days, make progressive water changes and test for results.

Personally, I halved the amounts and got great results. Please add salt slowly and pre-dissolved in water, being careful not to pour the solution directly onto the fish.
Good luck!

 

[Gabe]

Well I have a pleco so I can't add salt

I realize that the meds don't affect what is on the fish's skin, but I thought it would slow down after the meds, but it seems to have just gotten worse. My hubby is off to get more meds to have another go at it.

Gabe