I've been treating Ich for a couple weeks now using the salt/heat method (2tps per 1 gal/85*F). I first noticed the Ich on my new Pearl Gourami a couple days after I bought it. Then a day later I had 1 spot on one of my Von Rio Tetras and 1 spot on one of my Mollies. The Pearl Gourami had probably less than a dozen spots on her. Within 2 or 3 days after starting the treatment, all the Ich spots had fallen off the fish. About 4 or 5 days later I noticed spots on the Pearl Gourami again. But this time the spots are smaller and kinda transparent. There are no spots on her body, they're mostly on her tail fin. She is active and eating very well. I have seen her flash on the power filter tube very briefly. So, these spots have been on her for a few days now and hasn't got any worse or hasn't got any better (fallen off). What's the deal? Is it Super Ich?
Ich that won't go away!
- Thread starter Jamester
- Start date
The Ich parasite goes through a cycle, after the cyst falls off the fish it stays in the substrate for a while (how long depends on temperature, higher temps speed up the cycle). While it's there, it multiplies. Eventually, many new parasites burst forth, become free swimming, and attach themselves to the fish.
Heat and salt do work, and I find that regular water changes with heavy gravel vacs really help - you're removing many free swimming and multiplying parasites so they never have a chance to attach to the fish. When I treat for ich, I also diatom filter the water to remove parasites in the water column.
If you've got a persistant infestation, I'd try doing daily gravel vacs, that should help remove many of the parasites and speed things up. Replenish the salt in the replacement water so the concentration stays steady, and just keep at it. Treat the tank until a week after you see the last spot fall off the last fish, and there's no more flashing.
Heat and salt do work, and I find that regular water changes with heavy gravel vacs really help - you're removing many free swimming and multiplying parasites so they never have a chance to attach to the fish. When I treat for ich, I also diatom filter the water to remove parasites in the water column.
If you've got a persistant infestation, I'd try doing daily gravel vacs, that should help remove many of the parasites and speed things up. Replenish the salt in the replacement water so the concentration stays steady, and just keep at it. Treat the tank until a week after you see the last spot fall off the last fish, and there's no more flashing.
I too am in the mist of Ick. I use 4-5 tbs per gallon which did a lot. The rummy-nose are doing a LOT better, there gills stopped flashing. Also I did one treatment of Ick guard. But like Blinky said it goes through cycles so I'm watching for another breakout.
But why is it that my Pearl Gourami is the only fish in the tank that still has it? And, why is it not falling off or getting bigger after all this time? Doesn't the spots usually fall of within a couple days after starting treatment? These spots are a lot smaller than the spots that I saw when I first started the treatment. In fact, I can't even see the spots until she gets right under the light at the top of the tank, unlike before. Kinda looks like very tiny air bubbles. And actually, I watched her for a long time last night and didn't see her flash at all. Could it be scars from Ich, or normal Pearl Gourami fins? Or, could it be another disease/parasite?
Actually after looking a little closer, the spots do seem to have a yellowish color. OH NO! IS THAT VELVET!? WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!???
A.) Quarentine the fish and treat with Maracide
B.) Treat the whole 30 gal tank with Maracide because it may be in the tank by now
C.) Take the fish back to Petco and get my money back and wait to see if any Velvet apears on any of my other fish
A.) Quarentine the fish and treat with Maracide
B.) Treat the whole 30 gal tank with Maracide because it may be in the tank by now
C.) Take the fish back to Petco and get my money back and wait to see if any Velvet apears on any of my other fish
MJB234EVER said:
Wow i didnt know Ick had to do with needing an air pump for a 20 gallon,,(dont do that again) people will dislike you for being impatient :mad2:
The salt will kill the ich with or without the heat. Heat can kill ich above 86*, but the genral idea is to speed up the life cycle and get the ich off your fish and vulnerable to treatment faster. I personally would never rely on heat alone, and seldome do I actually take the temps that high. Many folks do go to 86* with great success, It just isn't something I prefer to do with many of the fish I keep. I would guess mis-dignosis. It could be velvet, but velvets individual spots are tiny, at their largest it takes a bunch of them to give the gold dust appearance. Ich should be raised and defined, and it is highly unlikely that you still have ich. Even if some did survive and re-attach, it would not be in the same place as you indicated, and there would have been a period of time when it wasn't in sight.
With velvet, the heat and salt will help, but isn't 100% reliable. Velvet can photosynthesize as well, so blacking out the tank will also help. Most of my research leads to Malechite green and formalin being the most reliable cure for velvet, combine it with blackouts and salt and heat and you will have an extremely high chance ot total success. I am speaking mostly from what I have read, and not from personal experience on the velvet though so take it for what it's worth.
I would first make very sure your gourami doesn't just have spots, or doesn't just have missing scales or a scar. Velvet is said to act pretty rapidly once it find a weakened host, and like ich it should have fallen off and re-appeared by now. I would look somewhere other than small parasites for starters.
HTH
Dave
With velvet, the heat and salt will help, but isn't 100% reliable. Velvet can photosynthesize as well, so blacking out the tank will also help. Most of my research leads to Malechite green and formalin being the most reliable cure for velvet, combine it with blackouts and salt and heat and you will have an extremely high chance ot total success. I am speaking mostly from what I have read, and not from personal experience on the velvet though so take it for what it's worth.
I would first make very sure your gourami doesn't just have spots, or doesn't just have missing scales or a scar. Velvet is said to act pretty rapidly once it find a weakened host, and like ich it should have fallen off and re-appeared by now. I would look somewhere other than small parasites for starters.
HTH
Dave