# Help! Ich!



## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

I woke up this morning, checked on the progress that the ich treatment was making, and now I think all my hair's going to fall out because of worry...

I have a 5 gallon tank, one betta, and two platies. They are all covered in ich. I noticed on Saturday that one of the platies had a couple of white spots. Looked like ich to me, so I treated the tank with API General Cure. It didn't do much at all, but thanks to some advice I got here, I learned that it would be more effective to raise the temperature in the tank. 

The temperature has been around 86 F for the last two days. I thought it would keep the parasite from reproducing, but this morning all of my fish have even more spots on them than before! HELP! What should I do?! One of the platies' caudal fins is looking torn, and they are all scratching a lot. I'm afraid that if I turn the temperature higher the fish will get sick, because they didn't handle the higher temperature well at first. They were kind of lethargic, and the platies were sitting at the bottom. Or was that the ich causing them to do that? 

Please help ASAP! Is it normal to see even more parasites after turning the temperature up? Should I go higher? Should I just break down and use the chemicals that I wanted to avoid in the first place? I know that most ich medications are toxic, but at this point it might save the lives of my fish, so do the benefits outweigh the risks? HELP!!!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Leave the temp where its at. It takes about 7 to 10 days to cure it. Do you have carbon in your filter? If so remove it as it will remove all meds.


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

susankat said:


> Leave the temp where its at. It takes about 7 to 10 days to cure it. Do you have carbon in your filter? If so remove it as it will remove all meds.


I had removed the carbon during treatment with the medications, but I replaced it afterwards. I was just wondering if it's normal to see even more parasites on my fish than there were when I initially upped the temperature. It really freaked me out...


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Yes its normal, as the heat speeds up the life cycle of the parasite. Once you put the carbon back into the tank it started removing the quick cure that you had in the water.

1. Leave the temp at 86
2, Remove carbon and don't return for 10 days
3. Do a water change
4. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Even non iodized table salt will work.
5. In 3 days do a 50% water change and add 1 teaspoon of salt.

After the 3 rd day you should see a noticable change in the spots as they are hatching and are floating around the water, then the salt and temp will kill them before attaching themselves to another fish.

Now for a contraversy that will probably cause a debate. 

All water contains the ich parasite, it don't come in on plants, but will come in on fish that are already infected. In a healthy tank, most parasites don't stand a chance in attaching to fish so they are dormant in the water. Once a fish is weakened or stressed by temp flucuations, ph, any type of change it gives the parasite a chance to take hold. For tropical tanks keep the temps 78 to 82 at all times and shouldn't have problems unless you bring in a new fish that could be infected. (the best reason for a qt tank) With cold water fish, keep the temps at their normal range.


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

Thanks! You've eased my mind about it, now that I know not to expect results immediately. I had done a water change yesterday, so I'm adding more salt today. I usually keep aquarium salt in the tank to prevent stress or diseases, but I only put in half of the recommended dose on the box, so I'll add enough today to equal the full amount. 

I think I had heard something about ich being in water anyway. I might be inclined to believe that, because none of the fish at the store looked sick and the platies were fine when we brought them home. Then the very next day, two white spots showed up on Isabella's caudal fin. Maybe it was the stress of the move that made her susceptible to it, and from there the other fish succumbed because of the parasite's reproduction...

I just hope this clears up soon. We just bought a 10 gallon tank, and we can't move the fish into it until we're sure the ich is gone. Until then, they'll not only be stuck in the little 5 gallon, but they'll be stressed because of the ich! And even if it's not reproducing any more, for now they're still covered in visible parasites and poor Marron's fin is all torn up... It's even slowing down the progress that the betta was making in healing his fins from a previous injury...


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## DocPoppi (Mar 4, 2011)

Patience... Follow what Sue has said and your doing fine. Leathargy was likely low 02 and illness, some fish present differently.
Ich can be completely eradicated from a tank through this process, but can be re-introduced into tank by new fish, plants etc.
This would be a good time to start the nitrogen cycle on the new tank, as you will need to keep the temp for a few weeks. In the next few days you'll see the spots start to go away.
Re-read that article and comfort yourself that your doing the best thing for your fish.


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## Sweetgreenleaf1369 (Jun 24, 2011)

susankat said:


> Yes its normal, as the heat speeds up the life cycle of the parasite. Once you put the carbon back into the tank it started removing the quick cure that you had in the water.
> 
> 1. Leave the temp at 86
> 2, Remove carbon and don't return for 10 days
> ...


*i/a*

You really don't need carbon in your filter, you can use a ployester quilt or pillow batting this will help to keep you water clear ( carbon is pretty much for odors )


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

Just an update, and yet ANOTHER question: 

First of all, I've separated the betta from the platies. All of a sudden, he started tearing out chunks of the weaker one's fins. She's not doing so well now, but at least I've gotten her away from the betta. We're going to put a divider in the tank for the duration of treatment, and in the meantime we're setting up the 10 gallon tank to put the platies into. It was a really bad idea to try and give the betta tank mates...  I was at a loss for what to do, though, and nothing else could keep him from biting his tail! Still, if it means that he's going to hurt any other fish in that tank, it's not worth it. I'll just have to find something else to keep him occupied... We might keep the 5 gallon tank divided, and put another betta in. That way, he could flare and get angry all he wants to without hurting himself. 

The small white spots are disappearing. I turned the temperature up to 88 F just to make sure the little b******s don't reproduce and reinfect the fish. But now, the weakest platy, Marron, has white fuzzy stuff on her head and tail. It doesn't look like ich, and the other two fish have a couple of tiny little white patches like hers. Is this a secondary fungal infection, or will it clear up with the ich? 

ALSO (you guys must be getting sick of me by now!), the betta and the stronger platy are eating well. However, Marron isn't eating at all, partially because she is unable to swim to the top with her caudal fin in tatters the way it is... Earlier I got a bloodworm, clamped it in tweezers, and held it down near her to see if she'd take it. She seemed kind of interested, but didn't eat. Should I keep trying, or would it be bad for her to eat anything now? Which would stress her more; hunger, or food?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Sounds like a secondary infection for sure. Hopefully she will make it through the treatment. Sometimes the weaker fish don't. After treating for ich if she is still alive. Do a couple of water changes to remove the salt then add some fungus cure.


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

susankat said:


> Sounds like a secondary infection for sure. Hopefully she will make it through the treatment. Sometimes the weaker fish don't. After treating for ich if she is still alive. Do a couple of water changes to remove the salt then add some fungus cure.


OK, I'll do that. But the fungus won't kill any of them before then?


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## logan84 (Jul 27, 2011)

Just a heads up that while turning the heat to 86 does stop the parasite from reproducing that there may be "baby" parasites still in your tank. This means that the fish may still be infected a secondary time like you are experiencing - but at this point the cycle should end as this infection cannot reproduce any longer as long as you maintain the heat. Ich is a lot like a flea in regards to it's life cycle. Man I hate Ich. And fleas.  

When ever I've had an outbreak I've always been sure to leave my tank at 86 for a solid week. (Sometimes more if the fish could handle it - some African cichlids will loooove you for the heat wave) That way at the end of the week anything that could have reproduced should have tried and failed and all should be good once again in fishy land!


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## DocPoppi (Mar 4, 2011)

I forgot to comment earlier about the Carbon (activated Charchol)....
If for no other reason (all be it, without explanation) I recommend doing anything that Susankat recommends... If her advise days use carbon, use it. She knows what she's talkin bout.
But carbon doesn't just remove "odors". Think of it this way, does a britta water filter just remove odor? No.
Not only the extremely micro pourous nature of carbon, but also the carbon itself (chemically) does quite a bit of removal of various things from water. Protiens, toxins,chemical exchanges, etc. etc.... 
Wether it's always in use or not, it serves a greater purpose.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

With that high of a temp add an airstone to the tank as there is less oxygen in the water at higher temps. Or just drop it back down to 86 and leave it for 10 days total. You can add fungus cure now, but its not always a good idea to mix treatments when the fish are already stressed to that point. 

On the carbon, I don't use it at all, after 2 weeks its not anygood anyway. If you want to use it though dont put back into tank till finished with all treatments as the carbon will remove meds.

Carbon removes odors also removes impurities like meds.


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

susankat said:


> With that high of a temp add an airstone to the tank as there is less oxygen in the water at higher temps. Or just drop it back down to 86 and leave it for 10 days total. You can add fungus cure now, but its not always a good idea to mix treatments when the fish are already stressed to that point.
> 
> On the carbon, I don't use it at all, after 2 weeks its not anygood anyway. If you want to use it though dont put back into tank till finished with all treatments as the carbon will remove meds.
> 
> Carbon removes odors also removes impurities like meds.


I already have an air stone, but I'll try to increase the flow from the filter to move the water a bit more too. I'll keep the carbon out until they're all well again. Thanks so much for your help!


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## Sweetgreenleaf1369 (Jun 24, 2011)

Hope your fish make it through, not all Betta's terrorize other fish I have two of them 1 in a 10 gal with a bn and some shrimp the other is in my 29 gal with red-wag and sunburst platies some molies and cories... I tried guppies they didn't do so well because of the long bright fins..


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

Sweetgreenleaf1369 said:


> Hope your fish make it through, not all Betta's terrorize other fish I have two of them 1 in a 10 gal with a bn and some shrimp the other is in my 29 gal with red-wag and sunburst platies some molies and cories... I tried guppies they didn't do so well because of the long bright fins..


Thanks!  I guess you just never know about a fish's temperment until you try to put them with other fish, huh? I thought mine would be OK, but obviously that is NOT the case. It's a shame, too... I had hoped this would be the solution to his tail-biting. Besides, it would be nice to see them all get along; your tanks sound lovely! Do you have male or female bettas?

Marron (the weaker platy that the betta was picking on so much) seems to be doing better, though, so hopefully they can all get through the ich and hold on until I get the 10 gallon set up. I still can't get her to eat much, but she did nibble at a bloodworm that I held next to her earlier. I'll take that as a hopeful sign!


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

Just another update... Isabella, the platy who looked like she had a fighting chance, is dead... I don't understand it. She was the stronger one! She was eating relatively normally, swimming around last night, and wasn't even that afflicted by the disease... 

It makes me worried for the other fish. I would think that Marron would be dead as well, but she's actually better this morning so that's something at least... I just don't get it. How can ich kill a fish that's seemingly so strong, yet not kill the one that I was so afraid would die?


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## Sweetgreenleaf1369 (Jun 24, 2011)

MissPisces said:


> Thanks!  I guess you just never know about a fish's temperment until you try to put them with other fish, huh? I thought mine would be OK, but obviously that is NOT the case. It's a shame, too... I had hoped this would be the solution to his tail-biting. Besides, it would be nice to see them all get along; your tanks sound lovely! Do you have male or female bettas?
> 
> Marron (the weaker platy that the betta was picking on so much) seems to be doing better, though, so hopefully they can all get through the ich and hold on until I get the 10 gallon set up. I still can't get her to eat much, but she did nibble at a bloodworm that I held next to her earlier. I'll take that as a hopeful sign!


 They do fine My Betta is a Royal Blue with very long fins he's in he 29 the other Betta is pinkwith lavender fins not as long or big as ther other..


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