Clown loaches with Ick.

[Camphilophus]

I've got a shoal of 5 clowns about 3" a piece in a 100gallon (6'x18"x18") with 15 small amphilophus fish. All the loaches have ick, none of the cichlids do. I've got a emperor 400, xp3, and hydro 5 sponge filter. Since the ick has broken out I've added 2 powerheads to the tank, and some more aeration, bumped the temperature up, added salt, and have been dosing with pimafix.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Its been getting worse every day but I did a 70% waterchange today and added the established xp3. The pimafix isn't doing anything and I assumed it wouldn't but I figured I'd give it a try. I'd prefer not to use chemicals but I don't want to lose the loaches either. If I don't see progress by tomorrow I will be going with chemicals, any suggestions? I know the loaches aren't as hardy as my cichlids which is why I am weary to try chemicals.

 

[groovitudedude]

Careful with the chemicals. I lost 2 loaches to using ick cure medicines.

 

[toehead11183]

pimafix isnt going to help and i'd stay away from chems. Ich is a parasite. Add one tablespoon of salt per 5g and raise the temp up to 85-90* for 3 weeks, keep the water clean and make sure they get fed a good diet.

 

[Camphilophus]

pimafix isnt going to help and i'd stay away from chems. Ich is a parasite. Add one tablespoon of salt per 5g and raise the temp up to 85-90* for 3 weeks, keep the water clean and make sure they get fed a good diet.

Already done.. Not sure if the heaters will go up to 90* but I am waiting to see what they max out at, I'm guessing around 86*. Its hard to heat my 100gallon so I've got two 250watt visi-therm stealths in the tank. I feed them a staple of NLS and all kinds of other stuff. They eat anything and everything. I took all the stuff out of the tank when I did a waterchange and don't plan on putting most of it back in until everybodys healed up so nothing should settle on the bottom.

 

[Sir-KS]

use AQUARI-SOL it alway work for me but quarantine them in a different tank.

 

[Camphilophus]

use AQUARI-SOL it alway work for me but quarantine them in a different tank.

I'm trying to stay away from chemicals but if I do use them I will be using them on a smaller tank, I don't want to have to dose a 100gallon tank. I am still thinking about QTing them in a 30gallon but I have faith in my cichlids not getting sick.

 

[groovitudedude]

Keep in mind that clowns can tolerate higher temps than ich (and some other fish for that matter).

 

[Sir-KS]

you could try it but you better off quarantine them.

 

[Camphilophus]

Like I said I'll wait until tomorrow to see if they get better if not then they'll be going in a 5 gallon with 90* water and a sponge filter.

 

[Sir-KS]

yeah that should work too and add salt.