# Ick.... nooooo!



## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Today while I was doing my daily animal check, I noticed that my goldfish were not nearly as active as usual... upon closer inspection, I discovered my arch-nemesis, Ick. >___<

Since moving to my new house (2 1/2 years ago) I've had terrible luck with Ick popping up. I'll have a nicely cycled tank for 4-6 months and then, bam! Ick attacks. 

What can I do to help my fish? I'm going to order them a heater to boost the water temp (it stays at a nice 74 without the heater.) and does anyone have a certain brand of medication? Any tips? 

The poor goldfish T__T One more month and they were going out in the pond where they belong!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Goldfish are cold water fish.I would do research before upping the temp.You can get a medicine,at walmart,called quICK cure.Works very well.Salt helps too.What size is the tank?alot of times,what brings about ich to an established system is stress on the fish,unless you have added new fish or plants.


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

They are currently in a 20 gal tank, the filter is a whisper for 40 gal. There are 6 goldfish (about an inch and a half to two inches with tail) I change out 8 gal of water once a week. There haven't been any new additions in over a month, and all of the plants are artificial. 

How would the salt method work? I've heard of it, but never tried it! Can I use both salt and the medication?


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

I had a mild case of ick on some of my tetras and i used Jungle Ich Cure and it was gone overnight. If you do use medication, then you need to dose for a few days longer than when it started to disappear. That way you know that any of the parasites in the egg or larvae stage are killed off too. Raising the temperature doesnt cure the ick but increases the life cycle of it by a few days. You'll need to raise the temp slowly so you dont put the fish in shock. You should medicate and raise the temp to get the best results and DO NOT skimp on the medication lengths. Salt water's version of ich is adapting to medication and treatements and is becoming harder to kill, do your full treatment so this doesnt start to happen with freshwater ich as well.


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## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

If it is a recurring thing I would be tempted to get the fish out of the tank and treat them in a seperate tank using a medicine, I would leave my main tank with nothing in it for a while, 8 weeks is the general rule but tbh I would leave it longer, the longer it's left with nothing in the less chance of it surviving.

Again with treating in a seperate/hospital tank this does not need to be a glass tank and large container would do, yes plastic can seep into the water and make things worse but it would take a longer period than what you will be using it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I wouldn't do the temp thing with goldies. They may not take temps up to 90F like you'll need. Quick cure is the best med I've used.


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## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

Don't know how/if it works but I know a guy who swears by using Whisky.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

There is freshwater aquarium salt,found at most petstores and Walmart.I think its like a tablespoon per five gallons.You would have to read the box.But be sure to dissolve it in water and then add to the tank.Undissolved salt can irritate the slime coats of fish.


Never heard of whisky,lol.


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Reading more into it, I'm not going to order the heater (don't want to stress these poor little guys more!) but I did order a better liquid water test kit and some Quick Cure that will get here by tuesday. (I'm a live in caretaker and I don't have any days off for a bit...thank you online shopping!)

The tank has been running for quite a few months with no problems, this is it's first ick outbreak. I actually got rid of my other tank that seemed to be ick cursed! 

Thank you everyone for all the advice! That would be a very interesting research, finding out if whiskey would actually help! 

These goldfish were given to me, and have been patiently waiting in this tank for the weather to improve so that I can reline the pond for them! I really would like them to make it to see better days!


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Ooo... I just thought of something! I know that with my old tank, I would take the filter insert out while doing an Ick treatment. The filter I have running on this tank has a filter filled with carbon, and the little bio-filter insert that you never change. Should I remove both of them for treatments? Will this cause the tank to go into a cycle or mini-cycle?


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Update:

The quick cure came today, and I gave them the first dose. (1 drop per gallon) The instructions say to treat for three days straight, but from what I've read people suggest to treat longer? Should I be doing any water changes on any of the days?

I've lost a few fish, and the ones that are left are looking rather iffy :/ Poor things. Two, at least, look strong still, and one doesn't seem to have any ick at all! 

I took out both of the filter insert things and set them aside in a tub of water. Will they be alright there?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I would add an airstone to the tub with the filters.

I usually dose thre days straight,do a 50% WC then dose for three days again.Then do two days of 50%.Then re add my filter carts.The medicine is very strong but I have had success with macrostomas,who are notorious for never recovering from ich.They are very well now.

Follow up the treatment with a garlic feed just as a precaution,to cleanse the system.


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## RCJayhawk (Mar 10, 2011)

Malchanite green (sp?) is the most common ingredient for white spot (ich) medications. I have never dealt with ich myself with my gold fish, but I know its brought on by stress or can be brought in by adding fish to the tank. There are always free-swimming parasites in the water and when the fish are exposed to stress, the immune system which normally fights off the parasites will break down and be subject to diseases.

Do you have fancy goldfish like I do?? They prefer warmer temperatures. 68-74 is ideal. Raise the temp up to no more than 80 degrees F when treating for ich. This will speed up the cycle of the parasite and make the treatment faster.

IMPORTANT: REPEAT TREATMENT FREQUENTLY!!! EVEN AFTER THE ICH HAS DISAPPEARED, THERE CAN STILL BE ENCYSTED PARASITES. THESE WILL BE UNHARMED DURING THE FIRST TREATMENT. THE PARASITE CAN ONLY BE KILLED IN THE FREE-SWIMMING STAGE.
hope that helps.

good luck.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Definitely retreat for multiple doses.


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Today will be the third dose! 

I checked the water levels today, and they were a bit high for my likings :/ Can I change out the water? If so, do I retreat what I add back in? Or do I need to wait until the third dose is over?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Alaizabelle said:


> Today will be the third dose!
> 
> I checked the water levels today, and they were a bit high for my likings :/ Can I change out the water? If so, do I retreat what I add back in? Or do I need to wait until the third dose is over?


What were the readings? Can they wait another day? Quick cure requires a water change to start the second round of treatment, which I suggest you do.


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## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

Follow instructions on bottle and finish the dosing, wait 1 week and do them all again.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

No, do not wait a week before the second round of dosing.


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Poor fish are still not looking very good :/ 
At least my guppy tanks is still pretty and healthy  So I don't feel like such a complete fishy failure. 

I waited on the water change. In the morning I'll do a 50% like the bottle says before another 3 day run with the meds. I'll post the water readings in the morning, too! 

Is it possible that removing the filter inserts are what caused the levels to rise?


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