ich problem..

[moonstream]

I've been gone for a few days and just came home; I was seeing the reaction of one of my bettas to one of my guppies (the smallest female) since I wanted to try keeping him with on or two, and it looks like he has ich.

I'd say she was exposed for less than a minute, maybe two but no more than three or so. she's back in her tank now, since I couldnt leave her in with him (he was looking at her funny, which isnt surprising) and she looks fine; swimming happily with the four other guppies she lives with.

so, from what I gather, after a week of an infected tank being fallow (fish-free) at around 78* the ich should have hatched from its cysts, passed the free-swimming stage, and died off.

I was planning to move my infected betta to a separate treatment container, and get some aquarium salt tomorrow, add it to the water and crank up the temp a few more degrees (its abut 78-80 now), and leave his 5g fallow for a week. I'll keep an eye on the guppies, but I'm thinking (hoping) they'll be fine. he'll probably go back in the tank once hes better.

I've never had ich in FW, so this is all new to me; had it in my reef earlier this year and treated it with hypo, but it looks like ich is a bit easier to deal with in fresh than in salt.

 

[moonstream]

seriously, 16 views and not one comment?

I've read to leave the tank fallow for between 1-4 weeks, but it seems one with the temp cranked up to like 80 should be okay? I'm not considering treating in the tank because I have plants in all my tanks, and am not interested in having salt in all my tanks, especially the 29 (although I'm really not worried that the they will be infected, at this point).

I would like to get the 5.5 fish-ready again ASAP because I want to separate the female guppies from the male ASAP to prevent a guppy explosion. they wouldnt be in there long; I'm hoping to get a 10g setup for them within the month as a permanent home, and the 5.5 will turn in a divided tank for two of my bettas.

 

[Dekk]

Im not too clear with your situation, but I can share with you what happened to me when I faced an Ich invasion.

I had a tank with 10 neon tetras and 1 common pleco. I started seeing these 'salt looking grains' on the fish. I did a little research and found it was Ich. I ran to the petstore and bought a bottle of 'Rid Ich' by Kordon. The chemical is VERY strong. Anyways, I had to treat the tank with this Rid Ich chemical, and after 24hrs I had to do a 25% water change, and that's because the chemical is just that strong.

Anyways, to make a long story short.
First day: Treated with Rid Ich
Second day: 25% water change
Third Day Treat with Rid Ich again
Fourth Day: another 25% water change

This went on for a week and it was a lot of work. At the end of the day, out of 10 neon tetras and 1 common pleco, I lost everything but 3 tetras after all the work I went through. I think part of what killed off my stock was not only the Ich parasite, but the Rid Ich chemical aswell. It really is strong stuff, which is why you gotta do a water change 24hrs after using the stuff.

My tank doesn't have a heater, and living in FL, my water stayed a constant 78-82F.

But anyways, I wish you luck. Ich was the worse experience ive had since ive been keeping fish.

 

[moonstream]

yeah, I dont really want to use any chemicals, IMHO, they seem to be just as harmful as they are helpful, and things like copper, formulin, etc are so close to being toxic in their recommended dosages I just dont see the point; I used hypo to kick the ich in my reef, I'm planning salt-only to get rid of the ich this time.

pretty much, at this point, the only fish infected is one of my bettas, however one of my female guppies was exposed to the same tank for under 3-4 min before I noticed he was sick. I then removed her back to my 29 with four other guppies because I had no where else to put her. I doubt the 29 is infected, just because of the small iwndow of time she was exposed. no water was transfered between tanks at all, nor were plants/decor.

I dont want to use salt in my main tanks because they are planted; I'm planning to move the infected betta to a hospital tank, and let his 5.5 fallow until the ich parasites have died off, but I dont know how long it will take for that to happen.

 

[Dekk]

Well if you have a hospital tank and only 1 sick fish, its very possible to treat it without using chemicals. Im not sure of the temperature tolerance of bettas and/or guppies, but I read to treat Ich naturally, raising the temperature to some around 84-86F for tropical fish should be alright, along with salt can help remedy the situation. And remember when you raise temps, the water needs a little more oxygen.

 

[moonstream]

at this point I'm just treating the betta. he'll be fine in 84, especially considering they prefer water temp higher than most fish (IME 80ish gets them the most active, healthy, colorful). and, with him being an anabantoid (meaning he gets most of his oxygen from the surface) low oxygen shouldnt be a problem. plan is to get a .5-1g critter keeper, put his heater from his tank in there, and use aquarium salt with 100% water changes every three or so days. also going to pick up some better food for him.

the main concern I have is how long it should take for the cysts to die off in the 5.5 without a piscine host?