Best Broad Treatment

[OrangeCones]

Also, as far as aeration, I have a waterfall type HOB filter that's rated for 20 more gallons than my tank is, and two bubble-rods that span the whole 36 inches of the back wall of the tank. Hopefully that's enough aeration, which I also read is something important in fighting ich.

Good aeration does not directly help in treating ich, but when you increase temperatures to fight ich, warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, so its important to keep the CO2/O2 exchange going strong. Sounds like you have that going good already.

When I had to treat ich earlier this year (shipped fish from Peru came in the mail with it), I just used heat. I lost 2 of the 10 fish (neither of which could even swim on arrival, they were too far gone). The other 8 did just fine. Since keeping them calm for the acclimation meant no lights, the plants in the tank would have competed with the fish for the available oxygen. I had to add airstones driven by an air pump to their QT tank to help them though, as I only use sponge filters in my tanks. I've since bought a small HOB filter to keep on hand, as they do a much better job to aggitate the surface of the water, which is what you want.

 

[ryanoh]

Even with two heaters in the tank, I'm having trouble getting my temperature up past 80. The thermometer that's usually in there is rated for up to 55 gallons, and the extra one is a smaller one left over from my old 10 gallon. Does this mean the heater's probably broken? Is 80 high enough to start fighting off ich?

 

[OrangeCones]

Higher temps but under 85-86 will accelerate the life cycle of the ich, but not kill it. You'd have to do very very good gravel vacs to remove the breeding colony that the fish will shed.

Might want to check the temperature range of the heater. Many of those sold at my LFS do not go past 80, which is why I bought my equipment online years ago (mine all go from 68 to 90 something), so I'd have the ability to set it where I want it. Some sold are 'preset' at 78, and act like its a benefit (we've taken the guesswork out of setting it, and have done it for you!).

 

[ryanoh]

It's a Walmart one, and it used to get up to 85 when I had it in my 55 gallon. I'm not sure if the added depth of a 40 gallon breeder is affecting it and the warm water isn't getting to the front glass pane where I have my thermometer.
And yeah, the smaller one for my 10 gallon is a preset one. I'll check at the fish store for one that will go higher maybe.

I have sand, which is what caused the mini-cycle and set this whole thing off. I've been closely vacuuming the top layer, but is there a better way to get the ich off the sand?

 

[OrangeCones]

Not that I'm aware of, sorry. I've only had ich in freshwater fish once in all my years of fishkeeping (twice in saltwater).

I only know what I've heard from others on how to treat it.

Heat is 100% effective in killing the free-swimming form since they cannot survive it (like boiling a lobster...it lives in water, but not THAT hot!). Its the free-swimming form that will re-infect the fish and cause death due to tissue damage and weakening the immune system of the fish in general. Heat does two things: gets the ich OUT Of the fish quicker, and then kills it before it can re-infect. It is a deadly cycle for some if left untreated. What is scary, is that the white 'dot' we see is the ich burrowing OUT of the fish, and it becomes literally HUNDREDS within days, out to find a host (the same fish or another) to start the process over.

 

[ryanoh]

The one fish that had spots bad doesn't have them now. From what I've read, that means the ich has hatched and is now in the water. I've managed to get my tank up to 83 or 84, and I've treated it with 1 tsp salt/gallon, so it shouldn't be swimming around for that long before it dies. A few of the other fish still have spots, but not that many. I'll keep watching for the next few days to make sure those spots go away and that none come back, but it looks like I got it.

 

[blue_ram]

Give your fish a bath in methylene blue. It will kill all parasites and bacteria and will sooth the fish. IIRC the saltwater guys give all their new fish an meth blue bath when they first get them.

It also helps heal gill damage from nitrogen poisoning although only a few species can fully recover from gill damage like that.

 

[bassbonediva]

Make sure you are doing partial water changes every day or every other day at the least and vacuuming the gravel EXTREMELY well each time. The ich spores will fall off the fish and land on the substrate where they will wait to infect another fish. Vacuuming the substrate removes those spores, and thus removes the chances of more fish become infected (or reinfected).

 

[ryanoh]

I'm doing 25% changes every day and vacuuming my substrate very thoroughly, as well as keeping up the salinity and the higher temperature.

Can you tell me more about methylene blue?

 

[lauraf]

Meth blue is basically an anti-fungal treatment. Some people use it when hatching fish eggs . . . .

 

[ryanoh]

Ich is viral though, so would it really help? What about treating gills for ammonia poisoning?

 

[lauraf]

Ich is viral though, so would it really help? What about treating gills for ammonia poisoning?

Well, ich's a parasite. Here's a link on usages for meth blue:
Kordon LLC - Kordon - Methylene Blue

I've never used it myself.