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I have a 90 gallon mbuna tank that got ich. It showed up on Sunday the 17th. I started with "nox-ich", a malachite green based product that night after removing the carbon filters, and treated for 3 days as directed. I've already lost 2 p. acei, and my synodontis just died--he was just covered with it. I've had no improvement. I have 3 bumblebees with it now. Some of my other fish (primarily the red zebras) don't show any signs of ich, but are acting strange, hanging out at the top or acting twitchy. If the ich doesn't kill them, I think the medicine will. I did a water change after the 3rd day of treatment, and restarted yesterday for day 4. tank parameters--ammon. 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 30 ppm, ph 7.95-8.15(depending on water changes, which i do every 5-7 days 15%). filters 2 penguin 330s, temp 79. (I've turned up the heaters today to 83) I need suggestions before I lose the whole tank

Last edited by fishfool35 at 22-Apr-2005 16:03

add some aquarium salt. not marine salt, but the plain stuff. i think it is sold as "doc wellfish" salt. add a 1/4 dose to the tank(according to the box instructions). keep the temp up around 85 and wait. after a few days add another 1/4 dose of salt. wait a few more days and do a 20% w/c. do another 2-0% w/c in a coule days after that. the salt level will eventually be lowered by your water changes, although not completely. it wont hurt anything. this is the best method because it wont ruin you biofilters. i would stay away from any ach medications for treating ich. this method has worked very well for me. check this link for where i got the recipe.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=26234

75% water change, lower the temp as ich thrives in warmer water, and also lower the ph a bit try to keep it at say 7.6-7.8.

Also remove rockwork and clean the gravel intensely.

i have to disagree. ich cannot survive higher water temps. that is why you should raise the temp. the higher temp and the salt will kill the ich trophant when it is in the free-swimming stage.

agreed with acei, raise the temp. will fasten the treatment...to about 28 29 degrees C will be a good point

HERE'S AN UPDATE ON MY ICH SITUATION. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ACEI FOR DIRECTING MY TO THE LINK. I RAISED THE TEMP OF MY TANK TO 84. IT'S THE BEST MY 2 300 W HEATERS WILL DO. WE JUST HAD A COLD SNAP AND MY baseMENT IS 58 DEGREES. I FIRST DID A WATER CHANGE AN REPLACED THE CARBON FILTERS TO REMOVE THE MED. I GRADUALLY ADDED SALT TO THE TANK OVER 3 DAYS TO A CONCENTRATION OF 2.5 TBS/5 GALLONS. THINGS HAVE STABILIZED. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I LOST BOTH P. ACEI AND ALL 3 P. CRABRO, AND MY SYNODONTIS.
THE REMAINING FISH SEEM ICH FREE EXTERNALLY, BUT REMAIN SKITTISH. I DON'T KNOW IF ITS FROM ICH, THE SALT, OR THE TEMP. ITS OBVIOUS THAT CERTAIN MBUNA ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO ICH. LOSING ALL OF 2 SPECIES, BUT MY COBALTS, MY RED ZEBRAS, AND MY YELLOW LABS SEEM TO BE HANGING IN THERE. I WILL KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED....

fishfool, good luck and i hate to hear about the losses. follow the article and you should be ich free in a week or so. have fun. makes you wish you quaranteened your fish huh? i dont Q my fish either and have had to battle ich a couple times.