Ich Help!!!

[paradigmcubed]

One of my fish has ich. I put the droplets in. I took the cartridges out of my over the back filter, is that what I am supposed to do because it said to remove carbon cartridges. Is this medical treatment for a couple days or should I do it everyday. I also read that the State of California recognizes that it can cause cancer. Does this only apply if it is ingested or touched, basically is it safe to stick my hand in the water to rearrange stuff, or adjust something? Thanks a lot!

[thalassic park]

Hi,
adding rock salt is a safer alternative,
add some this & next & possibly the week after.
seawater = 33 - 36 parts per thousand. (grams per litre).
try 4 gram per litre.
Malachite green is carcinogenic don't get it on your skin.

[paradigmcubed]

Thanks, I had already put the ich medicine in, so how long is it before it is "safe" to put my hand in the water and move stuff etc. I also want to know if I was right to take the blue filter pieces out of the back of the pump?

Thanks

[thalassic park]

If its malachite green your using then I would where gloves.
Remove carbon for duration of treatment.
Use new carbon to remove 'the treatment'
and throw carbon after a few days or so.

[paradigmcubed]

The active ingredient is Malachite Green. This means that I have to wear gloves for how long until it works it becomes harmless? Thanks for the tip I will use rock salt in the future. I did get a bit of it on my hands, accidentally however I immediately washed my hands, however there was a brown stain from the little bit that I got on myself, it washed off copletely about an hour later. Hopefully that wasn't too dangerous. I'm somewhat upset from the lack of warning from my LFS employees, I had asked them if I should be careful with the Malachite Green and they made no references to wearing gloves or a safer alternative. ARRGHH!

[paradigmcubed]

As a side note, I put the ich treatment in two days ago and haven't added any since.

[Bristlenose Chuck]

I'm not sure it will "wear off". The only way I know of to take it out of the water is to add carbon back in your filter. Just for reference, take a look at my signature for great link on getting rid of ich safely.

[paradigmcubed]

Thanks for the link, however I cannot get it to work...

[Bristlenose Chuck]

Sorry about that. It appears that he changed web hosts. Here is the updated link.

http://bad.aaquaria.com/a/FreshwaterIck/FreshwaterIck.htm

[Sumpin'fishy]

I'm glad that you guys are so cautious, but (this is MY opinion) I feel that it is unnecessary to worry so much about that small amount of medicine. I have used Ich meds in the past and had my hands all in the tank, although not for a few hours after it.

If you haven't noticed, EVERYTHING causes cancer!!! When I was working construction, I had to tear out some walls that had asbestos (sp?) in them, because it causes cancer. When I washed my aquarium sand, the label says the dust from silica sand causes cancer. There are counteless other "substances" that cause cancer. Now I'm not trying to say that you should be foolish in how you handle things, for instance: for the walls with asbestos (again, sp?) -I tryed not to breath the dust when we tore it off (had no masks). When I washed my silica sand - I wore a mask. When I use meds that are toxic, in any way, I try my best not to get it on my skin or ingest, etc. But when you dilute it into the water, it is such a minute amount that probably (again, MY opinion) wouldn't affect you unless you did this your for a living, like handling sick fish in aquariums for a living.

Now, what I do when I get Ich is:

-quarantine if possible.
-Remove ANY carbon/chemical removers
-raise temp to about 82 degrees
-heavily airate the water (with air pumps)
-add 1TBSP salt per 5 gallons water (for sensetive fish maybe 1tsp/5-10 gallons) Dilute in water, then add slowly.
-30% to 50% water changes 1/day (best) or at least 1/3 days.
-Vacuum gravel THOROUGHLY ever water change
-Use a DIATOM, MICRON filter, or U/V Sterilizer if possible during treatment.
-continue treatment for minimum of 2 weeks (up to 4 = safe)
-(ICH lifespan @ 70 degrees= ~3wks, 80 degrees= ~5 days!)


Visible symptoms should stop within 4 to 5 days (tops)
If they persist or return:

-Use Quick Cure (malachite green + Formalin)
-Add dose (recommended) daily
-50% water change daily
-do all steps from above advice

to remove medicine:

-FIRST do 50% water change, then....
-add carbon to filter
-after 1 week: remove carbon and do 50% water change
-should be clear***

[JimG]

Originally posted by paradigmcubed
I also want to know if I was right to take the blue filter pieces out of the back of the pump?

What blue filter pieces? They aren't the biofilter bed are they? The only thing that should be removed is the carbon when using such medicines as M-Green.

I have to agree with SumpinFishy - When I first started out keeping fish and used such medicines I had my hand in the tank all the time during treatment, just wash your hands. I am pretty sure that research is assuming ingestion of the chemicals.

And I know everyone everywhere is still saying put salt in the freshwater tank for ich but it really isn't all that good an idea. Many fish species are sensitive to salt (like plecos) so one should be aware of what their species' tolerances are. Also the salt works against ich by basically stressing the fish so that it exudes more of a slime coat which helps to keep new parasitic cysts from attaching while the amount of salt necessary to actually kill off the free swimming form of the parasite is too much for most freshwater fish well being. I haven't had a case of ich in quite awhile thank goodness but I would use nothing but Mardel's Coppersafe.

By the way with these M-Green based meds usually the instructions direct the treater to do waterchanges when the med regime is done and these along with the replacement of the carbon will get rid of the medicine (though it may permanently stain the tank's silicon seals green or blue.

Cheers

[SBA]

i have treated a tank containing cories (salt sensitive) and FW puffers (easily stressed) using the salt/temp method (good old iodized table salt). neither the cories nor the puffers showed any signs of stress whatsoever and the ich was successfully treated.

the salt was removed with water changes at the end of the treatment period (14 days after last visible cyst). there has been no recurrence and all fish are doing well. it works, saves on the cost of meds, done slowly and sensibly (1tsp per gallon, pre-dissolved and added over 2 days) will not harm fish like cories IME and avoids putting toxic (and carcinogenic) material in the tank.

if fish get stressed with salt, how does being immersed in a solution of toxic medication make them 'feel'? there aren't many medications that I have taken long term (and there have been a few) that didn't make me feel rough.

that said, if the salt hadn't worked I would then have tried meds.

my 2p :)

Edit: would also be keen to know which bits of the filter were removed...

[scott]

I also read that the State of California recognizes that it can cause cancer.

I have noticed that lots of things cause cancer only in California. It must be related to all of the sun and collagen. Oh wait, they cause cancer too.;)