ICH Decontamination

ShmooBeast

ShmooBeast

Poor College Student
Mar 5, 2005
67
0
0
Boise, ID
I recently had an ich outbreak in one of my aquariums. I moved the three fish in the tank into a smaller tank and started treatment.

As for the infected tank, I shut off the filter to preserve the bacteria in it, I then filled the tank with 110 F water. I let that sit overnight, I then did another complete water change. I wanted to make sure that the bacteria in the filter will be alright as well as make sure that all ich in the tank has been killed since I plan to start re-introducing fish back into the tank after making sure the bacteria can handle a large ammonia load.

Is there anything else I should know as far as sanitizing the tank and the bacteria in the filter. Should I change the filters at all, though I don't want to lose the bacteria? Also, wondered if I should do anything with the gravel, which is the only remaining decoration in the tank.

Any comments are helpful, thanks.
 
treatment

I've treated the fish with aquarium salt and coppersafe for a week before moving them to a smaller tank and continuing the same treatment. I have also kept their temperature at a steady 80F. I managed to catch the Ich very early on, I don't think there's more than one tiny white spot on each fish. On a few the whit spots have allready fallen off, so I'm hopeful for a fast recovery. I am still continuing the same treatment (coppersafe and salt).

I was convinced that 110F would kill anything so I didn't continue it any longer. Maybe I should?
My girlfriend says from what she's heard I should sterilize the tank. Meaning change the filter, boil the gravel, and everything. However, I really don't want to lose what bacteria I've built up.
 
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You don't need to do any of that, did you read the article? leave the empty aquarium empty for a few weeks at an elevated temp like 86* F. Ich cannot survive with out a host. Putting water at 110* is not going to get rid of ich, if it's only in the tank for a night. When ich is in the dormant stage its shell protects the parasite. The only time you can kill it is when it swimming around looking for a host.
 
So Tono, you're advice would be to leave the tank empty, with just the gravel, and turn the heat up for about a week? What about the filter? Should I leave it off? And you say there's no need to change it. It won't harbor any parasites?
 
And you say there's no need to change it. It won't harbor any parasites?
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Unless there is a fish in your filter, ich cannot surive. IT must have a host,nothing but a fish will serve as a host and ich has no dormant stage. It really would be good to read the article I linked. You can also find similar articles many places on the web.
Dave
 
Have read that article and others, just trying to be sure of things. There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding ich, and a lot of mixed information. For instance, my local LFS told me that Ich was always in a tank or that all fish were carriers and it that stress just brought it out. However, the more I read this has been disproved.
Thanks for the info. Anyone else have comments, etc.?
 
ShmooBeast said:
Anyone else have comments, etc.?
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LFS are usually wrong. Okay, okay. I am almost certain they are right more foten than not, but in a lot of cases, they are wrong or trying to make a buck by selling you something. Obviously Ich cannot always be present if it has been eradicated. It's a popular myth and one that is very, very hard to stamp out.
 
RTR said:
But that myth is kept alive because many folks and most LFS are unaware of subclinical infections with Ich.
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Too right. RTR, I've been meaning to ask you, where do you come down on prophylactic treatment of fish in quarantine and if you do any kind of treatment, what do you do?
 
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