I just moved my male pearl gourami to his 20G QT this evening because he hasn't eaten in a few days and he has been clamping his fins. In this tank (probably because it is so well illuminated, especially without gravel and plants on the bottom) I see some very, very ,very small white flecks around his mouth. I am assuming ich or velvet. My water temps have been averaging 80F in my main tank. I turned up the heat to 82 in my main tank and the QT. I also added salt to the QT. I also put a baby platy in, kinda like a test control. Should I crank up the temps in both tanks tomorrow? How high can the rest of my fish tolerate? The fish in my main tank are fine--I'm cranking up the heat in that tank, assuming that if this is a parasite they are at risk .
Critique my ich treatment
- Thread starter mozart
- Start date
if you suspsect ich, you need to treat both the quarentine and the main tank for it.
raising up the temp speeds up the lifecycle of the parasite, allowing for the meds to work on the free swimming stage faster.
In terms of heat only as cure, it has never worked for me.
I have always used a bit of a combo of everything when I treat ich:
salt (one tablespoon per 5 or 10 gallons depending on the severity of the ich)
warm water- 84 is probably good.
half dose of meds. - to ensure preservation of the biofilter and to allow for med. sensitivities of certain fish.
I have been using this 'recipe' for about the last 12 years or so and it seems to work everytime.
we sort of 'developed' this formula while working at the LFS where you get very resistant ich strains showing up often..We used to call it "Nuclear Ich" LOL
there was a great thread about ich on here a few months ago.
I see if I can find it.
raising up the temp speeds up the lifecycle of the parasite, allowing for the meds to work on the free swimming stage faster.
In terms of heat only as cure, it has never worked for me.
I have always used a bit of a combo of everything when I treat ich:
salt (one tablespoon per 5 or 10 gallons depending on the severity of the ich)
warm water- 84 is probably good.
half dose of meds. - to ensure preservation of the biofilter and to allow for med. sensitivities of certain fish.
I have been using this 'recipe' for about the last 12 years or so and it seems to work everytime.
we sort of 'developed' this formula while working at the LFS where you get very resistant ich strains showing up often..We used to call it "Nuclear Ich" LOL
there was a great thread about ich on here a few months ago.
I see if I can find it.
I'll crank them up to 84. I'm a bit relucant to put salt in my main tank. I have some live plants. I did use near 3tbsn in the 20G QT.
yes. salt can certainly melt live plants. so can certain meds though, so be warned.
sometimes you need to risk the plants to save the fish..
sometimes you need to risk the plants to save the fish..
If I must, I will. I'm gonna see how things go for a bit. I certainly don't want to wipe out my tank, either from under- or over- treating.
This page (below) has the best information on ich that I have ever found. It will explain the ich lifecycles, the TRUTH about why some people think ich hangs around in tanks, various medications, temperature, salt info, etc. It is fascinating - but long. Worth reading if you're doing any treatment for ich ...
http://www.malawimayhem.com/articles_health_treating_ich_white_spot.shtml
http://www.malawimayhem.com/articles_health_treating_ich_white_spot.shtml
Nice article. Thanks. Now that I'm fairly confident my fish has ich, since he is more speckly this am, and I've started with the heat and salt tx, does he need to be QT? I have to treat my main tank anyway. He looks good actually--swimming up to me when I look at him (something he never did in the main tank). He is not clamping his fins, but not eating still. He hasn't been sociable to any person, nor fish the past few weeks.
Also, does ich live on snails? I never thought to quarantine plants and snails.
Also, does ich live on snails? I never thought to quarantine plants and snails.
Yes, it can travel in on plants and snails. One tiny drop of water accidentally carried into a clean tank can start the cyle. So yes, a drop of water on your snail under his shell or on your plants is all that is required. If you have other tanks - do not share nets or other objects between them now - do not get your hand wet from the dirty tank and put it in the clean tanks. I know some here said to isolate him - but truly, he's already had weeks to transmit this to the tank and his tankmates, it doesn't make much sense to separate him. But you already have - so may as well leave him alone and not stress him by netting him again.
