Ich =[

[Persistency]

I bought three male guppies yesterday, and it appears that one of them has Ich. There is only one spot of it so far, and it is located on the fish's caudal fin. I've never had any problems with Ich before, and I was wondering if perhaps this disease would cure itself. I've done treatments in the past and they only seem to kill my fish. I also have a shrimp in my tank, and I'm not sure if it would survive a treatment.

What should I do?

 

[Fuzz16]

use meds as LAST resort, their sometimes more harmful than good
and idk any meds you can use with shrimp in the tank.

up your temp to 80F and do a small water change and you should be fine, ich is like a cold, it generally wont kill, but can cause the bodys immune system to slow down and not work as well and succomb to other diseases that are more dangerous.

 

[Persistency]

use meds as LAST resort, their sometimes more harmful than good
and idk any meds you can use with shrimp in the tank.

up your temp to 80F and do a small water change and you should be fine, ich is like a cold, it generally wont kill, but can cause the bodys immune system to slow down and not work as well and succomb to other diseases that are more dangerous.

Do you think all of my fish would be okay with the raised temperature? I usually keep my tank between 76 and 78 as it is.

 

[Fuzz16]

just raise it slowly
and do a water change

 

[OrangeCones]

Ichthyophthirius multifilis (Ich) is a protozoan parasite and is far more serious than a 'cold' and can certainly kill fish on its own. Left untreated, some fish seem to initially fight off the infestation only to die as it reinfests during its next round in its life cycle. The parasite needs the fish as a host for only a part of its life cycle.

As with any investation, it can also weaken the fish which can allow other parasites, bacteria, and viruses to attack the fish.

 

[Persistency]

Do you support the raised temperature and/or salt method?

 

[KcMopar]

TEMP METHOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crank it up a little at a time until it gets to about 84-86 degrees and vacuum daily!!!! with your water changes to suck up the parasites!!!!! I have never lost a fish with this method. I have however lost some while using MED's because the beneficial bacteria dies off and ammonia poisoned the fish.

 

[OrangeCones]

I agree with KcMopar.

 

[Persistency]

TEMP METHOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crank it up a little at a time until it gets to about 84-86 degrees and vacuum daily!!!! with your water changes to suck up the parasites!!!!! I have never lost a fish with this method. I have however lost some while using MED's because the beneficial bacteria dies off and ammonia poisoned the fish.

How many days would you suggest raising the temperature and vacuuming? Also, do you know how susceptible Bamboo Shrimp are to temperature changes?

 

[OrangeCones]

I would do 10 days with daily vacuuming of the substrate (10-20% water changes). Bamboo shrimp should be fine at the higher temperatures. Be sure to increase aeration when the temperatures are higher. Warmer water holds less oxygen.

Using Heat to Treat Ich in Freshwater Tropical Fish - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

 

[KcMopar]

Good catch OC!! I forgot about mentioning the oxygen thing. Your shrimp and every other fish have the best chance with the temp method then anything else. Meds make your tank cycle and ammonia then poisons your fish to death or doing nothing will kill all of your fish and shrimp with the parasites second or third life cycle if the first one does not kill them all.

 

[Fuzz16]

just make sure to raise the temp slowly, but you may not want to go to 86 unless you want to cook your shrimp

 

[OrangeCones]

Persistency - Temps at 85 or 86 will not harm your bamboo shrimp. They are tropical and live in shallow, fast moving water in Asia where the water temps vary from low-mid 70s during the night, to mid-high 80s during the day. A friend of mine that breeds them (Atyopsis moluccensis) and 'Amano Shrimp' (Caridina japonica) routinely has them in fresh and brackish water between 82-88 to simulate the 'dry season.' When adding cooler water low in minerals, which brings the temps in the mid-high 70s, that is when they breed (the beginning of the 'rainy season').

Raise the temp no faster than 1 degree per hour if you can regulate it. I agree that raising it too fast can be stressful to any tank inhabitant.