View Full Version : plants,cardinal tetras and ick
jdwyz
06-05-2003, 10:23 PM
what is the best treatment for this paticular situation?i dont want to harm either the plants or cardinals with harsh chemicals
Are you sure it's ick? Describe it.
Len
it's ick the wife put alot colder water in the tank during the 50% weekly water change.it stressed the fish and now they have white graines all over them.they are rubbing against anything they can find.so whats a good remedy for a heavy planted tank?
Do you have a hospital tank? It's been a long time since I had that problem, but we used to raise the temp. to 82 degrees and add a small amount of salt. I can't remember how much. In order to add salt you really should move them out of the planted tank. Someone will know and chime in with more info.
I suggest you go to our search engine(upper right corner) and type in Ick. There's probably some info there. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Len
aquatrippe
06-06-2003, 12:36 PM
cardinal tetras are prone to ich with temperature fluctuations and actually prefer temperatures in the range of 82 to 85.
Ich is a parasite that reproduces when the little white cycsts fall off the fish upon maturity and break apart to produce the free swimming stage of the parasite.
This is the state it must be killed in.
Simple cure. Raise the temp to 86 to 88 F. Ich cannot survive these temps in the freeswimming stage.
The higher temperature will also quicken the rate at which the cycst falls off the fish.
Personally, I have not used salt but rather aquarisol which I dose at the rate of 12 drops per 10 gallons of water.. I dont use salt because I keep corydoras in my cardinal aquarium.
Technically if you heat treat as suggested you don't need aquarisol, but I like it as insurance..that way you know you will kill all the freeswimming ich.
My experience with cardinal tetras is that they while they can acclimate to a variety of water parameters [although I keep mine in very soft acid water ] they do not acclimate well to lower water temps.
Keep them warm.. they like warmth.. you shouldn't have any problem getting rid of the ich..and if you keep them warm and their immune systems up ..you shouldnt see it again.