First case of ich for me

[GrullaQuarters]

I've been reading the pinned stuff on here for ich, I just noticed this morning that both of my pictus catfish have obvious ich (it's been cleary defined on here, thanks to the posters of the information!) They are both covered in white spots like grains of salt. In the tank with them are 5 gouramis and a bristlenosed pleco. And, unfortunately, although having had good luck in the past, I just brought home a couple new gouramis a week ago last Monday. So I figure that's where it came from. However, none of the gouramis have the spots, the bristlenose is always well hidden, so I don't see him well enough to see if he's got 'em. I had read that if you have scaleless fish, you need to cut the dose in half. Pictus catfish are scaleless, am I right?

I am with the understanding (and I'm sure the directions will be on whatever I need to buy) that the carbon filters will need to be taken out of the filters themselves, as not to trap the medication. Also raising the temp, and doing a 50% water change.

Is this medication quite expensive? I just thought I could learn a few things on here before I go into the LFS tonight to get whatever I need. I'm sure they'll be able to help me out with this. I imagine it won't be cheap to treat 75 gallons of water....however many times it will need to be treated.

I believe I will be buying a 'quarantine' tank now and not adding new fish right away.....It has finally bitten me in the butt! Thanks for any opinions!

 

[WILDER]

http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article2.html

 

[GrullaQuarters]

Ok, so I go to the lfs tonight (Petsmart) and there's a few to choose from for ich. I talk to a gal who told me which one to get, but when I started asking questions, she tells me she really doesn't know, and that I should read the back of the bottle. She says my pictus cats might not make it through this because they are silver colored. HUH?? Scaleless, yes, but color?

So, do I take out the filter completely (I'm guessing no) or do I just put new filters in without the carbon (I'm guessing yes.)

Thanks for the link, I read it...and will be reading it again.

 

[coryd]

Some meds on the market are prescribed for scaless fish, Rid Ich being one. Stay away from the salt treatments, your plec and cats won't tolerarate the salt. Make sure you get the temp up to atleast 82 and most importantly, BE PATIENT. The instructions on the bottle may say stop treatment after a few days, dont stop treatment until spots have been gone for three days. Then do two consecutive 25% water changes and add carbon. I recently treted my 36gal for 24 days and lost no fish. Good Luck.

 

[The Mohave Kid]

Ich is driving me nuts

I'm cycling a new tank .. Ich appeared when the ammonia levels peaked ... I treated it for nine days ... using Copper as local shop suggested ( Aquari Sol ) ... all looked well for 4 days but it has returned .. hit the Danio this time ... last time the danio seemed unaffected. Nitrites are peeking now.

Good Day ...

 

[coryd]

Did you continue treatments after spots were gone? Ich can be stubborn. Be patient and fight the good fight.

 

[GrullaQuarters]

Thanks for the replies. Rid Ich is exactly what I came home with. Sure turned the tank a purdy color last night! Watched the fish for a couple hours after treatment....they seemed fine...the pictus are still not themselves, but they're covered in spots.

So, I am supposed to do this again 24 hours from when I did it the first time. I did a 50% water change last night, took out the carbon filters, and put in new without carbon. Turned the heater up a little bit....

Do I still need to do a water change tonight before putting a second treatment in? How long might the spots last on these poor pictus cats before they 'fall off?" I know the treatment won't take care of the parasites already on the fish....will just keep them from multiplying when they fall off. But how long do ya think?

And the water change...like I said, I did a 50% last night before treatment. Do I need to do one again tonight before treatment, and if so, how much? And (regardless what the bottle says) continue doing a treatment every 24 hours until 3 days AFTER the spots have gone? In that case, I didn't get enough...the LPS said I only would need the little one....treats 240 gal. I think it said.

Thanks for the info!