Poor Poor babies have ick.

[chirp]

hello...well, it figures...we got new fish and didn't quarantine, and now our wonderful tetras have ick.

i got a treatment today from petsmart, where i prefer not to shop. we have certain infected tetras in quarantine now, but i'm wondering if we should pop them back into the 55 and treat the whole main tank.

any suggestions?

 

[Zebulon]

Treating a large tank obviously requires more medication than a smaller tank. So there is a monetary side to it. Treating only a portion of the fish may not treat all that are infected or have been exposed. If you take out all infected fish right away, and watch your main tank carefully, you may be able to seperate out those who have from those who don't. You won't be able to be certain that you've removed all of the carriers for at least 3-4 days until the next life cycle comes around.

How big is your quarantine? We all make mistakes, chalk this one up to a regrettable lesson. Always quarantine new arrivals for 4-5 weeks.

 

[chirp]

10 gallons...with 7 fish in it...no decorations...i feel like taking themout of their nice planted home has causedthem detrimental stress.

and we've had our tetras for over two years now. it's sad.

 

[shawnhu]

hello...well, it figures...we got new fish and didn't quarantine, and now our wonderful tetras have ick.

i got a treatment today from petsmart, where i prefer not to shop. we have certain infected tetras in quarantine now, but i'm wondering if we should pop them back into the 55 and treat the whole main tank.

any suggestions?

I would place the fish in a small quaranteen tank and treat with meds. The main tank can go untreated, as the parasite will die off without a host. Increase temps and add salt to speed the process.

 

[NeonFlux]

I would place the fish in a small quaranteen tank and treat with meds. The main tank can go untreated, as the parasite will die off without a host. Increase temps and add salt to speed the process.

I'm with shawnhu. Increase the heat up to about 84-86, keep it like that until you do not see the ick on the fish anymore (or if the fish is scratching,it's gills already), immediately start introducing salt slowly, dissolving it in a cup of dechlorinated water first. Keep up with water changes and salt back the tank the percentage you taken off. Then about a week or two, they shouldve died out.

Or I really recommend Ich Attack by Kordon, it contains no chemicals, 100% organic, it's herbal, highly recommended by me with the heat up to 86.

 

[Lupin]

I would place the fish in a small quaranteen tank and treat with meds. The main tank can go untreated, as the parasite will die off without a host. Increase temps and add salt to speed the process.

Moving them around is pointless. Once they have ich, treat the whole tank for 14 days with salt and heat. Moving them adds more unnecessary stress.

 

[NeonFlux]

Yeah, Lupin's got a point. You should just treat the whole shabang.

 

[Blueiz]

You are going to have to treat the main tank. Once ich is in a tank, its there until its irradicated. If you don't treat the main tank, you will get ich again.

Use the salt/heat method to treat. It will save turning your deco and silicone green and is a natural method.

 

[lucy42083]

I agree with Lupin and Blueiz - there is no point to treating ich in a separate quarantine tank, if it was on a fish in the main tank, it is still in the main tank. If you don't treat the main tank now, you will have a recurrence of ich.

 

[chirp]

thanks everyone...we returned the fish to the main tank...they seemed happier.

yesterday i added some mineral supplement to the water, and geoff added some salt...not too much b/c we have apple snails. I bought the kordon's too. I am just trying to find the time to do this water change deal (i've read 50%) while managing an on-the-go 8 month old. i'm hoping geoff and i will be able to tackle it tonight.

thanks again.