PLEASE HELP

[Layne Conitz]

I have had a pike with ich for a couple weeks. This is the 3rd time in two weeks I have treated them, they still have it! Now my other two pike and my Oscar have it. What should I do? I've done the changes and filters and treatment and its some hybrid ich or something. Any suggestions from the pros? Anything helps!

 

[predatorkeeper87]

how long are you doing treatment for at one time? Ich has a long and annoying lifecycle. free swimming parasites, encysted parasites on your fish as well as in your substrate, and you have to treat the tank long enough to ensure you've killed off all of the free swimming ich as the encysted parasites are extremely resistant to any treatment.

Crank your tank temp up to between 85-90, use aquarium salt at 1 teaspoon/5 gals of water, and get some Seachem paraguard and treat for a solid ten days. Do small 10-15% water changes before each treatment, and vacuum your substrate.

If you've been treating the tanks only until the visible symptoms (the white salt sized specks) are gone, then you most likely haven't killed off the infection and run the risk of creating a treatment-resistant strain of the parasite in your tank.

 

[Beetlebug515]

+1
If you have the cash to spare I have found that a uv sterilizer at a trickle flow rate can also help. Be sure to remove any chemical filtration you may be using, carbon, progeny, etc. treat for at least ten days as stated above, and put carbon back at the end to remove the medicine along with a water change.

 

[Layne Conitz]

I have no filters in, been doing 6 day treatments temp is at 84. Do a water change tonight and another treatment just keep it going. Has killed 4 of my fish already.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

+1
If you have the cash to spare I have found that a uv sterilizer at a trickle flow rate can also help. Be sure to remove any chemical filtration you may be using, carbon, progeny, etc. treat for at least ten days as stated above, and put carbon back at the end to remove the medicine along with a water change.

+1 on beetles suggestions. uv sterilizers are great, and yes make sure to remove chem filters as well.

 

[Beetlebug515]

By no filters you mean no carbon right?

 

[Layne Conitz]

85-90 wont kill my fish?

 

[Beetlebug515]

No. I shoot for 86 if I have to treat ich. Be sure to add an air stone if you aren't already using one. They will need lots of aeration.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

85-90 wont kill my fish?

as far as I know, pikes and Oscars can withstand some pretty high temps, if you are going to go with my suggestion of using Paraguard then 85 will be efficient enough to speed up the lifecycle of the parasite and make the meds all that more effective.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

No. I shoot for 86 if I have to treat ich. Be sure to add an air stone if you aren't already using one. They will need lots of aeration.

to piggyback on the O2 situation...make sure you have a ton of surface agitation...meaning either point a powerhead at the surface or lower your water level so your HOB filters are splashing down into the tank further.