Where do I go from here?

[dogdoc]

I am fighting my first outbreak of Ich thanks to a couple of wayward otto's that I picked up. I think I may have blown it. On the advice of my LFS, I purchased a bottle of Nox-ich (sodium chloride and malachite green). They assured me that it wouldn't hurt my plants. They also said that it is what they use in their tanks, including for tetras, loaches, catfish etc. and they haven't had problems with it.

I bumped the tank temp up to 82 and started treating 2 days ago. The bottle recommends 3 days of treatment, day off, and 3 more days of treatment. In the meantime, I started doing some research on Nox-ich, and found that it is not all that friendly to either my plants, fish, or biologic filter. I now realize that I should have just started with the salt/heat method.

Now a question, should I go ahead and finish the first 3 day treatment cycle, plop in some carbon for a day, and then proceed with the salt? Or forget the last treatment, put the carbon in now, and then do the salt? 1 TBSP/5 gallons left in for about 10 days right?

And I know........ I should have quarantined and I wouldn't be facing this problem. I'm kicking myself for it now.

 

[prettypleco]

I personally would do the heat/salt TX now and forget the Nox-ich. I had a bad experience with a similar product.

 

[geekrockgirl85]

well, by using nox-ich you've technically already started salt treatment, so i don't think stopping the malachite green would be a bad idea. but the salt won't make your plants too happy...

if the ich has cleared up, do a drastic water change (50-60%), put the carbon in, cross your fingers and keep an eye out.

if not, hopefully someone else can help you (i've never done the salt method.)


next time be sure to quarantine new fish. i'm guessing you didn't because you had some algae ready for them to munch on in the 75... but algae wafers or boiled veggies would have done just as well till you were sure they were good to go.

good luck... hope everyone does okay.

 

[dogdoc]

Impatience is my biggest downfall in this hobby for sure. Oh, and not having an LFS that knows anything.

So far, the only fish loss have been a couple of the otto's that brought it in, but my BN plec is covered.

 

[dogdoc]

Alright, carbon went into both filters this a.m. Bumped temp to 83F at noon, and added 15 TBSP aquarium salt. Everyone seems to be doing alright so far except a couple of ottos that had it bad. Next question, how long to leave the heat up, and salt in? How frequently should I change water? (Amm 0, Trite 0, Trate 5)

One other concern that has been troubling me. I know that the warmer water has less dissolved 02, and also that at lights off time, the plants start consuming 02. Will this be a problem?

 

[geekrockgirl85]

i don't really know if it will be a problem, but last time i had an icky fish i put an airstone in his tank just to be sure.

 

[dogdoc]

Alright, just by way of update I put carbon in both filters on Thursday and salted the tank at 1TBSP/5 gal. Fish seem to be handling it very well and the ich seems to be clearing. No adverse affects on either my loaches or pl*cos. I don't think the rainbows even noticed.

 

[FroggyFox]

As for how long you need to treat I'd do some reading on ich. You need to treat until there's no visible spots...and then tack on a week or two because the ich's life cycle takes them through a stage where its in the water and thats when its vunerable to be killed. Just remember that because you dont see any on your fish doesn't mean its gone.

For water changes I'd say normal water changes...but remember only to add salt the amount you change because salt does not evaporate and you dont want to be raising the level of salt a whole bunch with your loaches (pretty sure most loaches dont like salt much).

good luck...keep us posted

 

[dogdoc]

Froggy, I thought that I read that the ich life-cycle is completed in 3 days at temps above 80F? And that was the reason for increasing the temp? At any rate. I only have one fish left that has any spots at all, and those are rapidly disappearing. I planned to continue the heat/salt for at least 3 days past the last signs of the ich and then gradually lower the temp over 3-4 more days. At that point, I will let the water changes lower the salt naturally.

I did do a 20 gal change last night and added back 5 TBSP of salt

 

[FroggyFox]

heh ok....a couple weeks is probably overkill. The higher temp speeds the life cycle up, thats right. But I wouldn't hesitate to do a week after all spots are gone. Its not going to hurt anything to treat a bit longer right? Just because one little ick is in that stage and it takes three days to go away...doesn't mean they're all in that stage right? I'd err on the side of caution, with the exception of if you think your loaches seem to be suffering side effects from the salt in the water or the plants from the salt or the fish from lack of oxygen.

 

[dogdoc]

Well, honestly those are some of my concerns. My loaches seem mildly stressed. One of them keeps doing laps around my heater. And I'm not sure yet how the plants will fare. Maybe I will keep up the heat/salt for a few more days than I originally planned. Wish me luck.

Mike

 

[FroggyFox]

Good Luck Keep us posted