# Where did I go wrong?



## sswon1 (Dec 21, 2012)

My entire tank has almost been whipped out by Ich and I thought I was doing every thing right. I was hoping someone could help me trouble shoot. About 6 weeks ago I up graded my 20 g to a 29 gallon planted tank. I saved 3/4 of the water from old tank, used all new ecocomplete, and placed an old filter in new HOB filter. Had a slight white bacterial bloom that lasted the first week and a half. 
NH3 has always been 0
NO2 0
NO3 has always been about 20
My numbers always looked like this.
I had 2 serape tetras, 1 black phantom tetra, 4 rasbora, 1 albino barb and 1 white skirt tetra. The rasboras I added about 2-3 weeks ago, because my numbers always tested fine. I assume the rasboras brought the Ich in. About 8 days ago I saw some spots and began with API super Ich cure and temp raise to 84. I allowed the water level to drop in the tank to add extra O2. I completed the 4 day treatment per the directions and did water changes of about 30-40%. With the best vacuuming around the plants as I could. I did take my carbon filter out, and continued to watch my tests very closely and my NH3 never changed, still 0. I continued to see more and more spots everyday. I then started Quick Cure based on several suggestions on the post using the correct dosing for tetras in my tank and slowly turned the heat as high as it would go, 88. This is my 4th day of Quick cure and all that is left is my white skirt and I do not think she will make it. What went wrong? I guess what do I need to do to my tank if she dies? I assume from my reading, that if there is not a host, the Ich will die. I have read many conflicting articles about the Ich dying without a host vs. the Ich going into a dormant state. I plan on keeping the heat turned up for some time, I just don't know how long. I am in the process of setting up a QT tank. I have lost some fish I have had for 3 years. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

*c/p*


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

Are you sure its ich none of the white is bigger blotches? Its sounds like you did everything you could for ich.


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## sswon1 (Dec 21, 2012)

Yep Ich for sure. Looked like white sprinkled salt on the fish. Classic textbook image. It started with two fish and just kept spreading to others. The spots just kept getting worse. Yesterday was the worst day, I scooped out 5 dead fish.


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## rift lake (Nov 8, 2012)

try copper power to kill off the ick


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

Strange that it wiped the fish out so fast usually it is not much more then a skin infection at first that willslowly deteriorate their health. One thing you should also do (some here may frown on it) is feed your fish extra during ich outbreak. If you can give them more energy to fight a diseaseit has to help and with all the extra water changes going on should not cause a waste build up problem.
If your last fish dies leave your tank at as high of a temperature as you can for two weeks and scrub the sand really well.Make sure you are putting some food of some type in to feed ammonia.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Ich does not have a dormant stage.It either lives on/in fish or is in your substrate(3-4 days usaually).So with no fish in tank(sorry to jump ahead) the ich cycle should be broken in 7-10 days.I would not think more than 10.I too have tetras and some scaless fish but have managed to slowly(over 3 days ) up the dose(I use kordon rid ich{malachalite green and formalin}probably the same as quick cure,even %)to full stregnth.I change water every day during treatments and replace meds that would be removed and dose as per directions.Unfortunately the weaker dose(for fish safety) probably was ineffective.The ich is killed when it leaves fish or is in substrate,not while on/in fish(it's under the fishes skin).


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Although ich can be cured in 7 days 4 days is not long enough to effectively treat.That might be first mistake.Did you change any water during treatments,and did you dose meds daily?


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## sswon1 (Dec 21, 2012)

Yep water changes daily with vacuum and the added more meds after refilled. I treated 4 days with API super Ich cure then started with Quick cure. I did not skip a day between. I am on my 4th day of quick cure. The fish that had have died made the switch between the old a new tank about six weeks ago. I tried to seed the new tank the best I could. I guess the were still under stress from the move, and that left them more susceptible to the Ich?


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## sswon1 (Dec 21, 2012)

FYI, I did not try salt also. From what I have read; salt, meds, and heat are way to hard on the fish. In hindsight, maybe I should have. They all died anyway.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

sorry to hear that.Keep heat up for next few days as it shortens the life cycle of ich.Without host it should be gone in 7 days or so.Waiting 10 would be safe.Sometimes anything can stress fish and then disease sets in.Do as Dalfed said and don't let filter go idle with no source of ammonia.


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