FishProfiles.com Message Forums

My main tank has developed an outbreak of white spot, which I have no idea where it has come from. I have upped the temperature and treated with meds but it isn't letting up. I was sure to remove all carbon from my 2 cannister and 2 power filters but it looks as if the meds aren't staying in the water. I have treated with the meds (treating half doses because of the clown loaches) twice now and a new course isn't allowed until Saturday, but I'm not sure all my fish will last that long.

Tank is 250 Gallons containing:
Oscars,
Jag Cichlid,
Severum,
Silver Dollars,
Clown loaches
Pleco
Gibbicep
Cuckoo Catfish
Blue Gourami (first fish I ever bought it is the biggest I've ever seen)

Parameters are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Mitrate: 10
pH: 6.8
Temp: regularly 26 upped to 29 for the treatment.

I'm really concerned about some of these fish but not all of them have the spots. Is this common? Why is this? Should i do a water change or will this stress the fish out more?

YOUr rapid help would be appreciated.

How long are you treating with the meds for? Raising the temp to 29/84F isn't enough to kill the white spot. Rather what it does is speed the live cycle, and if you end meds early you're more than likely to be helping the ich rather than killing it. Treating with heat is really not a viable option when it comes to ich.

Have a read thru [link=this]http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/disease/freshwater/ich.html" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link]. A change in meds may be in order. I understand that the clowns need specific attention, but the half doses may be part of the problem.

^_^
[hr width='40%']"I'm alright, I'm alright
It only hurts when I breathe"

Yes... the Loaches will be making life difficult. I guess there are a couple of options. The first is to switch to a full strength copper free medication. I have had success using tri-sulfur on my loaches and brissle noses, both of which are scale less. The dose rate was left at full strength. Using Methyl-Blue or Malachite Green based meds on your scale less fish is a bad idea. I hope you don't learn the hard way like i did, by losing a brisslenose.

The other part of the process would be to seperate yoru scale less fish from the more resilliant Chilids. If you have a spare 20G laying around or something, i'd temporarily shift your scale less stock to this tank and treat them seperately, using reduced doses if required. You'll obviously need to closely monitor the smaller tank as it will be overstock. If/when you attempt such a move, top the hospital tank up with water from the main tank to avoid stressing fish further with water parameter variations.

As already suggest, it's most likely time to switch meds. If you list what you have been using, i might be able to suggest some reasonable local products... other than the tri-sulfur.

Last edited by jester_fu at 31-Mar-2005 17:28

the med i've been using is Rapid White Spot Remover by ???

Tonight I bought some Wardleys ickaway.