# Ick!!! need help plz



## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

I ran a search for ick related threads on this forum, but nothing came up. this is my 1st experience with the parasite and was hoping that some people who have had it and gotten rid of it could lend me some advice. I noticed the white spots on my pair of clown loaches on thursday after I got home from work. I went and got "Ick guard" and it says the active ingredient is victoria green, and nitromersol. I removed the carbon from the filter and treated them, and have done a 25% WC followed by a treatment everyday since. I have also brought the water temp up to 85, which is (I think) the reason I have scooped 2 dead neons out of the tank so far. The fish do not seem to be eating, and appear to be breathing rapidly, hiding and staying in one spot at the bottom of the tank. I have googled "Ick" and learned a lot about it, however I feel that getting some hands on advice from people who have beat it would help a lot. any advice is greatly appreciated.


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## jeff158 (May 27, 2009)

Have you tried using some aquarium salt? That helped me a bit when I had ick and the meds should have done the trick :/


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

no I haven't tried that yet... I read about a salt bath, but I wasn't sure on how much to add so put that idea on the back burner until I can find out more about it.


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

I used this method and it worked well for me. 
http://plecoplanet.com/?page_id=436


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

fly4awhiteguy said:


> no I haven't tried that yet... I read about a salt bath, but I wasn't sure on how much to add so put that idea on the back burner until I can find out more about it.


One tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water. Don't add the salt directly to the tank, instead add it to a 5 gallon bucket of water during your water changes.

Whenever I've treated my tank for Ich I've used a product called Quick Cure. It's extremely concentrated and therefore you only use 1 drop per gallon however if you have tetras they recommend 1 drop for every 2 gallons.

Don't stop treating until at least 2 days have passed since the last white dot was visible.

If the fish are breathing rapidly you should increase the surface agitation with either an air stone with air pump or a power head aimed at the surface.
--
Paul


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## bigfish (Jun 10, 2011)

from what i read you should also turn up the temperature so that it speeds up the life cycle of the bacteria


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

bigfish said:


> from what i read you should also turn up the temperature so that it speeds up the life cycle of the bacteria


Just to clarify; "Ick" is caused by a parasite, not a bacteria.

However, increasing the temperature will indeed speed up the life cycle, allowing you to treat the parasite when it is in its free floating stage (though at increased temperatures, reproduction of the parasite is disrupted).


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

I found at a certain stage of ick, fish have a high mortality rate. If you're lucky and catch it at an early stage and treat it, you may be in luck.

I found that the increased temperature and salt didn't really help the later stage ick infections, malachite green seemed to do the trick, but you'll have some people shake their head at that as it is a persistent toxin or something of that sort.


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

Well I got the jfk cure, and believe it is in the fre foxating stage because I don't see any white spots on the fish anymore... The water temp is still at 86 and the warm water has decimated my school of tetras. 7 died so far and I have 3 left.


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## Mr. Scruples (Apr 20, 2012)

fly4awhiteguy said:


> Well I got the jfk cure, and believe it is in the fre foxating stage because I don't see any white spots on the fish anymore... The water temp is still at 86 and the warm water has decimated my school of tetras. 7 died so far and I have 3 left.


That's sad to hear -- hopefully you'll be able to save the rest of your fish 

It's odd though.. I had an ich outbreak a while back that I treated by simply raising the temperature in my tank to 31 (87.8). I've read that above 30 degrees, the parasite can't reproduce, and that seems to be the case.. anyway, my Cardinals didn't seem to mind the warm water at all, so after I was certain there wasn't going to be any re-infection, I lowered the temperature to 30 and I've kept it there ever since. I figure if they're happy, why not, and at least I shouldn't have to worry about ich in the future


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

I just had my Ick outbreak a few weeks ago. You can find it in this forum as it was big discussion about it. I also used Tetra Ick guard. And it did help me. I only lost couple of neons or so. And i do have in my tank a lot of neons, rummy nose tetras and guppies. Here are the points to keep in mind when you use it next time.
1. Use half of prescribed dose as you have sensitive fish like neons.
2. Do not need to do it every day but every other day is fine as well depending how bad fish is infected.
3. Try to change 30% of the water after the fist initial doze and 30%, 24hrs after each use and do remove the carbon from the filter.
4. Do not increase your temperature while treating (this is probably what killed your fish in the first place as medication already took oxygen from the water and increasing temperature will take even more)
5. After visible signs of Ick gone do 30% water change and increase the temperature for 3-5 days. When you do that you must add powerful air pump to increase the airflow. 
6. Do the last water change of 25-40% and you will be fine.


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

well I think the ick has all cleared up... tomorrow will be the 3rd day with no white spots... I'm gunna continue treatment until tomorrow night just to be safe... unfortunately, the damage has been done, my entire school of tetras is gone and 1 clown loach, however approx 20 fish survived so it's not a total loss...


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

fly4awhiteguy said:


> well I think the ick has all cleared up... tomorrow will be the 3rd day with no white spots... I'm gunna continue treatment until tomorrow night just to be safe... unfortunately, the damage has been done, my entire school of tetras is gone and 1 clown loach, however approx 20 fish survived so it's not a total loss...


Check out "Fresh water lifestock" section on this forum. Somebody was selling cardinal tetras for $1.5, which is very cheap


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## 1200assassin (Jan 14, 2011)

Remember Ich is most commonly caused by stress to your fish. Careful when you restock.


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## Al-Losaurus (Jul 21, 2009)

did not fully read this thread not sure if this has been mentioned or not...

I was once told or read that if your fish can handle the temperature at 82 then raise your temp because it is not possible for ick to survive in that high a temp..

when i have had the issue before i tried medications that did nothing but stain stuff in the tank and still lost fish. since raising and keeping my temperature at 82 i have never in the last 4 years had ick again. most of my fish can handle a high temp being africans they actually prefer it. so check out if that suits your fish and save yourself some money lol


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

thanks Al... I did have my tank up to 85 at one point when I was treating.. I have since turned up my tanks to 81. now that you mention it I think I will turn them up 1 more degree. better to be safe than sorry


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## Fishyfishyfishy (Mar 3, 2008)

When using aquarium salt + 82+ degrees, keep the temperature high for a day or two even after you don't see the white dots, just to make sure the lifecycle of the ick is fully done.


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