# Help...Ick!!!



## luver_of_fish (Jan 4, 2009)

I have a 55 gallon tank that has been setup now for about 3 weeks. I have one gibbicep pleco, 1 cory cat, 5 black skirt tetras, 6 black neon tetras, 4 swords, 5 platties, 1 loach (don't know what kind), 1 rainbow shark and 1 clown pleco. My water readings are as follows:

Temp: between 77 and 78 degrees
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Hardness: 120
pH: 7.6
ammonia: .25
Alkalinity: I didn't seem to get an accurate reading as the color on the stick didn't match any of the colors on the chart.

Anyway, I have been watching everyone closely several times a day and just hthis afternoon I noticed (especially on the black neons) ICK! I wasn't sure if I sure just medicate the whole tank or try to take the neons out and I have a 55 gallon tank that has been setup now for about 3 weeks. I have one gibbicep pleco, 1 cory cat, 5 black skirt tetras, 6 black neon tetras, 4 swords, 5 platties, 1 loach (don't know what kind), 1 rainbow shark and 1 clown pleco. My water readings are as follows:

Temp: between 77 and 78 degrees
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Hardness: 120
pH: 7.6
ammonia: .25
Alkalinity: I didn't seem to get an accurate reading as the color on the stick didn't match any of the colors on the chart.

Anyway, I have been watching everyone closely several times a day and just hthis afternoon I noticed (especially on the black neons) ICK! I wasn't sure if I sure just medicate the whole tank or try to take the neons out and quarantine them although I think I do see a spot or two a couple of my black skirted tetras too.

Help!!!

Also, I have two brands of medication and don;t know which would be best or if there is another I should try. The two I have are:
1) Mardel: Maracide liquid 
2) Aquarium Products: Quick Cure


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

If i was you I would us a QT tank because most ick meds effect the bio-colony and you tank only being set up for 3 weeks you have a very small one, and a pretty heavy bio load on the tank. It generally takes 8 week to cycle a tank with just a few hardy fish in the tank.

Mardel: Maracide liquid I used it and it worked


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## luver_of_fish (Jan 4, 2009)

I have noticed several of the other fish with spots as I have continued to look closely at each of them so I don't think the QT tank will work as it is only a 2.5 gallon tank in the first place. When starting the 55 gallon tank I did use my old HOB Penguin Bio-Wheel filter to bring in some of my good bateria from the old tank, I also have dosed the tank 3 times with freshwater Biozyme. So hopefully this got the tank a little head start with it's first cycle.

Anyway, I belong to two other forums and this has been their advice...

The first forum is PlantGeek.net - Your Aquatic Plant Resource and have made a fish friend that doesn't live very far away. He has several large planted tanks and several fish; he has also had fish for quite some time and seems very knowledgeable. He has helped me out quite a bit with having a planted tank (my first time at this) and has even brought me a 48" light strip, 2 glass lids and several plants all at no charge. This probably saved me over $100! When I sent him a PM he replied with this information:

"Turn the heater to 85, do it slowly though, about 2 to 3 degrees every two hours ick can’t survive high temps, what color is the loach? It might have came in on him I’ve found loaches carry ich a lot. The clown pleco id be worried about if you lose fish he will probably be first, sorry, try finding some rid-ich or ich- attack I’ve used both in the past and they work, you will have to treat for about 2 weeks to be safe, otherwise it will come back. Petco might be the best bet to find the meds. Try to find ick-attack first it will be safer for the loach"

I also spoke with him on the phone for a while. He mentioned that he thought the clown pleco might be the first to go because he has had several and only has one left. He said the Ich-Attack is 100% organic and doesn't contain any copper which he said would be bad for the loach because he has no scales. He also said it has always worked for him in the past. He uses it because he has shrimp which I've read also cannot be exposed to copper. He said he did not have good luck with Quick Cure. He also said to make sure I good aeration.

The second forum is PlecoFanatics.com - The Ultimate Loricariidae and Plecostomus Community

This is the advice I have received there:

"You need to treat the whole tank.

If you can get it, i would use rid ich+ as it has a less toxic form of malachite green. If not of the two you have mentioned above i would use quick cure. You will probably have to half dose but follow the instructions on the bottle. You need to treat for 10-14 days or for 4 to 5 days after you see last spot regardless of instructions on bottle, this ensures that all ich is gone, the problem is if it isn't completely eradicated and returns, the ich is more resistant to treatment.
You also need to increase aeration and do gravel cleans when possible to get rid of any tomites."

So, I have turned up the temp a couple of times, it is now at about 80 and I added one dose of the Ich-Attack. I have two HOB filters running and two 24" bubble wands running for aeration. Any other suggestions?


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