Possible Ich?

[tumble]

On feeding my fishies this morning i noticed a couple of my yoyo loaches were brushing against the caves and on the gravel. I took a closer look and it appears they have 2-3 little white dots on the body just before the tail.

Could it be they have ich?

I only got them saturday, and i put them into my 38 gallon tank and they have been very active and seemed to be settled in ok, eating plenty of food and swimming all over the tank.

I have 3 yoyo's, 10 Lemon Tetra and 3 dwarf gourmai in there and wanted to know what was best for treating ich.

I read Coppersafe is a good medication. anyone have any views on it.

Unfortunately i dont have a q-tank due to limited space in my apartment.

I want to go out and get whatever treament necessary today so i can treat asap.

Thanks for your help.

John

[rainbowprizimz]

Just curious, are the spots sugar-like, or are they more splotchy, like small pieces of cotton?

[tumble]

definitely more sugar/salt like, which is what made me think it was ich

[DMS]

If you don't have any live plants in the tank you can use salt while heating up the tank.

[rainbowprizimz]

OK because I mistook the beginning stages of a fungal illness for ich. Just wanted to make sure. Some types of fish are sensitive to some forms of ich treatment,i.e (cure ick, rid ick etc). Also I have heard a little bit about Coppersafe in these forums, but have no experience of my own with it.

[sumoschro]

it's scaleless fishes that usually have a weakness to medication. as long as none of your fish are scaleless than you can use meds without a problem.

[DMS]

I have used coppersafe before I don't anymore after reading that the copper (copper in any meds) can be absorbed and then later released into the tank later. If that happened & you had plants or inverts (like shrimp), it would cause problems. Just a thought.

[JeffP]

Many plants will tolerate salt treatment. I have treated a planted tank with basic hardy plants (vallisneria, wysteria, java fern, anubias, petite anubias, microsag) at a concentration of 1 teaspoon per gallon without any problems. fish were cured and japonica shrimp were fine.

[tumble]

thanx everyone.

I got some medication from my LFS that they use on their tanks to combat ich. They seem to know what they are on about there and the tanks always look clean and healthy and i know they have at least 4 q-tanks for any problems they have.

Did a water change and dosed with medication. (at 1/2 strength cos of of the loaches) and just have to continue course and keep an eye on them all.

I feed them some bloodworms last night and they all loved them, so at least they are all eating ok.

Fingers crossed the ich clears up.

John