Post Ick Treatment

[Zeebs]

I just finished 7 days of Ick treatment with Ick-X in my community tank (I don’t have a quarantine tank).

Is there anything I need to do after finishing treatment (ie. use a carbon filter to remove leftover meds, clean out filter media)? Or just continue on with normal maintenance?

Im so excited that treatment seems to be over, haven’t seen spots in 3+ days.

 

[Zeebs]

And just after posting this I notice a speck on a fin. Ick? Or something else? It’s the one on the left. Sorry, that was the best I could photo!

 

[Naughts]

A quarantine tank would not help now as the parasite has contaminated the main tank. The fish still have ich.
Vacuum the substrate and do a 75% water change. Raise the temperature to 30°c/ 86°f and increase aeriation. Leave the temperature high for two weeks to ensure the parasite has gone, it has a dormant stage in the substrate which is why you saw three days clear.
Continue to clean the substrate and do water changes as necessary.
All the best.

 

[Zeebs]

Thank you for your response.

I have had aquarium temp raised to 86 since start. Have had daily treatments with Ick-X. My question was, is there any post treatment after using ick-X, aka whenever full course is completed of meds.

thank you for your information!

 

[Naughts]

No , just regular maintenance is fine. You could up the water changes to remove medication and keep the water pristine.
When I raised the temperature for two weeks it cured ich on neons. How long have you had the temperature high?

 

[Zeebs]

Temp was upped to 86 degrees 7 days ago when I noticed Ick first 12/5.

 

[Naughts]

OK, keep it there for another week. I have my fingers crossed.

 

[Zeebs]

Now I’m wondering if that was even ick that I saw today? The white dot is no longer on his fin. Could the tetra have rubbed it off or has it possibly fallen off in the matter of a few hours? Just amazed how it could be visible this morning, and 6 hours later nothing. It was pretty much one dot on his tail fin.

 

[Naughts]

Yes, six hours is perfectly viable, once the parasite in its protective pod has developed on the fish it drops into the substrate then expels more parasites which in turn find a host fish.
The ich can only be killed at the free swimming stage which is why the heat treatment must continue even when fish look ich free. The heat speeds up the life cycle.
I'm sorry, I don't remember all the correct terms in this explanation. There will be more scientific information on line.