Question about ick

[Discomafia]

Since I increased the temp. in my 10 gal. to 82F to combat ick, should I keep an airstone in the tank so that there's enough oxygen in the water? Inhabitants include 6 penguin tetras, 2 ottos, 1 betta and 1 mystery snail.

I don't want to if I don't have to, as the increased surface agitation will mean decreased CO2 for my plants. Thanks for any help.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

You are near the "equilibirum" so it seems that you wouldn't need to unless your fish started to gasp at the surface. I wouldn't unless it was necessary.

 

[Bignose]

Are you only increasing the temp to 82 F as treatment? I recall the normally cited temp as 86 to kill ich, and nowadays there are strains of ich resistant over 90. So, you should be adding some medication as well. Then, medication can reduce the amount of oxygen in the water combined with the higher temps, so I would highly recommend using the airstone. If you think your plants cannot handle a few weeks of high temp, medicine, and lower CO2, consider moving them to a hospital tank -- or, on the other hand, move the fish to a hospital tank. If there are no fish, the free swimming stage of ich will die and the life cycle will be broken in the original tank.

 

[Discomafia]

Forgot to mention that I'm using Jungle Ick Guard as well, currently this will be the 3rd day of medication. Water changes of 1 gallon daily and adding 4 ml of medication. Will continue for 4 more days, to make it a week. Is that alright?

How will this affect my 2 ottos? I noticed one of them developing a few spots yesterday, so it's a good thing I've already started medication. Don't think it would be a good idea to increase temp. any higher as I read that the recommended temp. range for the tetras is 70 something to 82F. I know that the higher the temp, the faster I'd get rid of the ick, but I don't want to over heat them or anything. Or is the stuff I read incorrect, and can I raise the temp up to 85 or thereabouts anyways?

I think I'm just going to keep an airstone in there anyways, any other opinions on that? No hospital tank, but I think the plants should be able to survive a week or two. I hope.

 

[Barday]

I thought you're not supposed to do water changes while medicating

 

[Discomafia]

Instructions on back of medicine...

Use 1 teaspoon (5ml) to 10 U.S. gallons. Use 1/2 strength on scaleless, weak, sensitive, or small fish. Remove carbon from filter during use. After 24 hours, change 25% of water and dosage may be repeated.

I thought that it'd be useless to change the water daily, and plus, they didn't say how many days to treat. Anyways, should I follow the instructions or what? I've noticed great improvement on the 2 of the tetras that were showing symptoms, so I guess the stuff is working.

 

[Barday]

Cool, I suppose each treatment is different init!!

Good luck!

 

[cometcattle]

Instructions on back of medicine...

Use 1 teaspoon (5ml) to 10 U.S. gallons. Use 1/2 strength on scaleless, weak, sensitive, or small fish. Remove carbon from filter during use. After 24 hours, change 25% of water and dosage may be repeated.

I thought that it'd be useless to change the water daily, and plus, they didn't say how many days to treat. Anyways, should I follow the instructions or what? I've noticed great improvement on the 2 of the tetras that were showing symptoms, so I guess the stuff is working.

I'm curious, are you doing the daily changes?

I used the Jungle Ick Clear fizz tabs, and I did not do daily changes.

 

[SigEp]

the best advice I ever got was from a kid out at Petsmart who said to just raise the temp and add aqaurium salt.

I've had 2 mild outbreaks of ich; the first time I used rid-ich w/water changes and the second time I tried the temp+salt.

Increased temp and salt cleared everything up within 3 days and the second case of ich was more severe.

 

[Discomafia]

I'm curious, are you doing the daily changes?

I used the Jungle Ick Clear fizz tabs, and I did not do daily changes.

Yea, been doing them for 3 days now. Today should be the fourth. Should I stop?

 

[Discomafia]

the best advice I ever got was from a kid out at Petsmart who said to just raise the temp and add aqaurium salt.

I've had 2 mild outbreaks of ich; the first time I used rid-ich w/water changes and the second time I tried the temp+salt.

Increased temp and salt cleared everything up within 3 days and the second case of ich was more severe.

Would love to add some salt, but don't think the ottos will like that too much...

 

[cometcattle]

the best advice I ever got was from a kid out at Petsmart who said to just raise the temp and add aqaurium salt.

I've had 2 mild outbreaks of ich; the first time I used rid-ich w/water changes and the second time I tried the temp+salt.

Increased temp and salt cleared everything up within 3 days and the second case of ich was more severe.

Would love to add some salt, but don't think the ottos will like that too much...

It sounds like it's working, so I don't think I'd change anything.

The instructions are rather vague.

I really just curious how it's going.

When I read the instructions, I immediatly thought conspieracy.
It seemed like a way for them to get me to go through more of their product.

I had ottos and kuhlis in the tank, and they were fine.

Keep us updated.

 

[dirtydogg]

I am having the same problem "Ich" I am currently using Rid-Ich+. and following the Directions:
"Add 1 teaspoonful (approx 5mL) of Rid-Ich+ for every 10 gallons of water to be treated:. . . As with most medications, a partial water change (25% or mor) before each treatment will ensure more effective results. Remove carbon from filters befor treatment. . .continue treatment for 3 days after last visible signs (white spots of the disease have disappeared."

Are the water changes completely nessacary? Do you think. as this is putting more stress on my fish than the ich was.

 

[Bignose]

The rid-ich+ and all the other malachite green/formalin, and most of the other medications work because they oxidize organic material. ALL organic material -- with includes fish, thier gills, their poo, food, friendly and unfriendly bacteria, and of course, the parasites. The fish are a higher order of life, so they can take having some cells die off, while the parasites cannot. The reason water changes are recommended is to suck up all the poo and uneaten food and whatnot -- because if the medication oxidizes there things, it will be unavailable to oxidize the parasites you are trying to get rid off. Plus, assuming you are matching the temp and hardness and pH of the water you are putting into the tank and conditioning it appropriately, new water is never ever a bad idea.

Also, just to be sure, you must continue to medicate for some time after the spots and symptoms disappear. The life-cycle of ich is invisible (to the naked eye) except for the spots on the fish -- but you can't kill it while in the spots on the fish stage. After on the fish, the cyst falls off, is dormant while is uses its stored energy to reproduce, then hundreds to thousands of free swimmers come out. This is the only time ich can be killed. So, you have have have to make sure you get through all the lifecycles to attack the ich when it is vulnerable. One ich protazoa left as a tiny cyst in one fish untreated or if you 'just missed the window' for that one can restart everything, then in 2 months you'll be back on here complaining about persistant ich outbreaks. I do not buy into those fearmongers that say that ich is in evey aquarium -- you just have to realize that sometimes a new introduction can be a carrier, and you have to medicate long enough to get completely through all the life cycles.

 

[blue_ram]

Are you only increasing the temp to 82 F as treatment? I recall the normally cited temp as 86 to kill ich, and nowadays there are strains of ich resistant over 90. So, you should be adding some medication as well. Then, medication can reduce the amount of oxygen in the water combined with the higher temps, so I would highly recommend using the airstone. If you think your plants cannot handle a few weeks of high temp, medicine, and lower CO2, consider moving them to a hospital tank -- or, on the other hand, move the fish to a hospital tank. If there are no fish, the free swimming stage of ich will die and the life cycle will be broken in the original tank.

Actually all the fish and the plants in Discomafia's tank should be able to handle temperature upto high 80's. Plants and ottos should be able to handle temperature into low 90's, and betta should be able to handle temperature into mid 90's (don't ask me how I know this javascript:emoticon('')
smilie )

I'm not so sure about the penguin tetras and the snail though. What I would do is keep the betta and otto in one tank, and move the tetras and the snail to a hospital tank. Raise the temperature of betta/otto tank to about 92 degrees, and for couple more days after the icks go way. Treat the tetra/snail tank with salt or medication and raise the temperature to 88 degrees.

You don't need to add air stone to the betta/otto/plant tank. They will be just fine, as long as they have not been too weakened by the ick. Just make sure you do a massive water change before raising the temperature. Otherwise you'll be overrun by algae!

I really don't know if the snail will survive this. Freshwater snails don't like salt, and seem to be sensitive to almost every fish medication. Do snails get ick too ? javascript:emoticon('')
smilie