# Ick treatment advice needed



## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

*Ich treatment advice needed*

I think I have to be one of the very unlucky hobbyists in GTA with all my constant issues here and posts but anyway here it goes.
On one of my newly set up planted 40g tanks I got 3 L144 plecos about week ago and now I see small grains on them that looks exactly like ich.

Not sure why they got it, stress I guess as water is good ammonia 0, NO2 0 and NO3 5ppm, cycled tank running 3 months.

I didn't quarantine them as I only have 5 neons in there but here is my questions do I move them to 10 gal (invested today in quarantine tank) together with neons and treat them there or should I treat whole 40 gal. I can see only 1 neon with maybe 1 or 2 spots on them but all 3 L144 have multiple grains on them.

In that 40 gal I have 5 red cherry shrimps, 2 amano shrimps, and about 6 assassins it's a planted tank so I wouldn't want to cause harm to plants. Plus 3 L144 plecos and 5 neon tetras.

I was thinking to treat fish in 10 gal with higher temp and salt or mardel quick cure (helped me before with ick when i was starting the hobby). I don't want to kill my plants and shrimps and snails during treatment. Keep them there for a week and hopefully all ick in the 40 gal will be dead and I can move fish back there.

Option to treat everything in 40Gal I'd go with paraguard and hope for it to work as I know that before it didn't hurt my shrimp or assassin snails but not sure how effective it would be on ick.

Daniel.


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

You will need to treat all fishes in the same tank so remove them all to QT or medicate the whole tank. All fish will be exposed to it and all will need to be treated
Ich happens and yes it can be stress, poor water conditions or seems to just occur out of nowhere 
I do not keep shrimps so I can't comment on what or how to treat them - or if necessary to treat at all - others please comment 
You will need to also keep the medicated treated fish in QT for 3 weeks min - better to go with 30 days before re-introducing them into your display tank. You need to wait out the life cycle of the ich parasite so it doesn't re-occur
If you need any equipment, etc for your QT - be sure to contact me 
Good luck 
Sam


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## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

Thanks for offer Sam,
From what I red and know invertebrates are not affected by ich and that's why I want to move sick fish to quarantine tank and just wait for ich to die off in 40gal display tank without treating it with anything as I don't want to mess the snails and shrimp and plants there.

I also have another tank 46gal (almost empty 6 neons and 3 guppies) so I could move the fish from quarantine tank to that tank once they are clear of ich; so I don't have to keep them in 10 gal for a month. I'm not sure if they will survive that long in 10 gal. L144 are small about 1.5" neons are young as well about 3/4".


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

I know that saltwater shrimps, crabs, invertibrates are not affected by ich so I assume the same for freshwater inverts
I have a 15 gallon tank available to loan to you if needed 
Keep your QT tank with minimal equipment - a few hiding places, bare bottom, heater, small hang on back filter and lighting is optional but nothing fancy 
Good luck Buddy


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## Pruss (Nov 25, 2014)

I agree, treat all the fish for ich, either in a QT tank or treat the whole tank.

Either way, make sure that you don't have any carbon in your filtration system as it will reduce the effectiveness of your ich treatment.

-- Pat


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Pruss said:


> I agree, treat all the fish for ich, either in a QT tank or treat the whole tank.
> 
> Either way, make sure that you don't have any carbon in your filtration system as it will reduce the effectiveness of your ich treatment.
> 
> -- Pat


Agreed about the carbon - forgot to mention that &#128522;
Thanks !!


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

What's the update ? 
Positive news I hope


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## RevoBuda (Sep 3, 2011)

I have had success treating ich by increasing temps to 80-82 gradually over a few days and daily salt treatments. Continued water changes and substrate siphon to remove any ich eggs. Good luck!


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## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

RevoBuda said:


> I have had success treating ich by increasing temps to 80-82 gradually over a few days and daily salt treatments. Continued water changes and substrate siphon to remove any ich eggs. Good luck!


Thank you for replies, that's what I'm doing for now hopefully it will be enough. Later I red that they don't recommend quick cure for plecos. My delema was if there was something that I could treat my planted tank with everything in it but just seemed that it's less risky to get them out and have ich die off without any hosts in my main tank.
They just have to hold on in that naked 10 Gal for 3 weeks after that main tank should be clear as well.... maybe all my assassins will eat that ich lol.


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

I've had great success treating with salt and raised temps. I add salt to approx. 2tbsp/5gal and raise the temp to 86 deg for 10 days. Been through it twice in the last few years and no losses due to ich. This has been with central American cichlids and some Raphael catfish.


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## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

Hi all so my bad luck continues, been almost 10 days with salt and temps. I was also giving them seachem metrolplex (it said to treat ich i think it's useless). Today found 2 neons dead (3 left but they look bad) and three l144 look pretty bad as well it went down hill last 2 days big time.
Kind of regret it now that I didn't go big guns quick cure rout.
Looks like my 40g will only have few shrimps and snails


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Darn, sorry to hear this 
I love neons 
Yes I guess the big gun approach might have been the best route ...
Sorry for your losses


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Sorry to hear it.. 

If you are mixing heat salt and meds.. you maybe making it harder.. add an airstone or 2 make sure lots of surface agitation, anything to add oxygen. The heat reduces the oxygen in the water and meds tend to make it worse.

I've never used meds myself for ich treatment, just heat and salt.


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## wuff (Nov 24, 2013)

The only treatment needed for ick is HEAT!!! 86 degrees for ten days problem solved.

You are only making it harder on them by adding meds etc.


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## joel.c (Sep 11, 2012)

My 0.02...

Clout, if you can find it, its a miracle treatment. Anglefins used to carry it, not sure if they still do or if its even made anymore. I may have some tablets left over from my freshwater days if you think its for you, we can work out a price etc. WARNING, you cannot eat your fish after treating them with these meds, only in the state of California it has shown to cause cancer if consumed by humans. Not sure if it hurts plants, it will kill snails and smooth skinned fish.

Also,

Yes... raising the temp will work in freshwater ich only. Salt does help a bit, I used to always add a bit of salt to my water at all times. Ich lasts for about 30 days full cycle and can ONLY BE KILLED when it is swimming/free floating in the water. When its in the fish or in the sand, its VERY hard to treat.

Personally,

I use meds as a last resort. Water changes, raised temps, and heavy UV always treated me well. Kept cichlids for many years and barely had any significant outbreaks.


Good luck,

Joel


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## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

I think I messed it up with salt too much maybe or not enough aeration with higher temp as soon as SKurj suggested i put in extra air stone, and decreased amount of salt to about 2 tbl spoons for 10gal, so after the initial loss I lost 1 L144 as of today fish that survived all look good 3 neons and 2 l144 , so maybe the other guys already had gone too far initially.
I think I'll tackle it much better next time.
Thanks again for help


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