Clown Loaches Ich

[davepfc69]

Hi there. I've brought 4 clown loaches last Tuesday on Thursday I noticed some white spots on them so I done my normal 25% water change and gravel vac and raised the temp to 28 to 29 brought some king British white spot treatment green in colour dosed half the amount cos of loaches but added every 24 hours rather than 48 hours I've now got my air stone on all the time since treating for extra aeration all other fish seem fine at mo. I've read loads of stuff about the cycle of the parasite and understand it but the white spot don't seem any better after 5 days of treatment is it to early to tell yet only cos I've read they should drop off within 3 days. My set up is fluval Roma 200 with 4 loaches 2 three striped corys 10 neon tetra and two pearl gouramis. Planted tank and pea gravel. Also loaches seem ok and feeding fine but they do tend to hang around top corner by heater in the evening sorry it's long winded but I seem to be doing everything right but to no effect or am I just being impatient. Thanks Dave

Forgot to say I've had water tested today and ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10 ph 7. 5. Gh 90. Kh 70. Phosphate 1. So all seems ok and tank been up and running for 4 months

 

[techen]

May I ask how big your tank is? Clown loaches will become massive and need a good sized tank. Recommended sizes are around 500 litres.
 
In terms of your white spot, Dose as the bottle says. Don't panic, as it will only kill your fish :3

 

[davepfc69]

I realise they will outgrow my tank but they r very small at the moment and will upgrade to 5ft tank in the future I did say on post what my set up exactly was.

 

[techen]

Been a long day, Missed that. Yea I suggest getting 6 loaches at they prefer groups of 6 +
 
Same with the corys, Groups of 6
 
Otherwise as long as you upgrade as soon as possible I see no issue.

 

[greenmumma141]

Its going to take longer to work bc you're half dosing. Keep at it, and dose as instructed. Once the full dosage is over, and you still don't see any results, switch to a different brand, do a big water change, then dose with the new stuff. GL!

 

[davepfc69]

Any ideas on why loaches r up in corner of tank a lot and how long should I get worried if spots don't disappear. Like I said I seem to be doing everything by the book oh and also have taken carbon sponges out of filter while medication I'm due to do my weekly water change Thursday and gravel vac should I leave doing that until spots have gone

Ok gl I'll try a different brand when this one has gone if no results. Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

No.  I'd do the gravel vac as scheduled and redose with the meds...  Gravel vaccing is an important part of a treatment for ich, as it can remove the trophant stage of the parasite from the substrate, which will eliminate the need for as much meds... less little boogers to kill.

 

[davepfc69]

Ok mate I'll do the vac on Thursday the only reason I ask is if spots r still on fish have they left and gone in to gravel by this stage. Sorry to go on but I've read so many different methods and do vac don't vac until spots gone.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

With using half-doses, the process is going to take longer, there's no avoiding that.  Some of the spots may have fallen off by then, some may still be there.  If you can try to get a picture of the fish and keep track of WHERE they are.  If they are in different spots, that means they are moving on and off your fish during their lifecycle.  The higher temp is supposed to increase the speed of the lifecycle, making the free swimming stage happen more frequently (which is the only stage that is susceptible to the meds).  If it weren't a scaleless fish like a loach, I'd suggest some salt as well, but that's not a viable option in this case.
 
 
Just keep up with the meds  and do water changes as needed...  It will take a bit of time, but they should all pull through eventually...  

 

[the_lock_man]

Dave, did you get the clown loach from Arundel Street, did you? I just got some cardinal tetras from there which brought whitespot in.

 

[davepfc69]

No mate I got them from emsworth aquatic's up Drayton but I have fish from Arundel street though and planted bog wood from Kingston road aquatic's to problem is there is so many different sources u can put the little .... In ya own tank

 

[Tizer]

Get the temp up to 30, i've found that anything below that doesn't have much affect and that single digit temp change can make all the difference. Other than that you are doing everything perfectly fine, no need to panic no need to worry, you got all the info you need already in this thread to sort it.

 

[the_lock_man]

I've had a few fish, fighters mainly from Emsworth - I get this niggly feeling they prefer their reptiles, and fish is only a sideline. This wasn't helped by going in there one day with my 5yo, and seeing a dead fish in each of 6 tanks. I appreciate that every shops has the occasional sinker, but 6 at the same time means, to me, that they aren't paying good enough attention to them. Pity, as I live in Cosham.
 
Not long got a Dwarf Gourami from Kingston Road, he's survived my whitespot outbreak, unlike a LOT of my fishies.
 
By the way, apparently Guy Whittingham has taken the first team squad to the dockyard, so the can see for themselves what Victory looks like....... (Local football joke, in case anyone's wondering).

 

[davepfc69]

Pmsl bad footy joke lol we r doomed mate that's for sure just hope my fish aren't but I will bump my tank up to thirty when get in like tizer said I did want to do that but bit worried about corys in there pearl gouramis should be fine at that temp. I've had my pond for about 7 years now with koi and remember having loads of problems the first year but haven't had to treat for years. Oh and your in cosham I'm over the hill in cowplain lol

Pmsl bad footy joke lol we r doomed mate that's for sure just hope my fish aren't but I will bump my tank up to thirty when get in like tizer said I did want to do that but bit worried about corys in there pearl gouramis should be fine at that temp. I've had my pond for about 7 years now with koi and remember having loads of problems the first year but haven't had to treat for years. Oh and your in cosham I'm over the hill in cowplain lol

 

[the_lock_man]

With cories as well, definitely use half-dosage, they also are scaleless. THe fish will be able to tolerate the higher temperature in the short term.
 
If and when you need to get a new bottle of meds, I swear by Protozin by Waterlife. MA have West Leigh normally have that.