Best meds for curing Ick?

[sushiray]

1. How does fish catch this?

2. What happens if left unattended, death?

3. What is the best way to cure it?

4. What is the best most effective meds to cure ick?

thks again all.

 

[Lupin]

1, They can get this from the following: a. failure to quarantine new arrivals which are possible disease carriers, and b. failure to complete previous treatment processes that should have been extended to destroy the later stages of protozoans.

There is no dormancy stage for this parasite. They can exist as low lying infection residing in the gill tissues and will appear as outbreak once they sense one of their hosts' immune system is weakening severely.

2. If left unattended, yes, it can kill as it further works on the weakened immune system of the fish. Always treat when ich appears and be sure to treat for at 14 days. Do not shorten the treatment process.

3. There are many options of treating it. Formalin, table salt and malachite green will work. If you opt to use table salt, be sure to dissolve it thoroughly first before adding to the tank. Recommended dosage is a tablespoon per 5g. Add each divided portion of treatment on 30 minute interval to avoid osmoregulatory shock on the fish as sudden surgence of salt also elevates the electrolyes drastically and once the osmoregulatory system of the fish fails to cope with the added electrolytes, the fish suffers greatly from stress and becomes more vulnerable to death. Dissolution of salt is very important especially if you have bottom dwellers in the tank as salt grains can burn the skin of the fish and even kill them in the process.

If you opt to use formalin, use a teaspoon of 3% solution per 10g. Formalin is a carcinogenic organic compound so use it with caution and use it in a well ventilated area. As it depletes oxygen, make sure your tank water is well aerated. Increase the output flow of the filter and add airpumps as a precaution. Malachite green can also be combined with formalin. Both however are toxic to fish especially when overdosed and even more toxic if your water is soft and acidic.

4. Stick to salt as this is the first safety rule for ich treatment. If it fails to work well after 10-14 days (although this happens mostly in tanks where people unnecessarily add salt thus increasing the resistance of the protozoans to salt), then you may consider using formalin and/or malachite green.

 

[TangoWRX]

Lupin pretty much nailed it as usual.

Personally when I get ich I up the temp to about 29c (to speed up the life cycle of the protozoans), do a good water change, then add Protozin. You can only kill ich in one of the three life cycle stages, and be aware that just because you can't see it anymore does not mean it is gone. It can be in the water ready to infest again.

 

[goin_all_out]

up the temps, i personally like aquarisol, light enough its safer on sensitive fish. ich can be caused by fluctuating temps, times of stress ie. adding new fish. depending on the fish, this could simply be adding cold water during a water change.

 

[sushiray]

How about Kordon Rid Ich & salt treatment? table salt or I do have a small box of kosher salt & a small box of sea salt (food version). I've raised temps to 87.

thk u.

 

[BristolDibber]

i find that the meds are harmfull to live plants and deadly to plecos. i use marine salt frim the lfs and increased water temp to 85* or so.

 

[Lupin]

Sushiray

i find that the meds are harmfull to live plants and deadly to plecos. i use marine salt frim the lfs and increased water temp to 85* or so.

I just got my kordon rid ick, melafix & pimafix. so if I use any meds I will be killing all my plecos?! 8 baby BN's & 1 newly added baby royal!

i can not afford to lose them! i will go into shock!

help!

do I need to fish them out? Lupin says I need to treat for 14days & my temps are up to 86-87.

what to do now?

or should I start salt treatment (table salt) 1st b-4 the meds.

now that my discus are swimming w/o fear! to the surface, to the front of the tank, all over! feeding frenzy! I was so happy!


Lupin

I just got my kordon rid ick, melafix & pimafix. so if I use any meds I will be killing all my plecos?! 8 baby BN's & 1 newly added baby royal!

What are you using Melafix and Pimafix for? Those will not kill the plecos but they can deplete oxygen levels unless you make sure your tank is well aerated. Besides, both medicines do not treat for ich. Keep them aside.

do I need to fish them out? Lupin says I need to treat for 14days & my temps are up to 86-87.

With ich cases, treat all fish in one tank altogether. Stick to salt for now. This is your best measure and if ich persists, then you can resort to formalin, malachite green or both (with careful instructions to follow). Be sure to dissolve salt thoroughly before you add it. I have used table salt with my loaches and catfish with no ill results. All it takes is dissolution and slow adding process.

or should I start salt treatment (table salt) 1st b-4 the meds.

Yes.

Sushiray

What are you using Melafix and Pimafix for? Those will not kill the plecos but they can deplete oxygen levels unless you make sure your tank is well aerated. Besides, both medicines do not treat for ich. Keep them aside.

I bought them for just to have on hand & have read good reviews on their use. Was not going to use on Ich but wondered if they could be used together if I had other issues but I am told not to mix with other products (tho they can be mixed use together)


With ich cases, treat all fish in one tank altogether. Stick to salt for now. This is your best measure and if ich persists, then you can resort to formalin, malachite green or both (with careful instructions to follow). Be sure to dissolve salt thoroughly before you add it. I have used table salt with my loaches and catfish with no ill results. All it takes is dissolution and slow adding process.

I received my Kordon Rid Ich - it contains a combo of M.G. & formalin. I will hold off on using this.

Strange coincidence that I had raised my temps to 87 & one of my discus that was sprinkled with dots, mostly had disappeared down to one nobule. but that means it still is in my water, right? I am hoping water changes can only help.

but I still started salt treatment last nite even after seeing them disappear. I should only apply/add once, right? I added the tablespoon per 5 gal up to 65 gal since my tank is not filled to the top (13 spoons over 5hrs).

But I want to continue doing W/C's also to suck out the debris as the filters are not collecting them all when it settles to the bottom (AC110, fluval204, sponge filter) as well as maintain it as recommended for discus maintenance.

So can you guide me on salt additions after W/C's?

thk u again for sparing your time, Ray

 

[Dkarc]

Raise the temp and maintain a salinity above 1.0ppt and ich will eventually disappear. Ich cannot tolerate a salinity over 1.0ppt.

-Ryan