Any special cautions for ropefish with ich?

[horseflesh]

About a week after getting a pair of ropefish they've come down with ich. They are in their own tank with only some well-established Endlers for company (and snacks). I'm assuming it's just the luck of the draw from the LFS.

My usual ich treatment is to raise the temp and add some aquarium salt, instead of using meds. Are there any special cautions for treating ropefish though? I didn't find anything in a search.

Thanks!

 

[haynchinook334]

treat as normal.

 

[dbcb314]

i just used salt + heat.. took about 10 days to get rid of

 

[horseflesh]

Thanks guys!

How warm do you think I can go with ropefish? The treatment calls for at least 86F, you get quicker results a couple of degrees higher--plus, some ich variants these days are tough enough that 86F might not do the job. From what I have read it seems ropefish ought to do fine at 88F.

 

[mattheuw1]

Had my 4 rope eels for about 5 months. Got a redtail tiger shovel hybrid (8") and it got irritated with the eel resting on it and snapped at the ropes head, did not do any damage to the rope. Was not trying to eat it (yet) but stressed him out and 2 days later I noticed white micro dots growing from him. He them gave the ich to the other 3 rope eels the next day (damn cuddling fish). I have never had to treat any of my fish for ich so this should be interesting. I raised the temp to 82 and put some aquarium salt in. I also used some "Ich Away" but did not take my carbon pads out of my Rena XP3 so it was a little pointless because the carbon takes the ich med out of the water. After a day of a 3degree increase on the tank...they seem a lot better. Still ichy, but better. But I do not think my fix will actually kill all of the Ich.

I am treating a 150gal with about 15 small-medium fish. Any suggestions? The only ones that currently have the ich are the ropes as far as I can tell. I am a little worried about taking the temp too high because they have lived at 79degrees the entire time I have had them.

I have 2 common plecos, 2 pacu, 1 pictus, 1 shovel lima, 1 tiger redtail shovel hybrid, a rubber lip pleco, 1 Needlefish, 1 Peacock Eel, and 1 striped raphael cat. Will ICH AWAY hurt any of my fish? I used a half dose just in case. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks MFK users!

 

[horseflesh]

82F will speed up the life cycle of ich, but from what I have read 86F is where it starts to actually kill it. Check the link in my post above.

Your ropes will probably be fine at 86F or even higher. Mine are at 87F right now, and have been for almost a week. Unfortunately, the heat + salt treatment is not getting rid of the ich as it has when I used it before. It isn't getting worse, but isn't getting better. Either this is a tough strain, or my thermometer is off, or it isn't ich after all...

As far as meds go, folks in my fish club recommend Quick Cure as being effective and safe* for all kinds of fish.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/quickcure1.html

As my usual ich treatment isn't doing the job, I am going to start Quick Cure tonight. My ropes are still doing fine, they don't really act sick at all so I am optimistic that they will pull through OK.

* of course, nothing is guaranteed, which is why I always try the heat trick first...

 

[mattheuw1]

I am going to up my heat a couple of degrees tonight. I used ICH AWAY by Wardley, but i had a feeling that my rena XP3 still had a carbon sponge in it so i was under the impression it was not working. I took apart my rena and they look like regular sponges of different coarseness so I am going to put some more ich away in tonight and up the heat a couple of degrees and hope for the best. I have been putting in salt but not the recommended amount because I have never had salt in the tank, but any bit should help. No other fishes are showing any signs of ICH. All rope eels have been active too.

 

[pwmin]

I had to use quick cure once (heat and salt worked all other times). Make sure you only use a half-dose on bichirs and other thin-skinned fish.

 

[dark_knights_99]

I have 2 common plecos, 2 pacu, 1 pictus, 1 shovel lima, 1 tiger redtail shovel hybrid, a rubber lip pleco, 1 Needlefish, 1 Peacock Eel, and 1 striped raphael cat.

From the list of ropefish tankmates (except the peacock eel) the ropefish is in borrowed time...

 

[mattheuw1]

What do you mean, "Borrowed time"? You think one of my tankmates will have the ropes for desert? I see it coming, hoping they grow fond of the ropes and as long as I keep everyone well fed, I don't see any issues anytime soon. The only ones I am worried about eating the ropes are the pacu or the shovels.