Ich in planted tank, what to cure with?

2331 Views 20 Replies 10 Participants Last post by rasetsu, Oct 19, 2007

musho3210

Discussion Starter · Oct 7, 2007

I see some ich looking things on my neons and cardinal tetras in my planted tank, but there are no signs of ich on my other fish (kribs, pearl gouramis, bristlenose plec, cherry barbs and cories)

Anyway ive turned on my UVS to maybe kill some, should i do a heat and salt treatment or use medication? Obviously i want both my plants AND fish to survive.....

i remembered that a while ago i got ich medication. Checking the expiration date it says 04/2008.

Its API Super Ick Cure, its got 3.6 mg malachite green and 60mg of nitrofurozen per packet, each packet treats 10 gallons,

The instruction says that you dose the needed amount, then wait 48 hours, then dose again, then wait 48 hours, then change tank water and start running carbon. Well this treatment is only for 4 days, and i know ich life cycle is aprox 2 weeks. Is it safe to leave the meds there for 2 weeks? And should i dose half the amount due to my cories and pleco? Should i have my UVS on when dosing?

Currently the tank is at 80 degrees, got crypts, upongetton or whatever, hygros, water lettuce, java moss, jungle vals and thats about it plant wise.

If i was to do a salt and heat, how much salt and how high heat? Should the pleco stay in the tank or should i treat him with a not so strong medication since he would be sensitive to either salt and medicine...

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if_fishes_were_wishes

· #2 · Oct 7, 2007

I started a thread about ich because I saw it on some of my fish too:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/g...scussion/52807-poll-how-do-you-treat-ich.html

Increased heat and salt seems to be the cure of choice. I have raised my temp to 84-86 and only one of 4 fish affected has it now, and his spots are diminishing. I haven't added any salt or meds. I had been shopping for a UV sterilizer, but it seems to be taking care of itself, but I will still keep the temp up for a couple weeks more, just in case

Hope that helps, and good luck!

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 7, 2007

hmm, i will probably end up going with the salt treatment. But a question, how much salt?

mistergreen

· #4 · Oct 7, 2007

heat and UV should be fine..

if_fishes_were_wishes

· #5 · Oct 7, 2007

musho3210 said:
hmm, i will probably end up going with the salt treatment. But a question, how much salt?

I think it's 1 tsp per 10 gallons, but I'm not sure. But I agree that heat plus the UV will probably do the trick.

Riley

· #6 · Oct 7, 2007

Salt will BURN your plants....as previously mentioned....heat and UV will take care of it. I have just used heat successfully though.

Mori

· #7 · Oct 7, 2007

I've been successful with just heat. Heat plus UV ought to be good.

Madfish

· #8 · Oct 7, 2007

Thats I have found the ICH-Attack to work really well I have been using it on my planted tank. Its 100% organic and will not harm plants or any of your fish. Its a daly treatment a and if its really bad you can double the dose that it recomends and it still will not hurt your plants, fish, or shrimp. But thats just in my own views it seems like everyone has there own thing to say about ICH and how to treet it. Best of luck on killing it before it kills your fish.

Jeff

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 7, 2007

is a 9 watt sterilizer enough? It was strong enough to get rid of my green water....

Madfish

· #10 · Oct 7, 2007

What size is your tank?

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 7, 2007

75 gallon, rena xp3 filter, T5 UV, i think its an aquamedic UV

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 10, 2007

anyway, i got the temp up to 87 with no change in fishes activity, i heavily increased surface agiation though.

Mori

· #13 · Oct 10, 2007

That oughta take care of it. Anyone have recommendations as to how long to keep the heat up?

PRESTON4479

· #14 · Oct 10, 2007

Mori said:
I've been successful with just heat. Heat plus UV ought to be good.

I agree. It was my understanding that raising the temp will speed the life cycle of ich. Also ich is unable to reproduce in temps above 80 degrees F. That is why I like to keep my tank at 82 degrees F. I have never had a problem with ich.

Brian

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 11, 2007

ok, most of the ich fell off, heres the stressful part lol, if they come back i will probably need to do a harsher way, if tey dont come back, yay, die you little ich parasites....

Does the temp kill the ich or prevent them from reproducing?

PRESTON4479

· #16 · Oct 11, 2007

musho3210 said:
Does the temp kill the ich or prevent them from reproducing?

Prevents them from reproducing and speeds the life cycle. If you are able to keep the temp in the tank around 80 or 82 I would bet you probably wouldn't have another problem with it.

Brian

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #17 · Oct 12, 2007

i previously had my temp at 80

gseith

· #18 · Oct 12, 2007

I used aquari-sol in my planted tank with no problems and it got rid of the ich in less than a week, and none of the plants seemed bothered by it.

-greg

tazcrash69

· #19 · Oct 12, 2007

For people with Inverts:
Aquari-sol Ingredients:
Copper sulfate

musho3210

Discussion Starter · #20 · Oct 13, 2007

i like my MTS a bit too much, and im always scared of copper since it may get get absorbed then leeched back in in a later date...

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

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