What Do You Use For Ich?

[denis coghlan]

Ok so I was checking out my fish today and I noticed that one of my elongates “mpanga” has a single white dot on its lateral fin. It has grown in visibility since yesterday so I am confident that it is white spot. Plus I added new fish last week so there has been the opportunity for ICH to get into my tank. I would like to quarantine but I don’t have the space.

Today during work I was very productive and I read many many articles on the treatments used for ICH. I decide on using the salt method (cichlid-forum) and I picked up some pure sea salt on the way home and I have started the process.

Just out of curiosity what methods do you other African cichlid keepers use to get rid of ICH if you get it in your tanks?

 

[mamafish68]

Last time I had ICH was easily over 2 yrs ago. I find water temperature has much to do with the inflamation of ICH. I used the heat & salt method, also covered the tank with a blanket to shutout light for 3 days. Knocked it in the butt!

I used AQUARI-SOL when I first started out and it always worked for me, I'm not keen on meds now though.

 

[snowyangel]

Cured ich from my dwarf cichlid tank with QuIck Cure in 3 days along with increase in temperature.

 

[denis coghlan]

I used the heat & salt method, also covered the tank with a blanket to shutout light for 3 days. Knocked it in the butt!

I used AQUARI-SOL when I first started out and it always worked for me, I'm not keen on meds now though.

I have to agree with you about being reserved with the use of chemicals. If there is a natural method of treating any illness I will always try to use it.

Can I ask you why you covered your tank? I didnt think that light would have any effect on ICH.

 

[mamafish68]

LOL yea, it'so ne of those..."wives tale" kinda things, I'd heard from a local club member and from another forum something about (might not get this right so bare with me) that the little ICH "bugs" so to speak dont venture high into the water column if it's completely dark there for not attaching to the fish.......LMAO

I know... sounds loopy but when you have a relative newbie in the hobby and a tank full of calvus and other not so cheap fish she'll try anything.

I dont know if the towel did the trick but I never lost a fish and the ICH was gone quickly.

(whispers)

it prolly did nothing but calm the fish and aid in destressing the fish even more B)

 

[brewyn]

Hello. My fish suffered a serious case of white spot not too long ago, they were flicking constantly, and with over £500 quids worth in the one tank I was very worried . a chap from another forum suggested I use sterazin and protozin, combined together. It worked a treat and my fish are happier for it, it also gave me a 10 break from water changes.

I find the salt didn't work for me.

Ps, I now keep my temperature at 30c

 

[denis coghlan]

Hello. My fish suffered a serious case of white spot not too long ago, they were flicking constantly, and with over £500 quids worth in the one tank I was very worried . a chap from another forum suggested I use sterazin and protozin, combined together. It worked a treat and my fish are happier for it, it also gave me a 10 break from water changes.

I find the salt didn't work for me.

Ps, I now keep my temperature at 30c

Hi Brewyn. I hope all is going well in the world of water changes. I have a quick questions for you.
What is sterazin and protozin, combined?

When you tried the salt method how much salt did you add?

I am winning the battle on ICH at the moment, the one white dot on the fin of the elongatus mpanga is all but gone, but then again you cant see their gills where the majority hang out. Only time will tell, as I have another seven days to go with this treatment, I also bumped up my temp to 28C.

I read all the articles I could get my hands on about ICH and its treatment and I decided to go with a salt treatment from the Cichlid-forum. This mehtod instructs you to add 2-3 tablespoons of salt for every five gallons, on most other forums it only recommends 1 tablespoon for every five gallons. But I guess its based on the level of salinity that the species can handle (this method was species specific).

Treating ICH with salt for African rift lake cichlids

 

[brewyn]

hello tanks, for over 30 mins now i have tried to reply to your question, but either the phone keeps ringing or some one keeps sending me msn messages, so lets try again!

sterazin controls gill and body flukes which cause flicking and controls internal worms.

protozin is a treatment of white spot, fungus, neon tetra disease, trichodiniasis velvet and costiasis.

please dont ask me what any of these are, im just reading what it sais on the packaging. when I say combined I mean you can use both of the treatments together. they kill the white spot at all the different stages and I will swear by it. these were suggested to me by a chap who knows his stuff, and knows more about fish than I could ever dream of knowing, and most importantly, it worked. my chilumba was showing serious redness around his gills and along his flank, it was developing large white patches all over, and he was in a bad way, it even cleared all of this and he is now looking rather nice.

when I used my salt I think it was recommended to use 1 teaspoon per 1 gallon, I cut this by half.
I would also consider raising the temp to 30c, all my tanks are now set at this.

I hope this has helped and sorry for the delayed reply, spent yesterday catching a budgie that was hanging around my garden. cheers.

 

[denis coghlan]

Thank you for the information Brewyn. My next and last question for you (sorry I know yet another one) did the use of those chemicals in your tanks effect your biological filter? If it did, did you have to then compensate with additional water changes during the course of medication.

Although I think I have the ich sorted at the moment, Its always good to know for future reference.

I hope you caught the budgie! was it your bird or was it on its annual migration to its breeding grounds on artic tundra?

 

[brewyn]

HAHA, yes I did catch the budgie, nothing escapes me, he's a little worse for ware but he is settling nicely in his new home, with me.

the treatments I mentioned did not seem to affect anything, and it sais on the box that it does'nt harm beneficial nitrifying bacteria, I could'nt do a water change for over 10 days, I did'nt lose any fish while treating, the only thing that I did do was add lots more airiation in the form of power heads. you must read the instructions carefuly as its different amount of times, or something along those lines, for different types of filtration, ie, undergravel or external.

always glad to help, if I am able to.