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Hi all,

Been a long long time since i've been on this forum, but now i need everyone's advice.

I've got ich in my tank, and fairly bad i think. I've been out of the house for 2 days in a row before the lights came on and back well after lights out, so haven't noticed the problem til now. I've had a quick read of a couple of articles, but would now like any other advice possible.

So, the tank.

40gal
heavily (& i mean heavily) planted
DIY co2
3 very large clown loaches (the worst affected so far)
8 (& rapidly diminishing) cardinal tetra's
12 rummynose tetra's
innumerable bristlenose cats
8 McCullochs Rainbows
2 large true siamensis
1 large three-spot gourami.

Tank parameters
pH ~6.8
Nitrate: nil, or extremely low.
Temp: constant 27*C

So far i have treated with a half dose (on account of the tetras and clown loaches) of ich-away about half hour ago.

I don't care about the plants... i can always grow more, but i really really want to save as many fish as possible. The clown loaches alone are each 5-6 years old and quite large.

Anybody got any advice on what i can do now, other than sit with fingers crossed? How often should i change the water/clean gravel/redose with ich-away?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Last edited by lilf at 11-Aug-2005 05:05

Loaches are "tender" fish for many medications, particularly Ich meds. I would raise the tank temperature to 30C. Raising the temp accelerates the life cycle of the organism.

The visible stages of Ich are carried out within the host fishes' skin. The first stages are called trophozoites and are highly resistant to drug therapy. Trophozoites mature into trophonts and leave the host, falling to the bottom of the aquarium or pond.These mature trophonts release from 200 to 1,000 tomites. These tomites move about looking for a host, which they must find within 2 to 3 days at 75° F (24° C) or they will die. Cooler temperatures will lengthen this time. It is this free swimming stage that is most vulnerable to treatment. It is important to note that these intermediate stages may also attach themselves to plants and be accidentally introduced into an aquaruim or pond along with the new plants. Once the tomite attaches to the host, it matures and the cycle begins anew.

Raising the temps not only accelerates the life cycle but interrupts the ability of the tomites from re-attaching to the fish. Treat the tank for a minimum of two weeks to ensure that you have killed the organism but ignore the directions on the bottle. Follow this procedure:

Do a 50% water change before introducing the meds. Use the meds at half strength. Do a 50% water change in 3 days using the meds at half strength. Do a 50% water change in three days using the meds at half strength. Do a 50% water change in 3 days using the meds at half strength.


Last edited by Bob Wesolowski at 11-Aug-2005 14:19

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

I think Bob's advice with those fish is right on.
I feel for you because I recently lost a bunch of cardinals due to a really bad breakout of ich in my 46gallon planted. I had these cardinals for 18 months without a problem. The only fish affected in my tank where the cardinals and rummynoses.

My Scapes

Thanks guys

At the moment it appears the outbreak is at the trophozoites stage. I dosed with ich-away last night in the hope it will kill off any already free-swimming in the water, but i will follow your directions Bob from here on in.

The clown loaches are the worst visibly affected, but unfortunately is has been the cardinals that have had all the mortality, but surprisingly the rummynoses are doing fine - a few spots here and there but only one death so far. But time will tell

I'm reckoning it was the introduction of 4 extra McCulloch's rainbows last week that might have tipped the balance in the tank and started the outbreak. I thought 4 was an ok number for the tank to cope with at once with the filtration i have (Eheim 2215 canister & eheim liberty HOB), but obviosuly not.

Thanks again for the quick responses and i'll let you know how things go.

Dave

Hi all,

Well, small update... just about everyone's dead so it's back to the start for me. Even with only half doses and the water changes every 3 days the only ones left now are 4 rummynoses, 3 McCulloch's and the Gourami.

Nonetheless, i'm continuing with the treatment and will do so until any sign of this darn parasite is gone. And then it's back to slowly restocking my tank

Thanks again for the prompt advice... i think from now on i'll check the tank before i go out every morning.

Dave

Hi Lilf,

Sorry to hear about your major losses, what a bummer.

I'm reckoning it was the introduction of 4 extra McCulloch's rainbows last week that might have tipped the balance in the tank and started the outbreak.

Did you quarantine the fish before you added them? I don't think that adding fish in itself would create an Ich outbreak. It is more likely you additions carried it into your tank.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

The above poster pretty much summed up the entire issue. If you didn't quarentine, you've probably now realized what initiated the infection.