ich again

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shell4454

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Apr 4, 2005
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I've been to the chat room and gotten some help but I thought I would put a thread out there...I have a 75 gallon tank that got ich when i brought a new african cichlid home. I treated with rid-ich (I have clown loaches) and followed directions. Overall treatment for about a week with water changes everyday and temp at 86degree. All signs gone, another water change was done then carbon added back 3 days later. No fish loss. Two weeks later ich again, now about 4 or 5 fish infected, clown loach covered!!! Started treating with cure ich. Been treating for 4 days, water change after 3rd day, not hardly any improvement, carbon out and temp at 86degrees. Lights are left off. Is this just an extremely stubborn case or what? Should I keep treating with meds or some people in the chat and an article I read on here said salt......Both the rid ich (what I used the first time and thought it was gone) and the cure ich use malchaite green and formalin. Any thoughts out there? My fish are tolerating the meds and temp ok for now....I'm scared it's never going to go away! Even if the signs are gone like last time how can you be sure?!!!!!!! Thanks
 
Short term treatments seldom successfully remove the parasite from the system, which can persist for longer than the treatment period. Maintain the elevated temp for at least 2 weeks--I prefer treating for 4 weeks with increased temp and salt. Anything less than 10 days is likely going to result in reinfection at the next stress event for the fish.
 
thanks, that makes since. Should I switch now to salt or continue with the meds and just carry out this treatment with them? Rather than stress my fish out any more. Shelly
 
Personally, I would do a 50% water change, add carbon to remove the medication, and start the salt treatment. The medications should not be used for longer than the listed treatment period--meaning they seldom are effective.
 
I did a 25% water change today and then did another treatment with the meds, so tomorrow do a 50%water change add carbon and begin with how much salt in what time period? And you only add the salt to the desired level then quit? Water changes every few days and replace lost salt only from the water changes? Anything else?? Thanks.....
 
You can dissolve about 1/10 the total amount needed in a gallon of water and add this every 30 minutes. Cleaning the substrate frequently will help, and replace the salt for the amount removed--make sure to add freshwater if you have much evaporation (common with the elevated temp).
 
In a 75 gal tank about 2 teaspoons per gallon? 1/10 of 150 (75x2) teaspoons every 30 min, untill all 150 teaspoons are in there. After that not adding any more salt unless I am doing a water change...cleaning the gravel and taking how much water out how often? Leave this salt in for at least 10 days, and the temp up. Then when no signs of ich are left leave everything as is for how long? When do get things back to normal...temp and salt out?
 
I never changed my water change schedule, just did the same amount that I would always do--I'd go at least weekly, more if you notice any signs of stress. I kept the temp and salinity raised for 4 full weeks, then reduced temp, and started using freshwater for all water changes.
 
sounds like a plan... does my math seem right with 150 teaspoons as my goal given in small increments untill that number is reached?
 
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