please help my pictus catfish with ich...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Olga
  • Start date Start date
I have raised the temperature to 84. The fish is swimming on the top and trying to catch some air. I think it is due to lack of oxigen. I have an air pupm. What do you think should be better, to lower the temperature or jost leave alone and maybe do water changes more frequently?
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If you are already running an air pump, I'd lower the water level a little bit to let the filter agitate the surfac a bit more. If after an hour or so your fish are still gasping, then I would lower the temp. if increased surface agitation takes care of it then keep things as they are, or if you want take the temp on up. My experience with pictus is that they really don't like higher temps at all, but Others may have tried it successfully.


As far as 3-4 days, not enough time. it is normal to see in increase in spots after treatment starts. remember that ich is tiny when it attaches to the fish and then grows to a visible size. It cannot be treated or killed on the fish so any that was there when the treatment started will grow to visible size before they fall off to reproduce. Just keep things going and hope for the best. if you are 3-4 days into it then things should get better in the next couple of days.
dave
 
I have lowered the temp. to the 26, but fish is still doing the same, catch some air on the top.
also, one of the Pictus catfishes is lying on the bottom hardly breathing... How do you think what else might be wrong?
(ammonia - 0, nitrite - 0, nitrate - 6)
 
I have lowered the temp. to the 26, but fish is still doing the same, catch some air on the top.
also, one of the Pictus catfishes is lying on the bottom hardly breathing... How do you think what else might be wrong?
Click to expand...

Always remember that ich can be fatal. You may do everything right, but if the infection and the damage it creates is too great, you still lose. it's tough, but it's one of the facts of the hobby. I nearly gave up on pictus years ago, because I lost quite a few to ich and those nasty ich meds. You are really on the best course possible, keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite just in case. Dim the lights (to reduce stress) and wait it out. Once the ich cysts start falling off recovery is often times borderline on miraculous. other times the fish just don't recover. Sad but true. If the best happens be happy, if the worst happens then chalk it up to experience, and catch things sooner if it ever happens again. Either way you are currently doing as much as can be done.
Dave
 
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for the advice and support!
I lost one of my Pictus but the other one does not have spots and Stripped Raphael was not affected.
 
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