# Clown loaches and ich



## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

Hi all,

I've just noticed some ich on some of my Clown loaches. As clown loaches are sensitive to meds I'd like to treat them some other way. I already add salt to my aquarium at 1 heaping tablespoon per 5 gallons and keep it warm as well at 84°f. I raised the temp slightly to approximately 86°f but I'm unsure if I can go any higher? The other inhabitants are Geophagus eartheaters, redline torpedo barbs and a few hardy plants. Is there anything else I can do to be rid of ich? 

Thanks,

Calvin


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## 240sx (Sep 4, 2010)

I had ich and I added a bit of salt and turned up the temp.... let the salt do its work, the salt helped but I added more the next few days because I didn't notice any help to my larger fish, and then that's what killed my beautiful loaches.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

When mine had it I took it to 86 and added salt as well. Also did 20-30% wc's every other day & clean filter. Took over a week but it finally wiped it out. Good luck
Here is a good article about ich: Understanding and Treating Ich or White Spot


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## 240sx (Sep 4, 2010)

I wish I would have had that advice years ago before I lost my clown loaches. 

Great post Diztrbd1


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

Today I caved adding a small amount of meds and added a airstone as they are getting worse. I'm working 12hrs days all this week with no time/energy for anything let alone WCs. The good news is I'm going into my last day of this crazy week tomorrow and have the next week booked off. Lots of time to do daily WCs. I just hope they can last till Saturday. Thanks for the advice!


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## josephl (Apr 21, 2010)

This has always worked like a charm for me, when my fish either get an attack or as a preventative measure when new fish are addded

Kordon LLC - Kordon - Ich Attack


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Any Ich medication treated at half dose will eradicate your problem. Salt and temp remedies seem to work but take a while, on Clown Loaches I would not want to take any longer then I needed to.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

Agree with Grant, it does take longer I believe. I had started using meds in the beginning myself, but then I noticed my Angelfish acquired a nice blue-green color was why I had went with the temp rise method, All in all it took a couple weeks to get rid of. I did lose one loach, but it was right in the beginning of everything.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Methylene blue is your mildest choice and will rectify Ich quickly, depending on how advanced your case is.


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

Update:

The last 4 days I've been doing daily 30% - 50% W/Cs along with adding half doses of Ich-X. It didn't seem like they were getting any better until today. I've noticed a marked decrease (nearly total) in the "white spots" on my CLs. I realize I need to continue treating past the last sign of Ich. How many days do you guys usually treat after not seeing any more of the cysts??? So far I've been lucky and not lost a single fish but I don't want to continue medicating any longer than is needed.


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## PaulCheung (Apr 18, 2011)

My rummy nose tetra have ick a week ago. I brought up the temp to 29C and used Quick Cure. In 2 days the white spots were all gone. I continue to add the med for 2 more days and then bring the temp back to regular level.


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## manim3 (Jun 25, 2011)

hi temp and salt is the key... i used one tablespoon per 1 gal and increased it daily... until 3 spoons... remove all plants... it will fix em in a week or so... you would need to also vacume gravel every day...


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

manim3 said:


> hi temp and salt is the key... i used one tablespoon per 1 gal and increased it daily... until 3 spoons... remove all plants... it will fix em in a week or so... you would need to also vacume gravel every day...


1 table spoon per 5 gallons is enough to kill ich and not do any permanent damage to most plants, raising the temp will help speed up the life cycle of ich so it can be treated faster. Most meds wont actually touch the ich while it is on the fish because it basically coats itself in something? (slime coat maybe i dont remember) but once it is free swimming it wont survive in water with salt or meds, it doesnt hurt to keep the salt in the tank for an extended period of time because it will kill any ich that is free swimming or in your substrate.


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

also as manim4 said the gravel vac will hep because it will pull the ich out of the substrate


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. Been ich free for a while now. Didn't lose a single fish not even a Clown loach. Thanks again everyone!


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