Ich

[KevinF]

Sorry to go back to this age old thread but I have been scowering the internet for all the different kind of cures and remedies and as expected everyone thinks they are right. Anyway what I would like to know is how can you tell when the disease is in its free swimming stage. On sunday my fish were showing a good few white cysts and last night the were twice as bad I treated the water right away Sunday with ICH medication only to read on a few sites that it is not effective till the disease is free swimming backed up by the instructions on the medication But how do you know when this free swimming stage is? I mean not all the fish are showing sypmtoms at the moment but wouldn't the disease have been free swimming in the first place?

[Faramir]

At any given time, parasites will be at all the different stages of the life cycle.

[KevinF]

in that case I guess that be treating the water right away was probably the best thing I could have done?
My next move is as follows leave everything again tonight as it is then tommorow night I will change another 20 ltrs of the water (last chg of 20ltrs was done on Sunday on noticing the disease tank size is approx 110 ltrs). Give the filters another rinse (this is so that they remain free flowing whilst thier is an increased temp in the tank) also add another dose of the anti ich treatment (it says on the instructions that it remains active in the water for 2-3 days)
Let me know if you feel I have missed anything I am desperate to beat this!

[beviking]

Sounds good. Make sure to remove any carbon filter from your filter b/c carbon removes medications. From the research you've done, you already know this. Sounds like you're treating every other day? Some people swear by this method. As per Faramir's statement, I treat every day, with a water change before re-dosing with the medication. Also, the free swimming stage (tomites) can swim around for 2-3 days searching for a host, meanwhile, more are hatching so you want to treat for at least 7 days. Did you check out www.skepticalaquarist.com ? Good luck!

[KevinF]

thanks for taking the time to reply It always helps in these situations when someone alse can back up what you are trying to achieve
thanks again
Kevin

[thom336]

a raise in temperature should kill white spot off...they cant survive above 27C i think it is. of course, dont go raising your tank temp to this unless your fish are able to cope with it, and all the same dont keep it at such a high level for too long if it is not what they are used to, and it will speed up their motabilism.
hope this helps.