Help Ick or Fungus? Check these picts out!

[soulFish]

here are the picts of my sick pleco. Notice on the tail they seem to be slightly raised. If you click on the image they should lauch in a larger pict format, about 3x larger. So is this Ick or Fungus? Only one sick fish in this comunity tank? the loaches look fine.

 

[Tongue33]

Personally I would say ich.

 

[soulFish]

So if it's ich, just add double the salt and turn up the heat to 82-84? Sorry for the dumb questions.. thus far I have avoided sick fish, but guess it was bound to happen, 25 fish and counting. I don't want too lose a fish, thus far I have not. Don't want a negative trend to start happining.

Filled the quarintine tank and it's heating up now should be ready by morning, then spaw out the filter with one thats in use on a clean tank and put the plecos drift wood in there? Fingers crossed. Does everyone else think it's ick too?

 

[Tongue33]

What is the temp now? I am kinda surprised that it is not already at least 82..

I usually push the temp up to 88-90 while treating, But now keep the temp at 86.


But thats just me

 

[soulFish]

I keep them at 79 degrees, most of the Dat guys recomend that temp I believe. All the fish seem to do great at that temp. Grow fast and eat tons and all are swiming around like they are doing good.

For Royals they say 72-79F

So I'm at the top of that temp from what I've read.

 

[Tongue33]

Ya I wouldn't push too much more then... But i am sure that he would survive 82... The reason for heat is to speed up the life cycle of both running around and unhatched ich.

The higher the heat the faster the life cycle goes through.. The faster they hatch the faster they die, without reproduction.

So you could get away with upping the salt. and waiting it out.. At first it will get worse as "Remember" you are speeding up the life cycle Then it will start getting better..

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Careful with the salt becuase loaches are sensitive to them.

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[jungledriver]

In a worst case senario you can go with hypo-salinity treatment, or a "salt dip". Gradually increase the salt in your tank gradually to a level well beyond brackish or simply remove your fish one by one and plce them in a bowl of sea water until they turn upside down (about two or three minutes). It's risky but it does work. The problem is as ich matures the spores drop of and live in the substraight for a few week dormant until the lava hatch and then you might have a flair up again. You have to kill the lava in their free swimming stage. You could try copper.

 

[CORVETTE]

I run my tanks a 82 all the time. I have datnoids, clown loaches, sting rays, and arrowanas, even kept a few royals for a while never had a problem and never had ich. Well maybe once ten years ago but i left the door open all day.

 

[is300zx]

If it's indeed ich then you should read this article http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php. Read and understand the life cycle of ich and then move on to treatment. I use the high temp (around 86F) and salt method and works very well even for loaches.