Goldfish Ich

[cindyterry33]

I have a new Oranda in a hospital tank with ich. I just bought it (the fish) about three days ago. The tank is 30 gal, Nitrite 0, Amonia 0, Nitrate 20-30, ph 7.8, temp 74. I've had goldfish for about nine years and never had ich - how is ich treated? Will the fish survive - the infestation looks severe to me.

 

[black angel]

ich lowers immunity and make the fish more susceptible to secondary infections..namely bacterial.

first thing to do is raise temperature slowly to 80f and put in a white spot med... before you dose the tank as instructed switch off any over head lighting and take out any charcoal in the filter....i take it theres just a fish in the tank..no snails or plec? if so remove them. do a 50% water change using a gravel vac as the cysts will fall off the fish and lie in the gravel before bursting and causing a load more parasites to swim looking for a host. the light off is to help the meds work..they dont work so well under the flourescent lighting.

add more air to your tank and just before the next dosings do another 50% water change. once the treatment has done.. do another water change after 24 hours. if the fish looks better then keep up the temp (quickens life cycle of ich) and keep doing water changes. try and feed the fish during all this and live food if possible...dont worry too much if it doesnt eat.

If the fish isnt looking better then add charcoal to the filter and let that run a couple of days....

OR

if the fish is over 2 inches body length and looks well and active we can try the salt treatment if preferred... for this you will need tonic salt or marine salt.. or any salt apart from table.

day 1 add 1 level teaspoon of salt per gallon = 30 teaspoons for your tank
12 hours later another level teaspoon of salt per gallon = total = 60 teaspoons
12 hours later another level teaspoon of salt per gallon = total =90 teaspoons.

never add it all at one go.....now your tank is at a salt solution of .3% this kills most parasites and there is one that needs .5% but cant think of it just now.

this will need to be kept at this salinity for at least 2 weeks until way after the parasites are no longer visible. you would need to do daily 50% gravel vacs too and remember to calculate the salt back..


OR

you can do daily salt baths

dip the fish in a 5% solution...5 level teaspoons in a gallon for a few seconds then back to the tank....you can use this in conjunction with ich meds but never add salt to any tank with meds.

do not use salt if the fish is under 2 inches in body length...the kidney isnt strong enough to function.

if this is your first time dealing with ich then I personally would recommend the med treatment.

if the fish is starting to bottom sit and wont move too much then it may be too late and another infection may have already set in.

 

[cindyterry33]

ich lowers immunity and make the fish more susceptible to secondary infections..namely bacterial.

first thing to do is raise temperature slowly to 80f and put in a white spot med... before you dose the tank as instructed switch off any over head lighting and take out any charcoal in the filter....i take it theres just a fish in the tank..no snails or plec? if so remove them. do a 50% water change using a gravel vac as the cysts will fall off the fish and lie in the gravel before bursting and causing a load more parasites to swim looking for a host. the light off is to help the meds work..they dont work so well under the flourescent lighting.

add more air to your tank and just before the next dosings do another 50% water change. once the treatment has done.. do another water change after 24 hours. if the fish looks better then keep up the temp (quickens life cycle of ich) and keep doing water changes. try and feed the fish during all this and live food if possible...dont worry too much if it doesnt eat.

If the fish isnt looking better then add charcoal to the filter and let that run a couple of days....

OR

if the fish is over 2 inches body length and looks well and active we can try the salt treatment if preferred... for this you will need tonic salt or marine salt.. or any salt apart from table.

day 1 add 1 level teaspoon of salt per gallon = 30 teaspoons for your tank
12 hours later another level teaspoon of salt per gallon = total = 60 teaspoons
12 hours later another level teaspoon of salt per gallon = total =90 teaspoons.

never add it all at one go.....now your tank is at a salt solution of .3% this kills most parasites and there is one that needs .5% but cant think of it just now.

this will need to be kept at this salinity for at least 2 weeks until way after the parasites are no longer visible. you would need to do daily 50% gravel vacs too and remember to calculate the salt back..


OR

you can do daily salt baths

dip the fish in a 5% solution...5 level teaspoons in a gallon for a few seconds then back to the tank....you can use this in conjunction with ich meds but never add salt to any tank with meds.

do not use salt if the fish is under 2 inches in body length...the kidney isnt strong enough to function.

if this is your first time dealing with ich then I personally would recommend the med treatment.

if the fish is starting to bottom sit and wont move too much then it may be too late and another infection may have already set in.

Thank you - I will do this over the weekend. The fish is very active and eating, so it may make it. It is about 5 inches long.