Today all the spots are gone, it's also 48 hours from the time I added the first dose. I'm about to do a vacuum/water change and add another dose. With no visible symptoms, can I lower the water temperature while continuing med treatment? These are goldfish and dojo loaches, and they don't like warm water, so I hate to stress them unless I have to. I bought a new gravel vac just for them, but before I saw the ich I was using the same equipment between the goldfish tank and my 55 gallon angelfish tank. I've been watching like a hawk, (so far no signs of it there) and have since stopped sharing equipment. Everything I thought might be contaminated I have sitting outside to bake in the Florida June sun lol, but I'm not sure how long until I can consider it free of ich.
Ich!
- Thread starter AngieP.
- Start date
I think it would be fine to lower the temperature, but I'd continue with the medicine for a while. I'm no expert, of course, but that's what I'd do.
But Tiff, if her fish seem stressed from higher temps a longer treatment might be better. It's often very hard to tell what is making our fish unhappy, it could be temp or meds in Angie's case.
It's always a judgement call. If you think it may be from the meds, you can also dose half in am & half again in pm so the fish don't get a big dose all at once. I've done this with some loaches, but as Tiff & I have said, it can take longer. Or you can try lowing the temp very gradually. Ich is a hard slog of meds & vacuuming water changes...but only for a few weeks. Your fish can live 10+ years...my advice is to make sure it's really gone, it'll be worth the hard work.
It's always a judgement call. If you think it may be from the meds, you can also dose half in am & half again in pm so the fish don't get a big dose all at once. I've done this with some loaches, but as Tiff & I have said, it can take longer. Or you can try lowing the temp very gradually. Ich is a hard slog of meds & vacuuming water changes...but only for a few weeks. Your fish can live 10+ years...my advice is to make sure it's really gone, it'll be worth the hard work.
If the fish are exhibiting signs of stress then yes, I would lower temp. But I didn't see anywhere that she said they were, just that she was worried they might. We used to sell dojos at PMart and kept them between 78 and 80F, they never showed any signs of stress. So a few weeks shouldn't (IMO) cause stress as long as the water is properly oxygenated.
It's often hard to tell the difference between temp & ich stress. Rapid breathing, lethargy, not eating much...but I bet your "room" temp in Fla is even hotter than ours in N.CA, except we run AC as needed for people comfort.
If they don't seem "extra stressed" then Tiff is right.
I'm a bleach user for true disinfection, followed by a heavy round of rinse & repeat then heavy dechlor a couple times. I know there are people who swear by sun to "fix" almost every issue, but I'm not 1 of them.
If they don't seem "extra stressed" then Tiff is right.
I'm a bleach user for true disinfection, followed by a heavy round of rinse & repeat then heavy dechlor a couple times. I know there are people who swear by sun to "fix" almost every issue, but I'm not 1 of them.
I'm the same, I bleach everything. There's too many things that can go dormant in heat and come back when the conditions are right.
Thanks so much for the awesome advice! When I got my goldfish and loaches I did my research and I chose them partly because they live longer and get BIG lol. I'd be devastated to lose them. The goldfish I've had about 2 months (Smoochie is the classic orange, Tuna is a Calico) and I'm particularly attached to them, the loaches I got about 2 weeks ago, but they grow on you fast! As of now, no signs of ick, so I've set my water temp at 82, and am treating with meds still, with water changes and gravel vacs every two days, but I'm pretty sure I can say my well loved fishies are going to be ok 
