First off, let me apologize for posting another ich thread. I have searched and read dozens of threads on possible ich treatments already, and the opinions vary greatly. So I thought it might be alright to post a question about my specific situation and options and get your opinions on it.
Last week I added 5 Botia angelicus to my tank. 1st problem, I didn't use a quarantine tank. That issue has since been resolved, and I have a complete 10 gal setup for quarantining fish now. In the LFS’s dim aquarium light the botia’s looked great. As soon as I released them into my tank with 3 wpg, the ich was obvious. Since I had already released them into my tank I was afraid to not treat the tank. So I immediately raised the tank temp to 84 – 85 degrees, removed any carbon, and started using Rid-Ich+. Over the course of the next 7 days or so, the botia’s spots were reducing and I assumed things were looking up. Well then I notice a spot or two on a platty the other day. The outbreak really doesn’t seem too bad, all the fish seem to be acting normally and eating fine, but my concern is that since the parasites have spread to a previously uninfected fish, it appears the treatment isn’t working. Am I correct in this assumption?
I have since acquired the use of a UV sterilizer. Here are the options I’m considering and where I’d like your opinions.
1. Move all fish to the quarantine tank with no plants and run temps around 85 F, add salt, add UV sterilizer in the quarantine tank and let the ich run their cycle out in the planted tank. With no fish and temps in the lower 80’s, the ich should be gone within a couple of weeks right? I know the fish load on the hospital tank will be high, so I’d be doing daily water changes with no substrate so I could clean the waste and ich cysts up easily.
2. Add UV sterilizer to main tank, and keep the treatment going, Doesn’t a UV break down the Rid-Ich+ medicines though? If so, is there a safe amount of salt I can add to a planted tank?
Here are the specifics on my main tank. It is a 72 gal tank, heavily planted. 3 wpg, eheim 2128 and sump, CO2 injection. The fish in there now are 5 glow lights, 5 harlequin rasboras, the 5 botias, and 3 platties.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-Scott
Last week I added 5 Botia angelicus to my tank. 1st problem, I didn't use a quarantine tank. That issue has since been resolved, and I have a complete 10 gal setup for quarantining fish now. In the LFS’s dim aquarium light the botia’s looked great. As soon as I released them into my tank with 3 wpg, the ich was obvious. Since I had already released them into my tank I was afraid to not treat the tank. So I immediately raised the tank temp to 84 – 85 degrees, removed any carbon, and started using Rid-Ich+. Over the course of the next 7 days or so, the botia’s spots were reducing and I assumed things were looking up. Well then I notice a spot or two on a platty the other day. The outbreak really doesn’t seem too bad, all the fish seem to be acting normally and eating fine, but my concern is that since the parasites have spread to a previously uninfected fish, it appears the treatment isn’t working. Am I correct in this assumption?
I have since acquired the use of a UV sterilizer. Here are the options I’m considering and where I’d like your opinions.
1. Move all fish to the quarantine tank with no plants and run temps around 85 F, add salt, add UV sterilizer in the quarantine tank and let the ich run their cycle out in the planted tank. With no fish and temps in the lower 80’s, the ich should be gone within a couple of weeks right? I know the fish load on the hospital tank will be high, so I’d be doing daily water changes with no substrate so I could clean the waste and ich cysts up easily.
2. Add UV sterilizer to main tank, and keep the treatment going, Doesn’t a UV break down the Rid-Ich+ medicines though? If so, is there a safe amount of salt I can add to a planted tank?
Here are the specifics on my main tank. It is a 72 gal tank, heavily planted. 3 wpg, eheim 2128 and sump, CO2 injection. The fish in there now are 5 glow lights, 5 harlequin rasboras, the 5 botias, and 3 platties.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-Scott