The Planted Tank Forum banner

My Fish Have Ick

3K views 47 replies 14 participants last post by  MarkM 
#1 ·
Well, I have had my aquarium for about ten years and this is the first time I have had a recognizable fish issue. I looked up fish problems on google and I am pretty sure my fish have Ick. I read and there are several medications and restrictions.

I have plants so anything with copper can not be used.

I have clown loaches so there is another chemical that is bad for fish without scales.

I also have a few cardnials, corys, and ottos.

What is the recommended treatment.

I also read that Ick is light sensitive. I have a low tech planted tank, and the light level is mid low range according to my par meter. I do water changes based on water params, usually 2-4 weeks 40%.

thanks,
Mark
 
#4 ·
I've used Ich-x by Health Aid on black neons in a heavily planted tank. Worked in like 3 days and the plants seemed to benefit as well.....There were also blue pearl shrimp and micro crabs in the tank....they made it through ok:)

Now, try to figure out how you got ich in your tank.
 
#6 ·
I slowly raised the temp 1 degree an hour up to 86 for 2 weeks along with I belive the brand is kardon all natural ich attack. The temp alone will stop them from reproducing in your substrate and then kill them. Leave temp raised for 2 weeks. Or the ich can survive and go through another reproductive phase. Just fought ich last month after never having problems before. Since my "fishgeddon" I have done continual weekly 25% - 50% water changes... Good luck.
 
#7 ·
I have the same issue. My tank has been established for 2-3 months, and after a lot of tweaking (lighting, plants, livestock), I thought I was getting close to being satisfied with my tank. Unfortunately, I decided that I wanted to add a blue male guppy, which I got from my LFS. I didn't notice that it was infected with ich and bought a GBR and some neons a couple of days later. A day or two after that, I finally noticed the ich spots on the guppy and moved him into a 2 gallon tank. I was hoping I pulled him out before he could infect my 20 gallon tank. Unfortunately, I noticed ich spots on some of my fish this past weekend. All of my fish have them including adult guppies and their fry, the neons and the GBR. I'm so bummed. I'm hoping I don't have too many losses. I'm going to be putting in a heater today and will start medicating with Ich Attack when it comes in from Amazon tomorrow.
 
#8 ·
I have a question. At what temperature will plants start to be affected? The current temp in my tank is around 75-78 degrees without a heater. My new heater came in from Amazon, and I've decided to just go ahead and buy a bottle of Ich Attack from Petco so that I can begin treatment tonight rather than waiting for the bottle I ordered from Amazon to arrive tomorrow. I just want to know how high I can raise my temps with the following flora and fauna:

Flora: anacharis, rotala rotundifolia, DHG, jungle val, giant val, water wisteria, Hygrophila corymbosa, java fern, subwassertang

Fauna: neon tetras (prefer cooler water), peppered corys (prefer cooler water), guppies (adults and multiple fry), GBR, ghost shrimp, MTS, ramshorn snails

I want to get the temps up in the mid-80s if possible. Ultimately, I think I want to put a priority on saving the GBR, guppies and plants. I don't want to lose my neons, but I only paid $1 each for them. I also don't want to lose my corys (2 of them), but if they go, I wouldn't mind replacing them with a school of smaller corys that prefer warmer temperatures. Once I'm done with my ich treatment, I plan on leaving the temp at around 80-82 degrees.
 
#11 ·
I think there's plenty of surface agitation in my tank. I actually run a Penguin filter rated for a 50 gallon tank in my 20 gallon high. The flow is blunted with a piece of a plastic bottle, but the water still churns quite a bit where the water hits the plastic barrier. The flow is redirected towards the back of the tank. I'll keep an eye on my fish as I raise the temp, and if I notice any gasping, I'll just temporarily remove the plastic barrier and/or add an air stone.
 
#10 ·
I plan to go to the LFS after work today and buy a bottle of the Kardon meds. I am running the tank currently without a heater as the normal ambient stays above 75 day and night this time of year. I will add a heater this evening and slowly raise the temp to the low 80s.

I have read about low O2 as a potential cause. I took my bubbler out when my plants began growing and I will put that back in this evening. I have also read about higher light levels helping Ick so I will cut back on my lighting this evening also.

I have a hand me down UV lamp that I have never tried. I got it out this morning and the pump does not work. I will see if I can find a pump this evening at the LFS.
Mark
 
#12 ·
Status

Went to the LFS last night. I purchased Tetra Ick Guard. When I got home I added my bubbler, installed my heater, installed my UV light, reduced my tank lighting, and did a 40% water change. I added the Ick Guard as the instructions say.

This morning my tank temp is up to 82 degrees. My three clown loaches are worse than yesterday, more white dots. I could not see any white dots on cardinals, ottos, or corys, yesterday most had none but some had one or two dots. I turned up the temp another two degrees.

I will review this evening after work and plan a second 40% water change and dose of the Ick Guard.
 
#13 ·
I've use kordons rid ich plus. Bottle says its safe for scaleless fish and since I've been using it, I've never had a fish loss from ich. At the first sign if ich, I treat the whole tank and in a 2-3 days, the spots fall off fish and never shows up on any other fish.
 
#14 ·
Question MiSo

I went intending to purchase Kordons but the sales lady said she had used it and it stained the silicon at each seam of her tank green. I did not want that so I tried the tetra stuff.
 
#16 ·
I went intending to purchase Kordons but the sales lady said she had used it and it stained the silicon at each seam of her tank green. I did not want that so I tried the tetra stuff.
I think you're talking about a different product. Kordon sells the traditional ich medicine, but they also make an organic version called ich attack. I applied a double dose to my tank last night, and it definitely didn't stain the sealant.
 
#15 ·
I've successfully defeated ich using the heat method in several tanks.
Ramp the temp up to at least 86 °, every 2-3 days water change and gravel vac (as much as is possible around plants).
Keep this up for 14 days minimum, but no less than 7 days after last cyst is seen on fish.
As extra killing power use Kordon ich attack in conjunction. Ich attack is the organic one, won't stain but smells nasty and will turn your water brown while being treated.
Watch fish for signs of stress with the heat and add an air stone if they start gasping.
Do not use any meds with the heat method since this may drop the O2 level even lower.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2
 
#18 ·
alright, they are going to get to know me there, I will go back and get the bottle of Ick Attack I saw last night. My UV bulb died overnight so I can get another of those at the same time,
thanks
 
#19 ·
I hope you are able to save your fish. I'm hoping for the best for my tank as well. I started the treatment last night. Everybody was eating eagerly this morning when I fed them, so I'm hopeful that all or most will survive. I'll use this thread to update the progress of my ich treatment.
 
#20 ·
Update-last evening- After 1 day of using the Tetra Ick meds the problem has gotten worse, more dots of Ick especially on the clown loaches. Temp increase is now 86. I stopped last night and bought a bottle of Kordon Ick Attach and used that instead of a second application of the Tetra. I did a 40% water change before adding the Kordon even though it said it was not required.

Mark
 
#21 ·
I raised my temp up to 84 degrees last night although I'm trying to get it up a couple of degrees (not sure if my heater can accomplish this). I also applied my second dose of Ich Attack. As I understand it, the medicine works slowly, so it may take a week or longer to see a noticeable difference in the tank. All my fish are still active and hungry, but I did notice that more of my fish are scraping themselves against my plants. I'm a little worried, but I won't be too concerned until I start to see my fish lose their appetites.
 
#22 ·
My temp is now up to 85 degrees. I thought I noticed less white spots on my fish last night, but there appeared to be more this morning. The good news is that all my fish still rush to the top of the water when I come near the tank expecting to be fed. The blue guppy that introduced the disease to my tank is still eating, which is a good sign since he's the most heavily infected of all my fish. He has developed a bit of a waddle when he swims, but I'm hoping that he'll pull through OK. I'm hoping the spots will be gone from all my fish by the end of the weekend. On a different note, it seems like all my fish are handling the 85 degree temp just fine including the neons and corys even though they prefer cooler temps. My female GBR has perked up considerably since raising the temp and is showing some nice colors. Can't wait for her to lose those ich spots though.
 
#23 ·
Status 8/8

I have my tank at 86 degrees. I added my second dose of Ick Attack last night. Fish and plants seem to be OK, (not counting the Ick spots). My three Clown Loaches each have lots of dots and this morning maybe more than last night which had more than the day before) Will continue this evening with the third dose of Ick Attack.
 
#24 ·
Its normal to see more white spots as you raise the temperature initially as you are speeding the reproduction of the parasite. Its only affected by any treatment while its free swimming. So either falling off the fish or trying to finding a fish. After 4 days you should not see any increase in white spots at all. Quite the opposite.
 
#27 ·
Technically. Though some strains of ich have been seen to live through very high temperatures.

Btw all my info comes from : http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

I had to read that once and it stuck to me.
I read that article too and saw that some reports have stated that ich can survive temps of up to 92 degrees. However, the person who wrote the article says that he's never heard this reported by an fish keeper.
 
#28 ·
Ick Status

I have had my tank temp at 86/87 for five days now. I am using Ick attack each day. Hard to be sure but I looked at my three clown loaches this morning and they appear to have fewer spots today. And the spots remaining seem to be smaller. I'll know more tomorrow but maybe the high temp has begun to work.

Assuming this works I have a related question. I am in the process of setting up a used new 120. Looks like I will have water in it next weekend. I had planned to use a start from the current tank before the Ick outbreak. How long after I see the last evidence of Ick should I wait before doing this? Or, should I not plan on doing it at all.

How sophisticated does a quarantine tank need to be? Can I just get a 5g tank, a bubble filter, a heater, and lamp?

Mark
 
#31 ·
I have had my tank temp at 86/87 for five days now. I am using Ick attack each day. Hard to be sure but I looked at my three clown loaches this morning and they appear to have fewer spots today. And the spots remaining seem to be smaller. I'll know more tomorrow but maybe the high temp has begun to work.

Assuming this works I have a related question. I am in the process of setting up a used new 120. Looks like I will have water in it next weekend. I had planned to use a start from the current tank before the Ick outbreak. How long after I see the last evidence of Ick should I wait before doing this? Or, should I not plan on doing it at all.

How sophisticated does a quarantine tank need to be? Can I just get a 5g tank, a bubble filter, a heater, and lamp?

Mark
My one bad experience w/ ich and my best advice.. Patience.. heat takes time... I take it your using chemicals instead of salt.. Guess either works.. My plants, guppies, neon, cory, platys survived week of heat and salt. Plants took a hit (really didn't like salt but it was UNDER-dosed but high , and some were transferred, in part, to the backup fishless tank.. see below) and after treatment algae was a nightmare, but that is another story..
As to using stuff from the one tank and into another.. common sense would say not to do it.. BUT it can be done (If my experience is any indication)
After a very long treatment and no signs of spots ect.. I did use some of the water, plants ect from it to cycle another tank. Kept it vacant for a long time though (probably 3x ich life-cycles @ 77 degrees worth)...

Ich free so far (months).... both tanks

Patience.. and time... ;) It was hard for me (saying to self.. "can I turn the bloody heat down? how long before I kill everything".. :) )

YMMV
 
#30 ·
I used to acquire Clown Loaches from Petsmart that would always have ick or get ick. I have used/experimented using Malachite Green, aquarium salt, and a heater. From my experience, it's about the quantity of the chemical. Using 1/4 recommended dose of Malachite Green and a heater seemed to have the best result. Water changes were also essential and my Clown Loaches never died from overdose or the ick. Aquarium salt doesn't do much as it will only be effective in doses that would make Clown Loaches stressed out.
 
#32 ·
Clown Loachs from Petsmart

I was at Petsmart buying some new AI test solution. I had recently lost one of my two clown loaches which I had had for eight years. I saw their new loaches and they looked healthy so I bought two. I do not know if they brought in the Ick because I also bought several new plants online. Two weeks after the new plants and loaches I saw the Ick.

Guess I've just been lucky over the years and not has any known issues. But I think it is time to get a QT and I will before getting new stock.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top