ICH!!!

[andregurov]

I'll definitely feed less from now on. No wonder my pike is the only one breathing heavily. It's so contradictory - you said heat is the key, but increasing the temperature will certainly lower oxygen levels, and you also said the water should be as well aerated as possible. As for the medication part, yes, I started treating the tank with Flavine/Acriflavine this afternoon. I'm using this and not methylene blue or malachite green because it is said to be harmless to beneficial bacteria, and the brand is pretty decent. However, the bottle itself also calls Flavine "a mild bacticide and fungicide". It certainly does seem mild to me, considering I followed the dosage (in fact I over-dosed slightly) and yet there hasn't been any visible improvement in the pike's condition. Do you think I should use a stronger chemical? I don't want to ruin the nitrogen cycle in my tank though.

Acriflavine has some anti-parasitic qualities, but I don't think its use is the one indicated here. If you are certain you are dealing with ich, a better choice would be a medication consisting of malachite green & formalin, which together have "synergistic" action - meaning their efficacy is improved when used together. Yes, the heat/dissolved oxygen quandary seems contradictory, but there are many ways to increase the DO (dissolved oxygen) but only one way to increase heat. Heat is the key to speeding up the life cycle of ich, giving it less time to feed on the host, less time to create more "babies", and giving those babies less time to find a new host. AND it helps stimulate the fish's immune system. DO can be raised a lot of ways, many of which have already been mentioned in this thread. I would strongly recommend you invest in an air pump, even a cheap one. It is worth the few bucks.

What chemical to use? I don't know what is available to you in Singapore, but my favorites would be Kordon's Rid-Ich, or Aquarium Products' Quick Cure. Neither are expensive, do not damage the biological filter when used properly, and easy on all but the most stressed and degraded fish. Look for something with a malachite green & formalin ingredient list. Again, be critically aware that such medications can be absorbed and broken down by organic debris AND REMOVE OXYGEN AS THEY ARE BROKEN DOWN. To avoid this, thoroughly vaccuum your tank every day before re-dosing. Doing such will also help the meds stay in solution (in your tank) longer, killing more free-swimming parasites. In short: get an air pump, heat the tank, use proper meds, and do lots of water changes. And then buy a quarantine tank for next time.

 

[Peanut_Power]

PROPS TO ANDRE!! WOOT! LoL! Don't forget to remove the carbon though, if you have any, or all this will be pointless!! OY!

 

[HerCrenVie]

I am certain it's ich. Why "lots of water changes"? Wouldn't that remove the medication and salt in the tank? I also have a 4" SA lungfish in the tank; will malachite green have an adverse effect on it?

The pike's condition isn't improving.

 

[andregurov]

I am certain it's ich. Why "lots of water changes"? Wouldn't that remove the medication and salt in the tank? I also have a 4" SA lungfish in the tank; will malachite green have an adverse effect on it?

The pike's condition isn't improving.

Why water changes? To physically remove tomonts (the free-swimming parasites) and keep your water in peak condition (removing physical wastes and their ability to oxidize the medicine - so the meds stay in solution longer!). Water = cheap. Meds = most effective with water changes. Salt = helpful mainly in decreasing osmotic stress. The medication (at least, meds which contain malachite green & formalin) does not hold up long in an aquarium. Ever wonder why when you add meds they discolor the water for a short period of time? It is because they are being broken down and absorbed. Thus the need to redose as directed. I would add that changing water immediately before dosing is best.

I do not know if straight malachite green will harm a SAL. It is a pretty harsh chemical, which is why I would recommend using a formulation that contains BOTH malachite green AND formalin. Using either alone can get dangerous quickly. Excellent use of the semicolon, by the way. I'm not used to Man United fans being so well-educated.

Good luck, and find some proper meds ... pikes are very hardy and can withstand disease pretty well, but medication delayed is heartache approaching.

 

[HerCrenVie]

Why water changes? To physically remove tomonts (the free-swimming parasites) and keep your water in peak condition (removing physical wastes and their ability to oxidize the medicine - so the meds stay in solution longer!). Water = cheap. Meds = most effective with water changes. Salt = helpful mainly in decreasing osmotic stress. The medication (at least, meds which contain malachite green & formalin) does not hold up long in an aquarium. Ever wonder why when you add meds they discolor the water for a short period of time? It is because they are being broken down and absorbed. Thus the need to redose as directed. I would add that changing water immediately before dosing is best.

I do not know if straight malachite green will harm a SAL. It is a pretty harsh chemical, which is why I would recommend using a formulation that contains BOTH malachite green AND formalin. Using either alone can get dangerous quickly. Excellent use of the semicolon, by the way. I'm not used to Man United fans being so well-educated.

Good luck, and find some proper meds ... pikes are very hardy and can withstand disease pretty well, but medication delayed is heartache approaching.

Thanks for the excellent advice.

Manchester City got owned by Chelsea; United drew 2-2 with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium...hmm...I wonder who's better.

 

[andregurov]

Thanks for the excellent advice.

Manchester City got owned by Chelsea; United drew 2-2 with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium...hmm...I wonder who's better.

Hmm .. perhaps you could remind me who won the 1st leg of the Manchester derby earlier this year?

We'll catch up this week with Sunderland - and then the Carling Cup!

 

[HerCrenVie]

Hmm .. perhaps you could remind me who won the 1st leg of the Manchester derby earlier this year?

We'll catch up this week with Sunderland - and then the Carling Cup!

Hey, hey, is Manchester City in the Champions League? In stark contrast, look at United's record there.

MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE BEST.

 

[andregurov]

Hey, hey, is Manchester City in the Champions League? In stark contrast, look at United's record there.

MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE BEST.

What a weak argument. Isn't Red Star Belgrade in the CL? (or at least was, just like the best of Norway, Slovakia, Denmark etc.).

The simple fact remains: we beat you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh, how is the pike?

 

[HerCrenVie]

What a weak argument. Isn't Red Star Belgrade in the CL? (or at least was, just like the best of Norway, Slovakia, Denmark etc.).

The simple fact remains: we beat you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh, how is the pike?

The statistics speak for themselves. United rock.

The pike is definitely healing; I only see a couple of spots left, literally. I think the acriflavine is working, despite what you said.

Manchester United rock.

 

[Peanut_Power]

Geez you guys jacked the thread!! LoL! Great to hear your pike is getting better. Keep the temp in the lower 80's...you'll have less problems with ich in the future if you do...