# ich??



## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

Does this seem like ICH?? I hope I can help them!!! Looks like white bumps all over my fish and some on the red tail shark  seems to be spreading. Thought it was just bubbles at first but they're not. All over my long fin tetras and it looks like their fins are shredding !! I am going to try treatment and a water change. Any advice? I am new to aquariums only one month in! ! :-/


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

If you see lots of little raised small white spots (roughly salt-grain size) all over their bodies and it seems like it's spreading then that is probably ich. As it progresses, you'll start to see body damage and secondary infections so you should get this treated ASAP!

Can you provide a list of the type and quantity of fish that are in the tank? How big is the tank? How long has it been up and running? What type of filtration? What's your water change schedule? Were any new fish recently introduced that preceded the ich outbreak?

As far as meds, you can try something like QuickCure or Kordon's RidIch which you can get at your local pet store. I'd start treatment immediately if the diagnosis is correct.

Also, are your water parameters good now (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?

-Zeke



KtDancer5678 said:


> Does this seem like ICH?? I hope I can help them!!! Looks like white bumps all over my fish and some on the red tail shark  seems to be spreading. Thought it was just bubbles at first but they're not. All over my long fin tetras and it looks like their fins are shredding !! I am going to try treatment and a water change. Any advice? I am new to aquariums only one month in! ! :-/


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

Thank you for the reply!! It seems like my tetras are suffering the worst right now. They're fins look torn damaged tattered and frayed and this morning I am noticing spots of red which I assume are infections or further damage. My tank has been running exactly one month. I have a marineland 350 filter with biowheels. Temp 78 but raising during treatment. Up to 82 now. Haven't done water changes until now with this sickness and I got my first set of fish a month ago upon set up at petco. Second set of fish approx 2.5 weeks ago (tetras and plattys) from petsmart and they have been healthy until a few days ago. I think the outbreak started a week ago but I didnt know what it was.

I began treatment yesterday. Vacuumed the gravel cleaned the tank and did a 35% water change. Raised the temp a few degrees and started with marineland ich meds first dose yesterday. 

I appreciate all the help and advice!! I hate to see them suffer!!

My tank is a 30 gallon freshwater. I have 1 common pletco, 1 chinese alage eater, 1 red tail shark, 2 plattys (red wag and sunset) 1 marble molly, and 3 tetras (one long fin two plain?) The fish that look diseased are all the tetras and now redtail shark. All others look okay with no spots yet.



zwanged said:


> If you see lots of little raised small white spots (roughly salt-grain size) all over their bodies and it seems like it's spreading then that is probably ich. As it progresses, you'll start to see body damage and secondary infections so you should get this treated ASAP!
> 
> Can you provide a list of the type and quantity of fish that are in the tank? How big is the tank? How long has it been up and running? What type of filtration? What's your water change schedule? Were any new fish recently introduced that preceded the ich outbreak?
> 
> ...


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## vreugy (May 1, 2013)

I recently got rid of a bout of ich with clean water and heat. BUT, I caught it when it first showed signs. Have you taken the carbon out of your filter? It will negate your meds. It wouldn't hurt to vacuum the gravel every day. It helps get rid of the parasite as it changes and attacks the fish. I also raised the temperature more. It can go as high as 88 I think. I took mine to almost 90, but I have different fish. I sure hope you can beat the ich. Good luck. Need to address the fish you have at a later date


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

I'd probably keep the temp at 82, and keep dosing the meds as instructed. the fish are probably stressed enough as it is. Even if the ich disappears, I'd keep dosing and doing regular water changes as necessary for at least 2 weeks.

-Zeke


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

I don't have any extra carbon in the filter media baskets but I think the filter cartridge has carbon in it.... will this stop the meds from working if they're left in there?

I wish I caught this earlier but I didn't know it was something this serious... I thought it was some bubbles stuck on the fins. Wish I started treatment sooner 







vreugy said:


> I recently got rid of a bout of ich with clean water and heat. BUT, I
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

It's a bit messy but you can cut some of the plastic backing of the filter cartridge open (I've done it before for marineland penguin biowheel filter) to remove the carbon...Just remember not to expose the filter cartridge to any CHLORINATED water as that will damage the beneficial bacteria living in the pad. 

On another note, your tank is (or will be) way too small for the fish you're housing....For example, common plecos can get huge (in the wild, like 2 feet long!) and tend to be huge waste producers. 

Do you know what your pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings are? If not, I'd suggest getting the API master freshwater test kit. Most people here recommend it (a liquid drop-based kit) instead of test strips which tend not to be very reliable.

Hope your fish get through this!

-Zeke



KtDancer5678 said:


> I don't have any extra carbon in the filter media baskets but I think the filter cartridge has carbon in it.... will this stop the meds from working if they're left in there?
> 
> I wish I caught this earlier but I didn't know it was something this serious... I thought it was some bubbles stuck on the fins. Wish I started treatment sooner


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Although the disease could have been introduced with new fish it really would appear that this issue is stress related(new tank{uncycled) with no water changes).You need a test kit as Zwanged mentioned and NOT to rely on pet "whoever" to test your water.They will probly always say you are OK.I'm going to bet even after a 35% water change your tank parameters are NOT good.I would change water everyday and dose meds everyday for a week after you stop seeing the spots.
If you really want to know what you are up against this is a great link;
Ich | The Skeptical Aquarist
It is likely the red spots are a "secondary infection" but may well clear up if we can just get the ich under control.You have to kill ich completely or it will kill your fish.
Even after ich is gone you will need to make large water changes every week until you either; rehome some of the inapropriate fish you have ,OR get a much larger tank.


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

Thank you all for the suggestions. Did another water change today and put in the dose of meds for them leaving the water at 82 deg. I have lost two plattys now... I didn't see any spots of the ich on them but they didn't make it. I hope I can get the rest to pull through!! Tatras and shark aren't looking so great. I didnt even realize they could have been stressed as all looked well and active and eating fine with no agression. Thank you again for all of the info here so far!


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## vreugy (May 1, 2013)

Be sure you dump out the carbon. If you don't it absorbs the meds so they don't work. Just pouring money into the tank without it doing any good. As to the heat. If you can, you really need to take the heat up to at least 85. Closer to 90 is best. It won't hurt the fish and speeds up the life cycle of the ich, so the meds can kill it. Meds only kill ich when it is off the fish. Wishing you the best of luck. Coralbandit gave you a very good link to read. Gives you the ins and outs of ich.


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

I cranked the heat another couple of degrees tonight. I have done two treatments but I don't know if they were working now knowing of the carbon in my filters. I cut them open and dumped as much as i could out I would say 95% of it is out.... I will have to see if I can get the rest out of the filters for treatment. I wasn't aware that the carbon wouldn't let the meds with until reading that here. I am very thankful for all of your knowledge!!


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## Donna120 (Dec 7, 2013)

Please, please remember that dissolved oxygen greatly DECREASES at temperatures about 80 F. You will need to increase air flow with extra air stones or a power head.


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

Is adding aquarium salt helpful? I have a 30 gal tank and read that the salt could also help? I don't want it to bother the fish though. Thanks!


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

I would not suggest doing all 3 treatments simultaneously ( salt + ich medication + heat), that's going to be a lot of stress on the fish.

I would use either salt + heat or med + heat, but not all 3 at the same time. 

So to treat you can do something like either of the following:

either raise temp moderately (like 82-86F) + treat with medication
or raise temp (86-89F, depends on your fish species' heat tolerance, but note that some species can't handle it well..) + treat with aquarium salt

Either way, as another poster mentioned, you should also increase aeration on the tank (For example, add an air stone to the tank to increase surface agitation / facilitate gas exchange). 

Salt + heat (may not necessary work if you have an ich strain that's resistant to higher temperatures (some strains are even resistant at like 90F...) So I tend to only use med + moderate heat to be safe. 

Of course, some ich strains are also resistant to meds, so you should just stick to one treatment method at a time and see if it works (you should be able to tell after a few days / a week at most if things are getting better or worse). It's critical that you keep treating for at least 2, sometimes up to 4 weeks to be sure you've totally eradicated the ich.

-Zeke




KtDancer5678 said:


> Is adding aquarium salt helpful? I have a 30 gal tank and read that the salt could also help? I don't want it to bother the fish though. Thanks!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I would be very careful mixing different treatments.Even just raising the temp and using meds can be very stressful on the fish.
To increase oxygen you can simply lower the water level and let the return water from filter splash a little more.
I would just follow through with the medication you are using and see how it works.If the treament is not successful then you should try Kordon Rid Ick plus or AP Quick cure.They both have malechalite green and formulin as active ingredients.
I didn't clearly recognise the active ingredients in the marineland med(well the victoria green is basically the same as the M. green,but the other ingredient I am not so familiar with).
Many people do claim to have success with elavated temps and salt.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Good point on dropping the water level a bit, that's an easy and simple thing to do to improve gas exchange.

-Zeke



coralbandit said:


> I would be very careful mixing different treatments.Even just raising the temp and using meds can be very stressful on the fish.
> To increase oxygen you can simply lower the water level and let the return water from filter splash a little more.
> I would just follow through with the medication you are using and see how it works.If the treament is not successful then you should try Kordon Rid Ick plus or AP Quick cure.They both have malechalite green and formulin as active ingredients.
> I didn't clearly recognise the active ingredients in the marineland med(well the victoria green is basically the same as the M. green,but the other ingredient I am not so familiar with).
> Many people do claim to have success with elavated temps and salt.


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

THANK YOU!!!!! I so appreciate your knowledge on this and am definitely going to do as you all suggest. Thanks again!  I hope for some improvement soon!!


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## KtDancer5678 (Jul 21, 2014)

Sorry it has been a while since I have responded here but I wanted to say thank you for all of your suggestions and concerns helping me with my tank problem. With your knowledge and advice my tank had been free and clear of any signs of ICH for weeks now and my fish have fully recovered, fins have healed and they look better than ever! Thank you again for helping this aquarium newbie out!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

KtDancer5678 said:


> Sorry it has been a while since I have responded here but I wanted to say thank you for all of your suggestions and concerns helping me with my tank problem. With your knowledge and advice my tank had been free and clear of any signs of ICH for weeks now and my fish have fully recovered, fins have healed and they look better than ever! Thank you again for helping this aquarium newbie out!


Best news of the day!*W


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Glad to hear!

-Zeke



KtDancer5678 said:


> Sorry it has been a while since I have responded here but I wanted to say thank you for all of your suggestions and concerns helping me with my tank problem. With your knowledge and advice my tank had been free and clear of any signs of ICH for weeks now and my fish have fully recovered, fins have healed and they look better than ever! Thank you again for helping this aquarium newbie out!


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