Ick... Help. Also, Applus+ Ick meds?

S

SnowHeart

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Aug 27, 2005
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Washington, DC
:help: :help:

I'm in a bit of a bind and need some suggetions. I read the VERY informative and helpful article on Ick that has been archived, and that has me seriously thinking about switching from medicines I started using last night and using just heat and salt, but I need some suggestions.

Two nights ago, I placed an online order for some fish to restock my 29g. Not a lot of fish and nothing really fancy, but all the same a new batch. Last night, I noticed my two cardinal tetras have Ick... lots of little white, salt-like dots over them. Not sure why it hasn't appeared on anyone else just yet, but so far it's just the tetras (but yes, I'm aware it's highly contagious, hence this post).

After I noticed the Ick (but before I read the article), I ran out to Petco and bought what I believed was the best (based on the price) anti-Ick medicine. It's from Applus+ and is called "Aqua-Sol: Preventative and Cure for Ick". The Aqua-Sol includes Copper Sulfate. I also bought "Medi-Boost: Medication Enhancer," also from Applus+. This includes Triethylene Glycol and Sodium Chlorite. (Applus+ is apparently a brandname of Aquarium Products.)

The instructions are a little bit less than clear. It says (on both bottles) to add one drop per 29 gallons... but it doesn't say how often to do that... whether it's once a day or twice a day... or just once (which I don't believe). Can someone clarify this for me? In the absence of instructions to the contrary, I'm assuming it's supposed to be once a day, but I thought I read SOMEWHERE it was supposed to be twice a day.

So, I put in medicine last night (both kinds) and this morning. Having read the Ick article today while I was at work, however, and with the new fish having just arrived... I don't know what to do. Should I switch to the salt? If I stay with the medicine, should I increase the heat to 86 degrees?

I had been setting up a quarantine tank, and I could put the new fish in it, but it's only a 12 gallon and it has a 5" crayfish in it and I'm not sure it's ready for the bioload these new guys would be putting out.

Currently in the 29g are:
2 cardinal tetras (visibly infected)
1 swordtail
1 guppy
1 striata botia loach
1 rainbow cichlid

Just purchased and still in their bags:
4 cardinal tetras
3 guppies
1 swordtail
1 clown pleco
 
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Copper Sulfate is much like salt. Once you add it, it will not be removed from teh water until you do a water change. Personally I think copper is a little bit tough on the fish to use and prefer to use salt + heat or in my planted tank I use maracide (malachite green). The maracide works by coating the fish in a chitosan + malachite mixture. Any ich that tries to bite the fish die while the free swarmers just starve out. If you follow the medication instructions, maracide will be active for 7 full days which is more than enough time to eradicate ich at 80*F.

*Note: If you do decide to go down the malachite green route, be aware that it does stain the silicone unless you have black silicone. Personally if you have no live plants go down the salt + heat route and leave out the copper or other harsh chemicals.
 
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Okay. There are no live plants. However, the copper sulfate has already been added (last night), so (unfortunately) that is too late for me. Should I still add the salt, or no?

Having added the copper, should I turn the heat up?

Having added the copper, I've been doing some more reading and also from what you said, my understanding is that it's persistent, so I definitely should NOT add any more. Is that correct?
 
Any form of chemical in the water including salt will stress the fish to a degree. Since you already have an effective chemical in the water to kill ich, I would just stick with that treatment. Don't remove the copper sulfate from the water via massive waterchanges for at least a week after the last spots of ich dissapear. After that week has passed, you can remove the medication. It says it prevents ich but if the parasites are not in your tank, then you won't get ich unless you reintroduce them and therefore the medication is not necessary as a preventative.

Edit: Water changes are still good to do during treatment but be careful since copper is one of those chemicals that you don't want to risk overdosing when you re-add it to replace what was taken out.
 
Okay. That has me a little worried since I think I've effectively double-dosed the tank. 29 drops last night, and another 29 this morning. However, the fish appear to be doing okay. Should I do an immediate 50% water change, or just let it be?
 
rrkss said:
Copper Sulfate is much like salt. Once you add it, it will not be removed from teh water until you do a water change.
Click to expand...

this is untrue, you can remove copper with activated carbon. if you add it to your tank it will slowly remove the medication you used. first i would turn up the heat, do a large water change, add carbon to your media and start adding salt. the reason i would not continue using copper since its allready in there is becuase i've had a bad experience with it and it killed all my fish. good luck!
 
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yeah you can buy a large container of it and replace as needed, i too have heard it only works for about a week or so.
 
Okay. This is very helpful. Thanks guys.

There is already AC media in the filter, about 1.5 weeks old though... so maybe this is what held off some carbon poisoning over the last 12 hours from the double-dose. Based on this thread and what I've read, here's what I've done thus far and what I'm currently planning on doing. Please let me know if you see any problems with this.

1) I've drained about 1.5 to 2 inches of water so that the Hagen Aquaclear filter is providing increased agitation and oxygenation.

2) I'm been very gradually increasing the temperature. Should be 86 degrees by the time I go to bed.

3) Tomorrow after I get finished with work, I will pick up two fresh carbon filters. When I get home, I'll put a fresh AC packet in the filter.

4) I'll also do a 50% water change. I'll gradually (over several hours) introduce 14 teaspoons of salt for 14 gallons (roughly enough to the 50% water change).

5) Saturday, I'll do another 50% water change, and put in 14 teaspoons of salt.

6) Probably a few more, less drastic, water changes (maybe 30%) over the course of the next week, with salt added in an amount of 1 to 2 teaspoons per fresh gallon.

7) Next Friday, replace the AC filter again, and one last 30% water change, again with 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt per gallon. Let it run for one more week, then a series of 50% water changes every other day for a week to get the salt out.

Any changes? Suggestions? Issues?
 
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