# Ick



## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

After running my tank for two years without problems, it seems that we have now a case of ick! A few of my Neons show it. None of them is rubbing against any subjects yet. 

Should I put the fish with dots in the hospital tank or leave them in the main tank and treat it?

From the few threads I read, I will try to raise the temperature and add salt. Anything else I should do besides trying to calm myself down?

Thanks guys!


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

I would leave them in the original tank and treat everyone. I would suggest to do water changes at least every 2 days with gravel cleaning. This will suck out some of the ick that is in the tank. I have had very good results with just salt and uping the water. Others may disagree but this is what I would do. I hope you get rid of it and good luck.


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## Justin.14 (Apr 23, 2010)

unfortunatley i've been reading a lot about this too, I found out my platy has ick a couple days ago.
From what I've read its said to raise temp, then treat with medication for at least 4 days to kill the free swimming forms of it because they cant be killed while in the cysts on your fish. 
The temperature increase speeds up the life cycle of the ick making us able to kill it in the stage of the free swimmers, so the lower temp means more time to get rid of it in your aquarium.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

I also have Otocinclus. Can they tolerate salt?


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

that I am not sure about, I know corys and plecos can tolerate some but not to much, hopefully someone can pick up on that soon.


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

I've always treated with a temp raise and medication. I have never had to treat anything as small as tetras and corys though. If you do decide to use medication make sure to remove any carbon you have in your filter as it will remove the meds. Do not stop your filter though as with the temp raise the dissolved O2 will decrease in your tank. You may wish to add an airstone to increase surface agitation as well.

Hope this helps. Good luck.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

I have a HOB filter for up to 50 gallons even though it is only a 29. Do I still need an airstone? There seems to be quite a bit of surface movement.


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

You shouldn't need anything more than filter. The airstone is only needed if you notice the fish are being affected by the temp raise.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

Ok, another stupid question: I have a Marineland dual temperature heater. It is set at 25degrees. I can switch it to 28 degrees. Would that be ok or would it increase the temperature too fast and be stressful for the fish?

Also, I read that loss of appetite is a symptom. Non of my fish showed a loss of appetite. Could it possibly be something else?


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

No it won't increase the temp fast enough to harm your fish. Ich is pretty obvious, it will look like grains of salt attached to your fish. If you catch it early enough you may only see a few specks and your fish may not show any other symptoms like loss of appetite or bouncing off ornaments.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

This is the strange thing. I looked at them yesterday night - nothing. There was only one that I noticed a couple of days ago. It looked like he had something on his eyes almost like he had cateracs... I looked up eye diseases on the net but didn't really find anything. 

I haven't added any salt yet because of the otos. Anybody out there who knows about them?


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

If I had any doubt I would probably treat my tank anyways. Ich is usually only fatal in cases where it goes untreated for long periods of time or when sick or delicate fish are involved. Good luck.


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## user_error (Aug 15, 2010)

I have added salt to my tank with ottos with no ill effects... Maybe 2 tsp per 5G or so seems to be okay, but i would introduce it gradually don't do it all at once...


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

What everyone here has suggested is great info, def raise the temp. add salt if you want, for medication I have always used Kordon's Ich Attack. I chose that one b/c it was safe for plants and invertabrae's, as well as otto's.

Good luck


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

thefishwife said:


> What everyone here has suggested is great info, def raise the temp. add salt if you want, for medication I have always used Kordon's Ich Attack. I chose that one b/c it was safe for plants and invertabrae's, as well as otto's.
> 
> Good luck


Do you add that besides raising the temperature and adding salt?


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

I just raise the temp, I didn't add salt. Its an organic product, again why I used it.


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## chillin (Apr 21, 2010)

water changes;temp increase and salt baths seem to help me ,if you can break the life cycle of the disease most fish that are healthy usually survive,,try not to medicate unless you have to, meds seem to add a whole lot of other problems if not administered properly. salt baths are safe and cheap, when done correctly.it is used in aquaculture quite a bit ,,i believe there was an article in this site before the big crash happened ,,somebody else might have a link..chillin


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

Try the Kordon Herbal Ich Attack.....Safe For Use With Aquatic Invertebrates (Snails, Shrimp, Crabs, Coral, Anemones, etc.)

Kordon LLC - Kordon - Herbal Ich Attack


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## bowman00 (Apr 27, 2010)

Yeah My angel now has ick, should I just raise temp and put salt in? are water changes nesscessary?


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey Rocky I would raise the temp and add salt, the water changes is to get any ick that maybe free floating or in the sub strait. Just make sure when doing water changes to add the salt back in.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

Update: Thank for all your information! I found out that salt is not the best for Octocinclus. This led me to IPU last night in the search of Kordon's Ich Atttack. They didn't have it and I ended up with an API product. I administered the first dose last night. The fish and snails seemed fine this morning. I will do another dose tomorrow. 
Hopefully I won't to more harm than good with the meds.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

remeber if you add medication, make sure theres no carbon in your filter. and i prefer commercial ich treatment and temp increase. corydoras i know do not tolerate salt, but i dont know about otos


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

Just sharing......an article about ich from U of Florida.

using chemicals or salts

https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/getFactSheet/whichfactsheet/123/


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

waterlilly said:


> Update: Thank for all your information! I found out that salt is not the best for Octocinclus. This led me to IPU last night in the search of Kordon's Ich Atttack. They didn't have it and I ended up with an API product. I administered the first dose last night. The fish and snails seemed fine this morning. I will do another dose tomorrow.
> Hopefully I won't to more harm than good with the meds.


I only know of King Ed's and Roger's (surrey) that sell it. I don't know about API products, hopefully they won't hurt your snails and otto's.


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## Sandy Landau (Jun 4, 2010)

API products are usually very good. How are your fish doing?


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

They are still all alive, including the nails! The fish still have some spots. 
I am doing the second dose tonight. I'm not sure if I should do a quick gravel vac first, though. On the instructions it doesn't say anything about vacs or waterchanges until 48 hours after the second dose.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

So tonight it will have been 48 hours since the second dose of API Super Ich Cure. All the fish,including Otos are doing well. The meds didn't even kill the snails  As per instructions I should do a water change and add the carbon filter. 

I am thinking of administering one extra dose after a quick gravel vac. Would that be ok?
Why one extra dose? Because 2 fish still had a couple of spots last night. 

Any input is greatly appreciated!


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## Nicklfire (Apr 21, 2010)

If you notice the specks on your fish (ick), dosing your tank with the medication and raising the temp will not kill the ones already attached to your fish.

What your trying to do at this point is make the other free floating ones hatch and kill them off. most fish are hardy enough to handle a couple of ick parisites... but if it goes untreated then it can do some real harm.

there is plenty of Super Ick Meds out there, pretty easy to beat if you catch it early.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

It's not the spots on the fish you have to worry about though, do remember that. It's the water-borne ones that are the ones you are gunning for with the vacuuming and meds, so the medication process may already be accomplished as far as you know it.

I'd go with another dose personally though if everyone is doing okay and they're eating fine and what not. Glad to hear your snails are still "kicking".


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

effox said:


> It's not the spots on the fish you have to worry about though, do remember that. It's the water-borne ones that are the ones you are gunning for with the vacuuming and meds, so the medication process may already be accomplished as far as you know it.
> 
> I'd go with another dose personally though if everyone is doing okay and they're eating fine and what not. Glad to hear your snails are still "kicking".


I could do with a few less snails! I guess I'm getting Assassin snails after all...!
My fish never lost the appetite during this outbreak and only the Neons got it. No spots appeared on the Rasboras or Otos. I noticed a while ago that one Neon has something on his eye. It was there before the ich spots appeared. It is still there, I guess it's an eye issue. 
I will do a gravel vac tonight and add another dose. Thanks effox!


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