Why Can't I Kill Ich?

[mako22]

I've read a lot about the disease and I now understand the cycle and treatments. However, I can't seem to save my fish that get it. I use the medication as directed, 25% water change, raise temp to 82 and remove filters - and it still won't get off my fish!!! I keep treating and eventually they die. Very frustrating, I must be doing something wrong because I keep reading how easily treatable this disease is. Note: I do not have a hospital tank yet, and have 2 bala sharks covered in white spots, 4 days into treatment

 

[pippoodle]

YOU DO NOT NEED A HOSPITAL TANK you need to treat ich in the tank as it lives in the gravel

you should not be removing the filters from you tank
you only need to remove any carbon or zeolite that are in the filters
removing the filters will cause ammonia or nitrites in your tank and kill your fish

every time you are removing your filters you are destroying any beneficial bacteria that are in them thus you have to restart a fish in cycle which

what size is the tank and what stocking do you have at the moment

please read this link about fishless cycling <a href="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861" target="_blank">http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861</a>
- if all your fish are dead do not replace them unless you are going to do a fish in cycle

TO TREAT THE FISH
do a good gravel vac and water change first - removing 50% of the water and replacing with dechlorinated water near enough matching the same temp as your tank water
remove any carbon and zeolite from you filters - but do not remove the actual filter
turn the temp up to 30 degrees
add the meds
increase aeration by adding an airstone to the tank

then in 7 days do a 50% water change and re dose if necessary

have you tested your water for ammonia , nitrites , nitrates and ph
if not please invest in a good liquid test kit API master is approx £20
and will help you with the cycling process as it will let you know when the levels rise so telling you when you need a water change

Ammonia and nitrites are both poisonous to fish

how often do you do a water change now?

(i hope thats easy to understand i have tried my best but my MS head is not good at the moment)

please get back with anymore questions thanks sarah

 

[mako22]

Thanks for taking the time to help - this is going to sound like a ridiculous question - but how do I remove the carbon without removing the filter??? cut it and shake it out??? I usually change 25% water weekly. I'm going to do a fishless cycle if I can't save these guys and as per another users advice will get rid of these test strips and get a real test kit!

 

[pippoodle]

Thanks for taking the time to help - this is going to sound like a ridiculous question - but how do I remove the carbon without removing the filter??? cut it and shake it out??? I usually change 25% water weekly. I'm going to do a fishless cycle if I can't save these guys and as per another users advice will get rid of these test strips and get a real test kit!

what sort of filter do you have
your carbon will eother be a sponge , in a bag or a plastic container
all can be removed as should be replaced once a week

let me know

 

[mako22]

I have sponges - the carbon is inside, should I shake it out and seal it back up and reinsert them?

Also regarding the hospital tank and Ich - I just read 2 long posts about how it doesn't lay dormant in the tank and you should always treat sick fish separately and how treating a 55 gallon tank is a waste of medicine and affects all the other components of the tank (and other fish) negatively. Not to question your expertise but these other articles seem to be so definitive about this - are they just flat out wrong?

 

[pippoodle]

It doesnt lay dorment in the tank but once it has been introduced into the tank the tank needs to be treated
unless you remove all fish from the tank so that the ich doesnt have a host to attatch itself to
this is a good link [URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php[/URL]

a carbon sponge is a black songe all you need to do is remove the black sponge - if you have one
never rinse your filter sponges in tap water only in used tank water

asa you have catfish i dont think you would be able to do the salt method of treating ich

 

[pippoodle]

off to bed hun its 3.17 am here and got school run in the morning will reply tomorrow but hopefully someone else will get back to you before then

 

[kribensis12]

The best med for ich is CopperSafe ( or the Chemical Copper Sulfate, in which you do 1 drop per gallon). It will have the ich gone in 2 days ( leave the med in the tank for a month, so it kills the ich larvae). But the actual white parasites will be gone. Also turning up the tank temp helps treatment go by faster.

 

[mako22]

EDIT - I didn't mean to say I was removing the filter itself, just the sponges. Sorry for the confusion and thank you for the help!

 

[Nezabyte]

What is the difference between Coppersafe and Maracide?