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Yup, my fighter, he's developed it.

Either way I've gotten a treatment, and plan on going at it for at least 6 days, most likely more. It isn't one of those 3 dsays treatments so that's a plus.

In 3 more days I'm going to do a big clean, shake the gravel, anything to make sure - or try to be sure - that all the ich isn't hiding somewhere.

Any other tips or info? I've been reading other threads and other then higher temps, 6 days medication minimum and very careful cleaning I hope I haven't missed anything ^^

If I remember correctly you are in Vic and during the colder months Ich is extremly easy to get into your tank. Prevention is far the best way to go.
You must store (for at least one week) and treat all your water before it goes into the tank also be extremly carefull when buying fish during winter if you can see it in any tank or a tank being treated for it think twice then think again. I am also refering to plants as well.
I recently thought I had a small outbreak and I traced it down to washing my small filter under the tap, now I wash it in the old tank water. I did not have Ich any way.

Raising the temp speeds up the growing process of the Ich. Turn the lights OFF this helps in reducing any stress of the fish. Less feeding even every third day will not hurt at all. This can also help in the water polution area.
Use Melafix and Primafix and certainly only use as recommended. One it has all cleared up I personally would keep treating the tank for at least one month many will say this is unnecessary but it is the only way to remove it 100%.

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Keith

WHITE SPOT ICH

“White-spot” Parasite, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

This disease is easy to recognise, as the skin of the infected fish becomes covered with white spots, each the size of a pinhead. Each spot represents the site of one, or sometimes two, parasites. All parts of the body gills, may be attacked.

The causative agent is named Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. It is a spherical and large by protozoan standards, measuring up to 1mm in diameter. Short, hair-like processes known as cilia are spread densely over the surface. A horseshoe-shape nucleus is also present which is clearly visible under the microscope.

By the means of the cilia the parasite rotates vigorously and burrows into the surface layer (epidermis) of its host. It feeds on skin cells and surface debris. The burrowing action causes a local irritation and the epidermis grows across the parasite to enclose it, thus forming a “White Spot”

Reproduction occurs away from the host. After maturing in the skin, which takes a few days to three weeks, depending on the temperature, the parasite bores out, swims away and comes to rest on a submerged object such as a stone, or plant. Here it forms a jelly-like cyst within which a series of rapid cell divisions take place. In a few hours, several hundred daughter cells or swarmers, are produced, which break out of the cyst to find a new host. Alighting on the skin, they burrow in to recommence the life cycle. If they fail to find a host within three to four days, they perish.

Symptoms
If the protozoan is introduced into a tank containing healthy fish, little harm may occur, other than a fleeting infection with a few parasites. If however, the fishes are already weakened for some other reason, e.g. lack of oxygen, the parasite will quickly cover the whole body surface, causing irritation and opening up wounds for secondary infections. The host mobility may become affected. In sever cases, death may result.

Prevention
If white-spot appears in an otherwise healthy tank, the parasite “must” have been introduced either as an adult on a newly acquired fish, or as the cyst form on, for example new stones, a plant or even added water. The only certain method of prevention, is to quarantine all new stock, including stones, plants etc; preferably in water at a temperature of 77F. Allow one week’s quarantine.

Treatments
There are too many treatments today to recommend any specific one. Many can be bought easily at aquarium outlets.


Several very interesting points to think about.

Very easy to recognise.
Its reproduction cycle.
No host they will die.
If introduced into a healthy tank little harm may occur.
Pay attention to all tank details.
Weakened fish, and lack of oxygen can/may and will cause sever deaths. All this is usually caused by poor tank maintenance and/or incorrect and faulty equipment.
Prevention is the best cure
A Parasite “must” be introduced into the tank.

This information was collected from Fresh Water Tropical Fish


Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Won't keeping the lights off cause some problems for my live plants?

I've got melafix but the meds I'm using are more ich specific =) Safe to use on small fish, catfish or scaleless fish. It says to keep up a daily treatment until cured.

I don't really have the room to store water for a week in advance -_-

So far I have been feeding a little less but not every other day, if I did I think my betta would go back to nibbling on plants and their roots 0.o

I have been fighting Ich while trying to cycle a 20g I set up 6 weeks ago. I quit medicating for a couple weeks thinking it was gone, wrong. This time I am going to medicate way beyond the point at which the white spots disappear. I want to be rid of this stuff once and for all. I usually give a little blast of Stress Coat when I do water changes as well.

Maybe some Melafix wouldn't hurt as well, to help the Tiger Barb get rid of the White Spots?

Also, make sure you take the carbon media out of the filter when you're treating with meds.

Good luck!

I would only keep the lights off while the fish are showing signs of WS then turn them back on. The reason for turning them off is to reduce the stress on the fish.
The plants should not suffer from this at all.
Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
[link=Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/[/link

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

ya know, my lights come on at 2:30 pm and go off at 10:30 pm each day. I have them on a timer. Would it be better to keep them off while I am treating? I have plastic plants, shouldn't harm them too badly, lol!

also, I have noticed a considerable improvement in the spots on the one TB. The other one never got them. I am pumped that he's getting better! (or she) I have noticed them chasing and frolicking much more, and their colors are especially vivid tonite. yay!

What temp do you have the heater set to? You might want to raise it to around 30c for the duration of treatment. Doing this will speed the lifecycle of ich up. I have found this very effective when treating.
Be careful cleaning the gravel, you may upset the balance of good bacteria in your tank.

---

Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

I'll clean it in parts then? ^^ So far, I've been working on a 3rd at a time.

I'm also storing my water for about a week in advance now, keithgh says it should help clear off anything from my tapwater that may have brought about the ich. Could be a possibility seeing as Dante, my betta, came up in a hoarde of spots not too far after a small water change.

Other then that I'm keeping up my treatments, Dante is eating and acting normal, and Valtiel, my bristlenose catfish, hasn't developed any showing spots so I hope I've caught it early.

If anything drastic happens I will keep you all posted ^^
My tank temp is starting to heat up now so it should be sitting at 28 in a couple of hours.

Edit: I've only stored my water recently though, does that mean I should delay my waterchange? I changed it 2 days ago and just put the water to be stored today. I treated the stored water with my betta conditioning stuff too.

I will leave that one to the experts on treating Ich. The big problem is if the water has not been stored enough time (one week) there is a very good chance you "could" reinfect the tank.
I am very gladto see you are now storing your water. Also I heat mine in a laundry trough first this then keeps the tank at an even temp especially with small tanks. There is a good chance you might find it difficult to pour the water out from the container at a steady rate for this I bought a small watering you can buy one from either KMart or Bunnings. If you decide to buy a watering can make sure it has a big enough hole at the top and a good handle to make it just that bit easer for you.


Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Well, just a qick little update on my Ich, the spots are finally gone, no more fish loss... So, I am going to turn the lites back on, back the heats down just a smidge and continue my QuICK Cure treatments for a couple more weeks.
Yay, finally!

Update ^^

Dante is starting to look a little better, and he's only got a little amount of spots left, hopefully they'll be gone within the next 2 days, that should catch out this pesky parasites cycle.

I was planning on keeping treatment for another two weeks, after that, would it be fine just to stop the meds?
Or should I follow the directions on the med packaging with a short fungal treatment after?

Also how long should I keep the water temp up? And when would it be okay to bring it back down to the 24-26 mark?

Right now it sits at 28-29.

My BN Valtiel is also looking great, think she has grown a touch so I am looking into getting that 15gal tank within 2 months now. Still no Ich spots showing up on her but of course she's still in the tank getting treated ^^

And yes I do know bigger tanks are better but this ones probably the best for me in terms of I can place it somewhere and manage to store enough water for it's changes. ^^

Hey Crim, glad to hear your condition is improving... I am planning to continue treatments for about two weeks. I want to be as sure as I can be that the Ich is gone!

Good luck!