Icky Ick

[Vivid-Dawn]

This isn’t so much an emergency (other than I dun’ want my poor little fishies suffering longer than necessary!), as just a medical question.
Is there any way to permanently get rid of Ick from an established tank? Here's my story...

So, my fish have ick...again. Last time, which was barely two months ago, I did the whole medicine thing, along with turning up the heat a bit (only to 76, but it’s usually 68). The problem is, I only have one tank big enough for everybody, else I’d happily quarantine.
I don’t dare use salt, because of my catfish. Or I could stuff (quite literally!) them into my 10 gallon tank, and treat ‘em separately.
I’ve got a 15 gallon, but it’s just started cycling!

Last time I did medication, Kordon Rid-Ich, and vacuumed the gravel about every other day or two for 10 days...medication stayed in residually about 2 weeks, until water regular changes got rid of all of it. Obviously, I didn’t do a good enough job. Should I medicate again, and do a bit of vacuuming every day this time? I could dip my ornaments in bleach too, if that’ll help...didn’t last time, just rinsed and scrubbed with tap water.

On a side note, only my female Electric Yellows seem to be flashing. But I figure even if I quarantine just them, the parasite is still in the whole tank with the other fish anyway.

AURGH!!

P.S.
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 40 *cries* Try to keep it lower, really I do!
PH - 7.8
Water changes once a week, but I do 1/3....used to do twice a week at 10%, but work has me awfully busy lately.
AmQuel and Novaqua added in the flow of tap water from Python filler once a week
Peat moss in there since 10 days ago
Tank occupants - see signature
50 gallons (of water, even though the tank size is 60)
Got my new little pleco 3 months ago, but from a reputable store that’s never given me any problems.
Tank age - 6 months (after a 1.5 months of cycling)
bio-wheel filtration, for “up to 75 gallons”
decorations are castle and fake tree stump... resin, I think? Ceramic? I dunno, they’re just nifty lookin’ ;p LOL and regular aquarium gravel, with some of those glass/decorative pepples

 

[reg2k2]

Is flashing your only symptom? or do you have spots?

The vaccuuming should be fine...unless you think it stresses the fish too much, in which case I'd just stick to daily water changes. In an african tank I realize there's going to be a certain amount of stress, but reduce it as much as possible; stress is often a precursor to disease. Enough territorial boundaries in the tank? Also, that temp. seems a bit low...Africans can be kept betw. 70-85F, often on the higher end (but this increases aggression, and metabolism--more waste). I would at least bump it up to 70, tho.

After treatmt, any residual medicine should be removed by filtering with carbon.

I don't think the pictus and oto are really compatible in that tank, may be wrong.

>>permanently get rid of Ick from an established tank?
Some believe the parasite is always present, but only shows itself when fish are stressed/weakened and succumb to it.
Treating separately not really recommended...ich is considered a 'tank disease'.

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Just flashing. No spots, not even last time... I thought I got it in time. And I've been keeping an eye on puffy scales, since one'a my gouramis last year suddenly died of that (sudden, as in, within 3 days...was fine, then one day looked more like a blue porcupine, then in the night he went belly up!)

I don't think they're stressed. Everybody pretty much leaves each other alone... my Kenyi are actually quite shy, but they're probably still young (still blue, and if they are males, haven't changed color yet). My rainbows are active, but only chase each other. My catfish stay behind the castle and in the tree stump... in fact, I thought one had died and got the remains eaten by the others, cuz I didn't see it for 2 months until I got the castle and moved stuff around - he was hiding in the tree, all the time!
My ottos like to stay near the top, and I don't think I've ever seen a catfish more than 3 inches above the gravel. The catfish did like my half dozen ghost shrimp, though (that was before the ottos came) >_<

I'll raise the temp to 78, for now, and then when things get better (I hope!), I'll leave it at 70. I just heard that yes, lower temps lower metabolism for waste and the fish live longer.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Besides the flashing, are there any other signs of illness? Do the fish look like they have a gold dusting? Do the gills look red and inflamed? Your water stats look good. Have you tested your tap water for nitrate? some people have trouble keeping the nitrates down because of having high levels in their tap water.

The "puffy scales" you saw, were they sticking out like a pinecone? If so, that is an internal bacterial infection.

I'll raise the temp to 78, for now, and then when things get better (I hope!), I'll leave it at 70. I just heard that yes, lower temps lower metabolism for waste and the fish live longer.

I'd really like to see your source for this. I think this is incorrect because most tropical fish live in temperatures warmer than 70. African Rift lakes temperature is between 75-85 degreese. Putting fish in lower temperatures would cause more stress to them, as it is not the norm. Also, the waste your fish produce depends on how much they eat. I will agree the lower temps will lower the metabolism, but in general, people tend to over feed their fish. I feed my fish every other day and they seem happy and healthy.

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

I looked this morning, and nothing. No spots, no gold ‘dust’, no puffy fins (the last dropsy case was a year ago). Maybe my females are just weird swimmers? But if it is ich, I’d like to take care of it before it becomes a problem! My little otto always seems to have an extra pink underside, and it’s been like that since I got him...at first I was worried about ammonia, but my test keeps showing up 0. And tap water nitrites are only about 10ish (the color turns a little darker than 10, but not quite 20).

I don’t really have a direct source for the low temp thing, just something I’ve seen posted a few times on another board. I could find the post, if ya really want! Actually, I turned my heater off last summer, as the temp was getting up near 90... then somebody told me I should have it on at least low, for the night-time - but first thing in the morning, it would still be mid-80s. So in the winter, I just leave it on low so the water doesn’t get too cold. Room/air temp is about 65.

I also feed very little. Two algae wafers twice a week (my cichlids love ‘em!), and whatever will fit on the tip of my finger for crushed flakes/krill/plankton/daphnea, in the morning half an hour after lights are on. I quit using dried bloodworms, as I read they’ll make cichlids sick.

 

[WILDER]

Any signs of fungus on them or bleached out colours on the body or fins.

 

[tttnjfttt]

There are lots of different diseases that can cause fish to flash, not just ich. In addition to what Wilder asked, have you seen any fisn gasping at the surface?

 

[WILDER]

Also check the gills to see if they are red and inflamed, plus any excess mucas on them, also if they look shiny more than normal.
Have you removed the med as some meds can irratate them.

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Nothing unusual, except the flashing. I looked really well, and the fish don't seem to have anything odd about 'em. No color fades, no inflamation. None of them go near the surface, not even my rainbows. All the meds are out, at least 2 weeks ago. Maybe I'm just being a worry-wort!

 

[tttnjfttt]

I would keep a close eye on the tank for the next few days to make sure nothing is developing. Usually flashing is a sign of illness, however when i first got my tiger barbs last year i did have some issues with them flashing, and no disease ever showed up.