my oscars got ich

[e210benz]

its been a week now since i've treated them, for the most part its gone away execpt that one of them has a couple dots on his eye? i took out the filter cartridge and also have donw 25% water changes every other day cause i had high ammonia and the other levels were normal. also their fins look weird, the dots went away but seems like its made their fins glossy, like the dots smeared or something, hard to explain, how long does ich go for?

 

[e210benz]

also sometimes they go sideways off the gravel and sratch themselves up? i guess its prob the ich that makes them crazy?

 

[MoJo]

If it is ich it will look like they have been sprinkled in fine sugar...small white specks. What you are describing could also be a disease called "Velvet". The difference is that this disease the "spots' will look more yellowish in color. Either way you have to do more than a water change. Go to your LFS (Fish Store) and buy a medication that will treat the appropriate disease. Look for something that can be used to treat a wide variety of parasitic infections.

aThe way the disease affects the fish is like this. The parasite forms a root like structure that imbeds in the fish's gill, skin, and fins. After 3-7 days the older parasites fall away and swell. Each of the cells divde and produce a couple hundred spores. The spores lay in the gravel and produce two flagella (tails) which enable them to swim back and continue to infect the fish. They can survive a good week without a host fish. So make sure the treatment is complete and give the gravel a good siphoning when you are done.

 

[fam1197]

I agree with MOJO, I was also told (and it worked for me) raise your tank temp to 86, do not increase more than 4 degrees at a time or it will stress your fish. leave tank at 86 degrees for 24 hours, most of the parasites will die from the heat of the water, after 24 hours lower the temp again remember not more than 4 degrees at once.