the super ick mystery

[LMOUTHBASS]

ok this is just getting old - expensive and mind blowingly frustrating!!!! AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! ok sorry now that i got that out of the way uhmmmmm ok i have a 20 q tank i use which 3 weeks to a month ago got ick with some of the new fish i purchased - no big deal right hey thats what the q tank is for! wrong!!! i have 2 pictus cats a few silver dollars n hatchet fish waiting for their new home - i have been treating them with jungle ick gaurd II for scaleless fish because of the cats in the tank - this crap has to be the weakest med EVER!!! i have gone through 3 big size bottles!!! n still have spots of ick - the main outbreak is over but there are two fish left with ick each fish has exactly ONE crystal of ick left on them (their dorsal fin) - this is pissing me off big time i have raised temp to 83 changed water vacuumed gravel etc and am now going on a 4th bottle of ick gaurd - this stuff sux - ive never battled ick this long !!! however it is the ONLY safe med i can find in my area!!! i'm tempted to take the two fish out and physically remove the little b****** spots of ick from their bodies n then continue medicating - i want to stop medicating soon so i can finish out the additional 4 weeks of healthy q time so i can move them to their new home- is this a super ick parasite or a lousy medication??? this is getitng ol' quick:shake:

 

[dolphin7]

My solution is to raise temp to 85F & add 1 teaspoon of table salt per gallon, & do not add any more because of your pictus catfish.

Feed less food & conduct about 50% water changes everyday, & make sure to heat the new water beforehand to the same temp as your q-tank.

 

[SayersWeb]

I also would raise the temp to at least 84F and use salt (I use instant ocean, 1TBSP per 10 gallons).

The reason they have ich is because they are stressed. If you do decide to do frequent water changes as part of the treatment be sure the temperature and ph are close to what is already in the tank. Otherwise, you are just stressing them out more and adding to the problem.

I always use Aquari-Sol when bringing in new fish and also at water change time.

 

[Cearbhaill]

Got a diatom filter?
They can be helpful in removing the little buggers during their free swimming stage.
Not a miracle, but a very helpful adjunct!

 

[beviking]

IME, using meds "for weak and/or scaleless fish" has been a nightmare! I still have them after 2+yrs!!! Buy the full strength med and use a half dose when treating. After 4 hours, add another half dose. The following day and then on, treat at full strength (you may want to add 1/2 now, 1/2 an hour later). This acclimation has worked for me on tetras, loaches, a pleco, and corydoras catfish using Kordon Rid Ich and Formalin/Salt treatments.

BTW, you did remove the carbon out of the filter right?