Please help!!!! Ick

Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#1
My parrot cichlids have ick/ich. i have 4 in a 29 gallon tank. 2 are about 2 inches and 2 are about 1 inch. How should i treat them? I just noticed it today that they have the salt like spots mostly on their fins but a little on their bodies now. Im really worried! What should i do?
 

SinisterKisses

Superstar Fish
Jan 30, 2007
1,086
0
0
#2
Well to keep them from getting disease in the future, they need a much bigger tank.

Ich is easy to cure. Turn the temperature up to about 86 (f), and add aquarium salt as it directs on the package.
 

Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#3
the heaters in my tank only let the water go up to 75. i have aquarium salt so ill try that and ive turned my lamp on next to the tank to try to maybe get some heat from that
 

Jan 8, 2009
106
1
18
Richmond,Va
#4
Sinisterkisses nailed it on the head!Easy and cheap way is to crank the heat up too 82-87 degrees with some aquarium salt added.Another way is to go and buy ick/ich tablets/medicine at the petstore.If you decide to use medicine,then you would have to do a 25-30% water change.Take that in mind.
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#6
Just set them to the higher temperature.

If your heaters are the type that is 'preset' to a set temperature, you'd need to replace them with ones you can set the temperature on.
 

Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#7
yesterday i cleaned out their tank and took out and replaced more than half of their water. I put that liquid in that makes the water a little cleaner and used a gravel vacuum and tried to get out as much poop and stuff that i could. the water looks clear actually which it hasnt since ive been back to college. i also bought some of the ick medicine (quick cure) that you put into the water, which i think has made the water clear. i put in a little bit of aquarium salt as well. Im getting nervous because they dont look like they are getting any better. they are either floating at the top or laying on their sides in one of the little shelter things i have in there (which i also cleaned as well as the plants) are they dying or is this normal behavior for them having ick?
 

Scyroes

Small Fish
Jan 3, 2010
32
0
0
Ontario, Canada
#8
yesterday i cleaned out their tank and took out and replaced more than half of their water. I put that liquid in that makes the water a little cleaner and used a gravel vacuum and tried to get out as much poop and stuff that i could. the water looks clear actually which it hasnt since ive been back to college. i also bought some of the ick medicine (quick cure) that you put into the water, which i think has made the water clear. i put in a little bit of aquarium salt as well. Im getting nervous because they dont look like they are getting any better. they are either floating at the top or laying on their sides in one of the little shelter things i have in there (which i also cleaned as well as the plants) are they dying or is this normal behavior for them having ick?

I’m going through this myself – I lost one fish, the others are fine. I ended up raising the temperature to 82 and using chemical treatment, next time I’ll go with aquarium salt though – more natural and easier on the fish.

The fish that died on me displayed the same symptoms as you described – he was often by the mouth of the filter gasping for air and was often on his side – I was hoping he would’ve pulled through but in addition to having Ich, he was overly stressed by another fish.
 

Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#9
i just added a little more salt to the aquarium to see if that helps any. one of my fish is laying on his side at the bottom...still breathing and every great once in a while he will sit up and the other 3 are floating at the top. should i put them in a different tank? the only other one i have is a little travel one so i think it would stress them out more but idk if that would take care of the ick
 

Scyroes

Small Fish
Jan 3, 2010
32
0
0
Ontario, Canada
#10
Personally I wouldn’t remove any fish at this point since they are all infected - you want to keep stress at a minimum. Unfortunately, I think the one that is hanging around at the bottom on his side might be too far gone – that’s what I observed in my tank and he was dead in less than 24 hours.

Just keep up with the treatment and invest in a heater that can reach the 80's, 75 isn’t going to cut it.
 

Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#11
one of my algae eater's died this morning :( one of my fish is still on his side on the bottom, still breathing. and this morning i noticed a different fish laying on the bottom, still breathing but now she is laying on her back and its scaring me. she has lost all her color. This is a bad day :(
 

Scyroes

Small Fish
Jan 3, 2010
32
0
0
Ontario, Canada
#12
How’s it coming along? I think I’m in the clear now. I just finished up doing a water change (since I used chemical treatment) and added some aquarium salt. Going to keep the temperature high for the next week just to be on the safe side.
 

fishies123

Small Fish
Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#13
i got a new heater and since ive used that, the rest of my fishies are acting like normal again...i just wish i could have saved the two that died :( But im happy that I think ive got the ick under my control sort of. its definitely clearing up on them! Should i keep using the treatment every 48 hours as it says on the bottle?
 

Matt Nace

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,470
1
38
Pennsylvania
#14
Yes keep going as directed.

Not sure about your setup but I find it hard in the winter to get over 80 with two heaters in my one tank. I had ick a few years ago and ended up covering my tank on top with towels to keep in the heat which worked great.
 

fishies123

Small Fish
Dec 25, 2009
17
0
0
#15
Ok i have. The ick seems to have cleared up on them, but on one of my fish, he has black around his mouth and on his nose. He also has black along some of his fins which i have seen before but not around the mouth. is that normal?
 

Feb 10, 2010
9
0
0
#16
Geez

Oh my, sounds like you are having a terrible time. I see some time has past, I hope everything is ok now. I have to agree that you likely need a stronger heater. I would also recommend something like a [url="http://allmypetsupplies.com/p-527-rid-ich.aspx]Rid Ich+[/url]. That would have helped clear eveything up. Hope all is well!*thumbsups