Clown Loach Ich

[darylv]

I hope someone who knows about this can help me.

We have two clown loaches and it seems that they both have ich. Although we have been putting the medication (called Maracide) for four days, the ich does not seem to be improving, but getting worse. What do you suggest?

 

[Angry_Platy]

Have you tried turning the temperature up? If not, you might want to change it to 30degC (83F)....this helps speed up the ich life cycle hence killing it quicker.

Keep up with the meds too.....sometimes ich can get worse before it gets better

 

[gaya]

I just got done using maracide and it took about five to six days to see any improvement. I had the temp up to 86F (did this gradually) and did 20 % water changes every 2-3 days and now the ick is gone. but fungus has set in

 

[Da_Oz]

This is just something I found.

From: Margy Green
Date: October 20th, 2003

Important Update on Maracide

I have always used Mardel's Maracide when treating for ich. It has always worked great and safe for my loaches. Unfortunately, Mardel has changed the formula. The old formula contained mercuofluorescein and aniline green and was concentrated to use 1 drop per gallon. The new Maracide (labeled biospheres maracide) contains Malachite green which I have found to kill my loaches and tetras. I recently noticed ich (because I failed to use my quarantine tank with new fish). I ran out of the old maracide and bought the new version. The next day I had 3 fish die (three that didn't even have ich spots) I never had fish die with the old version. The new product is also a rip off. The new formula requires 10ml per 1 gallon. One bottle is 118 ml. This means you have to buy 2 bottles just to treat a 50 gal tank once (new formula says to use only on the 1st, 3rd & 5th day rather than everyday) when the 1 oz concentrated version would treat a 50 gal tank everyday for 5 days at least 3 times or more. After my fish died I did a water change and bought Kordon's rid ich + (because it was also recommended for loaches). The Kordon rid ich + cured the ich without harming my fish. Kordon uses a safer salt of malachite green rather than pure malachite green. (although it is also not concentrated so it takes one whole bottle to treat 50 gals everyday for 5 days - I think I'll look to see the dosage for the more concentrated pond rid ich +)

I would like you to let people know about the new Maracide formula because many websites highly recommend it (the old maracide) for loaches.

 

[darylv]

Thank you very much to everyone who answered.

I guess I have the new version of Maracide but since no fish have died since we began the medication 4 days ago we may as well finish the treatment. It does not seem to have much effect so far, though.

Is there something more powerful and where to get it?

By the way, raising the tempreture to 80 degrees had an immediate strange effect on our loaches: they stoped hiding so much.

 

[Boggle]

Howdy ; )

I've got ich in my tank, so far only 2 clown loaches have it, and 2 bala sharks.

I've turned the temp up to 85F & turned the lights off, as well as closing the blinds in the room to limit sunlight. I'm using Aqua Master Rapid White Spot Remedy, which has 37mg/mL formaldehyde & 0.32mg/mL malachite green (active ingredients). Really worried now after reading Da_Oz's post...

Turning off the light & raising the temps seems to have had a much more immediate effect than the meds alone.

In regards to getting something 'more powerful'.... not sure what to recommend, just keep in mind you can only use 1/2 dosages anyway with the loaches...

 

[fishmanuk]

ive had twenty clown loaches, and every one of them have only lasted a couple of weeks and died due to ich. i bought the best meds turned the heat up gradually put them in ndifferent tanks but they always died , i read up on these and they seem to be prone to ich for some reason so i dont bother buying them any more, lovely fish tho

 

[gaya]

I wish I had the space for clown loaches...some day
When I buy a new fish and put it in the quarnatine tank I always raise the temp a degree or two a day till it reaches 85F and leave it like that for at least a week (just to be on the safe side). I do the same when I add a new fish to my main tank as well. And of course always keep good surface agetation going.

 

[CathyG]

ive had twenty clown loaches, and every one of them have only lasted a couple of weeks and died due to ich. i bought the best meds turned the heat up gradually put them in ndifferent tanks but they always died , i read up on these and they seem to be prone to ich for some reason so i dont bother buying them any more, lovely fish tho

Clowns *are* prone to ich, but it is rarely a killer - it is often an indication that something else is going on (such as questionable water parameters, fish relocation etc) that is stressing the fish. Ich is in almost every tank, it is a parasitic infestation that usually attacks when a fish's immune system is lowered, invariably it is a secondary infection (such as fin rot) that kills a fish once Ich has attacked the immune system...

 

[Da_Oz]

Here is some more info I found

first thing

Salt

A pic of ICH on a clown


This is the best I can do right now

 

[Joviella]

I have always had clown loaches.......and although they don't tolerate ich treatments well,Ihave never lost one.I use King British WS3 White spot terminator. I use under the recommended dosage advised and it has always worked for me(Not had ich breakout in tank for well over a year now)
My advice with any loaches is to treat,but with care.HTH.

 

[David]

Howdy ; )

I've got ich in my tank, so far only 2 clown loaches have it, and 2 bala sharks.

I've turned the temp up to 85F & turned the lights off, as well as closing the blinds in the room to limit sunlight. I'm using Aqua Master Rapid White Spot Remedy, which has 37mg/mL formaldehyde & 0.32mg/mL malachite green (active ingredients). Really worried now after reading Da_Oz's post...

Turning off the light & raising the temps seems to have had a much more immediate effect than the meds alone.

In regards to getting something 'more powerful'.... not sure what to recommend, just keep in mind you can only use 1/2 dosages anyway with the loaches...

Ich seems to have plagued my tank since the very beginning, when I bought my first 2 clown loaches. I thought I had cured it, but it cropped up again several days ago. Strangely enough, the fish that have already had it seem to be completely immune. I have one clown loach that introduced it and has already been cured, as well my platies had it too but no longer. Now my 2 new clowns have it but it does not affect my old clown loach or my platies. It is getting worse despite my treatment (I use rid-ich as well because it has worked for me in the past), but I'm sure it will get better soon. And if not, at least the fishes that have already had it will survive. It seems a lot like chicken pox to me. You get it once, and you're immune. It consists of small spots on the skin, that itch. Weird huh? Anyway best of luck to all of us that have this annoying problem in our tanks.

 

[canarsie11]

 

[gaya]

well, I broke down and bought three clown loaches today. B4 I get beaten over the head with tank size parameters...I know I know. They are an inch and a half at the most right now and from what I understand it will take them a couple of years to reach 5 or 6in which by then I plan on having my 55g. They came right off the boat today so lets see how things go.
oh...they are in quarantine!

 

[Red]

Congrats on succumbing to the Loach Fever, Gaya - you are SO gonna love 'em to bits!